Villaharta - Alcaracejos

For many pilgrims, considered the "Queen Stage" of the Mozarabic Way as it passes through the province of Cordoba and not only for its beauty and charm, but also for its hardness, it crosses much of the Sierra Morena starting from one of the most beautiful and representative localities of the same.

We leave Villaharta by the road towards Pozoblanco towards the Alto de la Serrana and passing through a rest area of municipal utility and recreation for all the inhabitants of the town. We continue along the GR-40 trail and the Cañada Real Soriana to the Cortijo de los Pillos, which we will leave on our right.

The road runs along the Cañada Real through a landscape of great richness of Mediterranean forest. Past the Cortijo de Los Arenales we must leave behind a part of the old route and take the new part that, with a gentle slope, brings us closer to the Guadalbarbo river. On this route, and before reaching the river, we observe on the left side the Guadiato valley and on the right the Sierra de La Chimorra.

Next to the Guadalbarbo river we can find a recently built rest area and if the flow of the river is not too high, we can cross it easily, using concrete blocks provided for this purpose. Abrupt slope that awaits us after crossing the river but that has its reward for the magnificent views that can be seen from Casas del Paguillo.

Two kilometers have passed since we crossed the Guadalbarbo and we continue advancing now on a wide track very comfortable to walk. As we advance along the track we leave on the left the Cerro del Germo where the remains of an ancient Visigoth basilica of the seventh century are located and that is not visitable, unless express permission of the owner of the property, because it is located on private land.

Leaving the wide track on our left we will cross the bridge of the Lorito stream to face the last ascent through Sierra Morena that will lead us directly to the Alto del Calatraveño, presided by the statue of Aurelio Teno called "Raíces de Los Pedroches" (Roots of Los Pedroches).