Barahona: Birdlife, Culture and Trails

The Altos de Barahona, an area protected as a ZEPA and LIC, are home to Dupont’s lark and the great bustard. At the same time, they are considered one of Spain’s best habitats for Dupont’s lark; there are 2,200 breeding pairs there.

Nature and Landscape

Barahona is surrounded by an agricultural plain, characterised above all by Mediterranean scrubland and holm oaks. The open plain forms a clear landscape frame against the canyon’s sheer limestone walls.

The El Ojo lagoon attracts numerous birds and contains water mainly in spring and sometimes in summer as well. The landscape thus presents bird habitat, a lagoon that contains water mainly in spring and sometimes in summer, and limestone terrain as distinct natural features alongside one another.

A small canyon with sheer limestone walls lies to the northeast of Barahona, through which the Arroyo de la Sima flows; it can be explored on foot. The landscape therefore encompasses both open areas and a water-bearing lagoon and a limestone-dominated gorge.

Culture and History

The Church of San Miguel Arcángel in Barahona has a Baroque altarpiece and an organ by Diego Madrigal. The altarpiece and organ represent the church’s furnishings, while the remains of the castle and the defensive complex reflect its architectural history.

It was built on the remains of an old castle and forms part of the town’s defensive complex. Sacred furnishings are thus linked with the town’s military history.

The limestone monolith El Mojón de las Brujas, also known as El Confesionario de las Brujas, has a central hole approximately 15 centimetres in diameter.

Trails, Viewpoints and Cycling Tours

Next to the church in Barahona, at the highest point of the hill and at an altitude of 1,137 metres, there is a viewpoint. From there, the view extends over the Sierra Cebollera and Urbión, Moncayo, the Sierra del Alto Rey and the Sierra de Ayllón. The viewpoint thus combines a specific elevation with views across several mountain ranges.

A regional visitor route leads from the Altos de Barahona to Monteagudo de las Vicarías.

Longer cycling tours are possible in the area around Barahona; the unpaved roads are generally in excellent condition, while the roads have little traffic. Unpaved roads and low-traffic roads thus provide two different descriptions of the cycling environment.

The viewpoint, visitor route and cycling tours also differ in terms of elevation, regional route and means of transport.

Roads through the Town

The narrow SO-132 road passes through Barahona on its way between Medinaceli and La Riba de Escalote; it is a lower-ranking road.

The present-day CL-101 also passes through Barahona. It was formerly a first-class trunk road and was called “Carretera de Taracena a Francia”.

More town pages: Vinuesa, Torreandaluz, Oncala, Casillas De Berlanga, Almarza, La Losilla, Velamazán and Santa María de Huerta.

To the higher-level travel overview: Soria.