Carbellino: Vaca Bayona, Culture and Trails at the Embalse de la Almendra

During the carnival season, the La Vaca Bayona masquerade takes place in Carbellino on the Saturday afternoon of Carnival. During its procession, the Vaca chases children and adults who pull its tail, while the Gañán tries to guide it. This established event gives the village a distinctive cultural character and, alongside its historical traces and landscape, represents a reason in its own right to get to know Carbellino.

Culture and History

The Gothic cross Cruz de los Borbujos was erected in the 15th century. It was believed to possess healing powers against smallpox. Pottery is also part of the village’s history: for decades, it was one of the best-known professions in Carbellino before this tradition almost completely disappeared towards the end of the 20th century.

At the El Castillo archaeological site are the settlement remains of an ancient Vettonian castro. The traditional houses in Carbellino, made of stone or clay and featuring large wooden gates, offer a different impression. The cultural points of interest thus range from the carnival custom and religious and archaeological evidence to the traditional appearance of the village.

Landscape and Trails

The Embalse de Almendra reservoir is one of Carbellino’s landscape resources. The Ruta al Embalse de la Almendra is a 5.7 km circular hike from Carbellino to the Embalse de la Almendra reservoir. The 6.3 km circular hike CL ZA SA Carbellino al Arroyo del Campo leads to the Arroyo del Campo and also stops at the granite hollows known as Las Ollas. The two stated distances, 5.7 and 6.3 kilometres, are relatively close, but they differ in their destinations. Those wishing to view the reservoir as a landscape feature will find a different route description here than for the circuit to Arroyo del Campo and Las Ollas. Distance and destination can therefore be compared separately.

The two circular routes therefore differ both in length and in their main landscape focus: one leads to the reservoir, while the other connects the Arroyo del Campo with the granite hollows known as Las Ollas. This comparison makes the routes easier to assess for different day plans without conflating the two destinations.

Plaza de la Reina is a granite rock formation considered a nesting site for birds of prey. This granite rock formation was occasionally used by climbers. The rock adds a single striking landscape feature with its own history of use to the trails and reservoir.

Getting Around and Accommodation

The Línea Salce–Almeida–Zamora bus route lists Carbellino among its stops, thereby supplementing the presentation of the village with information about public transport.

Other Places

Other places: Castrillo de la Guareña, Galende, Zamora, Vecilla De La Polvorosa, Porto, Morales De Toro, Padornelo and Coreses.

Nature

An area of the Embalse de la Almendra is designated as a beach. Swimming, fishing and water sports such as canoeing and windsurfing are mentioned for this area.

To the higher-level travel overview: Zamora.