Los Huertos: Camino de Santiago, History and Nature along the Eresma

Culture and History

In Los Huertos, the parish church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción represents several periods at once: the Gothic building dates from the 16th century and was remodelled in the Baroque style in the 18th century. The Camino de Santiago from Madrid also passes through Los Huertos; in Sahagún, it joins the French Way. Architectural history and a pilgrimage route with connections beyond the region therefore meet in the village. For a tour of the village, this brings together a single building with two clearly distinguishable construction phases; the church forms a compact historical focal point within the village’s history.

Los Huertos was established during the Reconquista. Until the 16th century, the settlement was known by the name Santa María de los Huertos. The former place name is therefore just as much a part of the village’s history as the parish church, which was later remodelled.

Ruins of several buildings remain in the now depopulated former districts of Carrascal de Gumiel and San Pedrillo. These include a mill, a farmstead and a hermitage. The surviving structural remains point to earlier settlement traces, while the Ermita de la Virgen de las Vegas preserves a Baroque altarpiece and a replacement statue of the Virgin. Secular relics and sacred art thus stand side by side in different historical contexts.

Hiking and Trails

The Camino Natural Valle del Eresma runs less than 1 km from Los Huertos, while the fifth stage of the hiking route from Los Huertos to Añe leads through the picturesque landscapes of Segovia and explores the Camino de Santiago. Route planning therefore brings different forms of travel together: proximity to a nearby nature trail, a stage with a fixed destination and the connection between the Camino de Santiago and the landscape of Segovia.

Leisure

Parque de Los Huertos is located at the entrance to Los Huertos, next to the canalised San Medel stream. The park has three barbecue areas and swings for different age groups. Its location at the village entrance, the available barbecue areas and the swings give the park its own character among the village’s attractions.

Nature

Along the banks of the Eresma, the vegetation consists mainly of Canadian poplar plantations. The riverbank is used as a nesting site by several bird species, including golden orioles, chaffinches, nightingales, rock buntings, European greenfinches, robins, blackbirds, wrens and Cetti’s warblers. The riverside landscape is therefore shaped both by its vegetation and by a diverse birdlife.

For planning a day out, the village’s attractions can be organised according to their main focus without limiting them to a single excursion. The church, former place name, former districts and hermitage represent different approaches to history. Trails and stages offer another way of travelling, while the park and the banks of the Eresma form distinct areas with specific local features. This allows travellers to give different weight to history, movement, time spent in the village and the landscape.

Other Places of Interest

Other places of interest in the surrounding area include Anaya, Corral de Ayllón, Segovia, La Losa, Urueñas, Coca, Valverde Del Majano and Cozuelos de Fuentidueña.

The Albergue de Peregrinos Virgen de las Vegas has a dormitory with two bunk beds for four people.

Back to the main travel overview: Segovia.