Pinofranqueado: River swimming, easy trails and traces of history

Pinofranqueado reveals its natural side along the Río Los Ángeles: the natural swimming pool is 370 metres long and an average of 32 metres wide. It invites visitors to bathe, swim and travel in small boats.

Water and trails

Along the river runs the Paseo del río de Pinofranqueado, an 850-metre-long paved promenade with a maximum gradient of 2 per cent; it is suitable for families and older visitors. The route to Chorritero de Ovejuela is a 3.8-kilometre circular trail to a waterfall. It is considered an easy family trail and is accessible to people of all ages. Along the route, a rest area with a viewpoint offers views of small bends in the river.

From Castillo, the route to Tesito de los Cuchillos is an easy 2.6-kilometre circular trail with only a slight incline. The route to Despoblado del Moral begins in Horcajo and follows an easy, well-maintained dirt track of approximately 2 kilometres each way. The different trail lengths, surfaces and gradients provide concrete points of comparison for shorter walks and longer circular routes. The route details distinguish more than just length: asphalt, dirt track, circular route, slight incline and a fixed starting point each give the trails their own format. In Pinofranqueado, this makes it possible to clearly distinguish a riverside walk, a short circular trail and a return route of approximately four kilometres.

Nature and landscape

The route to the Madroñera de Guijarro Blanco passes through pine forest, chestnut groves, holm oaks, strawberry trees and scrubland. The Madroñera de Guijarro Blanco is a strawberry tree of the species Arbutus unedo L. described as monumental; it reaches a height of 10 metres and a circumference of 4.70 metres. The large Madroñera de Guijarroblanco in El Castillo is designated as an “Árbol Singular”.

Culture, history and local traditions

The Church of Nuestra Señora de la Encina in Pinofranqueado was built between the 17th and 18th centuries. It has an 18th-century altarpiece. Traditional architecture in Pinofranqueado includes houses made of slate stone with slate roofs.

The Tesito de los Cuchillos petroglyphs lie in a bend of the Río Esperabán at its confluence with the Zambrana stream. The swords depicted on the stone could date from the Bronze Age, between 1100 and 700 BC.

La Enramá is classified as a festival of regional tourist interest. It takes place on the last Sunday in August and temporarily pairs unmarried young men and women.

The Honey Interpretation Centre in Ovejuela is located in a former oil mill and displays honey and the processes involved in its production in exhibition areas. It offers visitors a small tasting of various types of honey.

More local pages

For further comparisons with localities in the same broader context: Cambrón, Aldeanueva Del Camino, Logrosán, Casas Del Monte, Navatrasierra, Valdencín and Almoharín. In addition, see the local page for Avellanar.

For the broader travel overview: Cáceres.