Discover Navasfrías: Trails, Mining and Culture

From Navasfrías, the route leads to Pico Jálama, a nearby summit outside the town; its slopes extend across the municipal areas of El Payo, Acebo and San Martín de Trevejo. This is where exploring the town begins, in a landscape where hiking trails, riverbanks, historic mines and regional culture come together in close proximity.

Trails

The Sierra Minas route is 24 kilometres long and is rated difficult for hiking but moderate for cycling. It passes through extensive stands of maritime pine (Pinus pinaster) to former mines with collapsed tunnels, open-pit workings, spoil heaps, and granite and slate outcrops.

La Frontera is 14 kilometres long and is rated moderate for both hiking and cycling. Its route follows paths between Navasfrías and Portugal that were traditionally used for smuggling, and leads to the source of the Águeda. The two route lengths and separate ratings by activity provide a direct basis for comparing options when planning a day out.

The Fábrica de la Luz section connects pools, waterfalls and quiet stretches of water between granite boulders with the ruins of a former power station.

Landscape

In the Casa de Cuco area, there are protected oak trees that are more than 500 years old. The Río Águeda flows through the municipality of Navasfrías, with ash and alder trees lining its banks.

The Peñas Resbaladeras area contains three early medieval tombs carved into the rock. On the ascent to Pico Jálama, there is also La Nevera, a preserved octagonal snow-storage basin with walls made of dressed granite blocks.

The access road to Pico Jálama from Navasfrías follows the road that branches off at Puente del Bardal towards El Payo. This places the information about the mountain route, historic structure and access within a separate view of the town and landscape.

Mining

Mina Salmantina is a visitor trail through former mines for wolframite, cassiterite and gold. The former Minas de Navasfrías are located about 5 kilometres from the centre of Navasfrías and were mined for cassiterite, tungsten and iron pyrites from 1903 to 1975.

A guided tour of the Minas de Navasfrías includes the El Pozo Hondo, La Sentada Morales, El Pozo de las Vacas and La Segunda galleries. The different names of the galleries are part of the tour, as is the former use of the mines.

Culture

The El Bardal recreation area includes sports grounds, swimming pools, a restaurant, a nature interpretation centre and a multifunctional bullring. The Navasfrías Nature Interpretation Centre focuses on local mycology, mineralogy, botany and wildlife.

The Semana Cultural Manuel Ramos Andrade honours Manuel Ramos Andrade, a local resident, patron and promoter of the Casa Lis Museum. The Ethnographic Museum displays more than 600 objects relating to traditional life in Navasfrías, including items associated with crafts, agricultural activities, furniture and vessels.

Other Places

Other town pages: La Bastida, Tamames, Las Casas Del Conde, San Esteban De La Sierra, San Pedro De Rozados, Sequeros, Pinedas, Tenebrón.

On the route from Casillas de Flores to Navasfrías, some of the old smuggling paths open up; along the way, oak trees, pines, rockroses, heather and wildflowers lead to Navasfrías.

For the overarching travel overview: Salamanca.