In the first place we will answer a query which no doubt you have in mind as you read this: what is a geosite?
A geosite or site of geological interest (Lugar de Interés Geológico, LIG) can be defined as an area which is included in the geological heritage of a place or region and which has one or two important features of proven importance in the geological history of the region.
In other words, a geosite is a window onto the past, a place where you can observe the Earth from a completely new perspective and become aware of the incredible history that the planet has had over millions of years.
At the Villuercas-Ibores-Jara Global Geopark of the UNESCO we have 50 geosites scattered over a surface area of 2,500 square kilometres. They will serve you as a guide to explore and discover this territory with its internationally recognised rich geodiversity. Start this incredible journey of discovery!
The Earth: a History in millions of years
Cenozoic
Today
Anthropocene?
2,58
Quaternary
23,03
Neogene
66
Paleogene
Mesozoic
145
Cretaceous
201,3
Jurassic
251,9
Triassic
Palaeozoic
298,9
Permian
358,9
Carboniferous
419,2
Devonian
443,8
Silurian
485,4
Ordovician
541
Cambrian
Proterozoico
635
Ediacaran (Neoproterozoic)
1.000
Neoproterozoic
1.600
Mesoproterozoic
2.500
Palaeoproterozoic
Hadean and Archean
4.000
Archean
4.600
Hadean - Origin of the Earth
13.800
Origin of the Universe
International chronostratigraphic chart
Nuestros Geositios
La Villuerca Crag
LOCATION AND ACCESS The Villuerca crag (Pico de la Villuerca – Villuerca peak - in the ING “Instituto Nacional de Geografia” cartography) is located between the municipalities of Navezuelas and [...]
Nº02 – Cerro de San Cristóbal
LOCATION AND ACCESS The isolated hill known as the Cerro or Sierra de San Cristóbal has a maximum altitude of 680 m and is some 2500 m in length; it [...]
Nº03 – The Phosphorite Mine of la Constanza
LOCATION AND ACCESS To access the mining facilities, take the road towards Cañamero and about 500 metres from the centre of Logrosán you will find the site that houses the [...]
Nº04 – El Serranillo Mine
LOCATION AND ACCESS The mine is located in the Cerro del Serranillo (Serranillo hill) area, about 2.5 km northeast of the village of Logrosán. At present, its gallery, El Serranillo, [...]
Nº05 – Rañas de Cañamero
LOCATION AND ACCESS These typical sedimentary platforms are to be found to the south of the pass of Puerto Llano along the road (EX-116) leading from Guadalupe to Villanueva de [...]
Nº06 -Puerto Llano Fault
LOCATION AND ACCESS The pass of Puerto Llano of Cañamero is located between the towns of Cañamero and Guadalupe. The local road EX-102 as far as the junction with the [...]
Nº07 – Estrecho de la Peña Amarilla
LOCATION AND ACCESS The Estrecho de la Peña Amarilla (Yellow Rock Defile) lies to the east of the village of Alía and can be reached by the EX-102 road at [...]
Nº08 – Hornos de la Calera Alía
LOCATION AND ACCESS La Calera is a hamlet of the village of Alía. It can be reached by a local road about 10 km north of the centre of Alía. [...]
Nº09 – Cancho del Reloj
LOCATION AND ACCESS This geosite can be reached via the road that links the villages of Berzocana and Solana de Cabañas (CC-22.4). Then take the forest track that leads to [...]
Nº10 – Canchos de las Sábanas rocky hills
LOCATION AND ACCESS The Canchos de las Sábanas are located to the east of the town of Berzocana, and can be reached by the road that connects this village with [...]
Nº11 – Headwaters of the River Almonte
LOCATION AND ACCESS The source of the River Almonte is a large pedrera (block slope) on the western slopes of La Villuerca, the highest peak in the Geopark. Access is [...]
Nº12 – Ruecas River Defile
LOCATION AND ACCESS The Ruecas river flows for about two kilometres to the north-east of the village of Cañamero, through a deep gorge flanked by the high quartzite crests of [...]
Nº13 – Collado del Brazo
LOCATION AND ACCESS Access is afforded by the CC-97 road that runs from Cañamero and Berzocana to Navezuelas. Between km 9 and 10 there is a slightly elevated area with a [...]
Nº14 – Guadalupe River and Ravine of Valdegracia
LOCATION AND ACCESS To reach the upper course of the Guadalupe River we must take a forest track that leads off the old road (EX-380) on a sharp bend behind [...]
Nº16 – Sierra de la Madrila
LOCATION AND ACCESS The Sierra de la Madrila lies to the north of the town of Cañamero and can easily be reached by car from the Cañamero-Berzocana road. At the [...]
Nº17 – Guadarranque-Gualija Syncline
LOCATION AND ACCESS The great Guadarranque-Gualija syncline extends over some one hundred kilometres from northwest to southeast within the Geopark, from the River Tajo to the Cíjara reservoir on the [...]
Nº18 – El Risco Gordo and Sierra del Pimpollar
LOCATION AND ACCESS The Risco Gordo is the highest spur of the Sierra del Pimpollar (836 m) and rises southeast of the town of Cañamero. Easy vehicle access is provided [...]
Nº19 – Raña de las Mesillas
LOCATION AND ACCESS The Raña de las Mesillas extends on both sides of the EX-118 road north of the town of Castañar de Ibor, approximately between kilometres 43 and 47. [...]
Nº20 – Apreturas del Almonte
LOCATION AND ACCESS The Apreturas del Almonte or La Portilla del Almonte is one of the most spectacular places in the whole of the mountain range of Las Villuercas. It [...]
Nº21 – Santa Lucía-Río Ruecas Syncline
LOCATION AND ACCESS The Santa Lucía-Río Ruecas syncline is part of the great synclinorium of Las Villuercas; it is located on its western edge and borders on the Trujillo-Cáceres peneplain. [...]
Nº22 – River Almonte Anticline
LOCATION AND ACCESS The River Almonte anticline extends from the basin of the Tajo, which is its northern limit, to the northern base of the crag of La Villuerca, its [...]
Nº23 – Ibor-Guadalupe Anticline
LOCATION AND ACCESS It is located in the central area of the Geopark and occupies two wide valleys in which the River Ibor flows towards the Tajo and the River [...]
Nº24 – Valdelacasa Anticline
LOCATION AND ACCESS The Valdelacasa anticline extends over the provinces of Cáceres, Toledo, and Ciudad Real and is part of the district known as “La Jara” to the east of [...]
Nº25 – Fault Mirror – Cancho de las Narices
LOCATION AND ACCESS On the Castañar de Ibor to Robledollano road approximately halfway between the two towns. The fault mirror is in a trench that has been dug in the [...]
Nº26 – Peat Bogs of the Hospital del Obispo
LOCATION AND ACCESS The Hospital del Obispo is located on the CC-20 road between kilometre marks 31 and 33 from Navatrasierra; it can also be reached by following the Camino [...]
Nº27 – Castañar Cave
LOCATION AND ACCESS The cave is located on the road from Castañar de Ibor to the campsite, near the Interpretation Centre of the Castañar Cave . The cave is an [...]
Nº28 – La Trucha Crags
LOCATION AND ACCESS Along the axis of the extensive Guadarranque syncline runs a forest track that connects the EX-102 road, between Alía and Puerto de San Vicente, with the town [...]
Nº29 – Fracture System of the Sierra de Breña
LOCATION AND ACCESS On the EX-386 road that runs from Deleitosa towards the A-5 dual carriageway just as you leave the town (kilometre point 9.5) a track leads off known [...]
Nº30 – Canchos del Ataque
LOCATION AND ACCESS At km 31.5 of the CC-20 road that runs from Guadalupe to Navatrasierra and some 2 km from the historical Hospital del Obispo, we can observe on [...]
Nº31 – Chorrera del Calabazas
LOCATION AND ACCESS The Chorrera del Calabazas can be reached from the town of Castañar de Ibor via the EX-118 road that links Guadalupe with Navalmoral de la Mata. From [...]
Nº32 – Potholes Bohonal
LOCATION AND ACCESSIBILITY This geosite is located on the northern border of the Geopark on the deep embedment of the River Ibor near where it flows into the River Tajo. [...]
Nº33 – Metamorphic Contact
LOCATION AND ACCESS At km 45.800 of the EX-118 road there is a junction with the CC-79 local road towards Fresnedoso de Ibor. On this road at km 2.200 we [...]
Nº35 – Magnesitesa of Navalvillar
LOCATION AND ACCESS The best outcrops of dolomitic limestones or magnesites are located on the road from Navalmoral de la Mata to Guadalupe, some 2 km to the north of [...]
Nº36 – Camorro de Castañar
LOCATION AND ACCESS Southeast of the town of Castañar de Ibor and from the EX-118 a small road branches off to follow the Garganta de las Calabazas, from which leads [...]
Nº37 – Risco Carbonero
LOCATION AND ACCESS The Risco Carbonero can be reached from the CC-20 road that links Guadalupe with Navatrasierra. If we head for the latter village, at kilometre 34.5 a forest [...]
Nº38 – Syncline Viejas – Torneros
LOCATION AND ACCESS This syncline runs through the Geopark from the crag of La Villuerca to Campillo de Deleitosa. In its southeast section it is crossed by the River Viejas [...]
Nº41 – Mines of the Arca del Agua
LOCATION AND ACCESS These hydraulic works are seven centuries old and are some 6 km northwest of the town of Guadalupe at an altitude of 915 metres on the southeast [...]
Nº42 – Desfiladero (Defile) del Pedroso
LOCATION AND ACCESS When entering the municipal district of Villar del Pedroso from El Puente del Arzobispo, take a road on the right immediately after passing the bridge of the [...]
Nº43 – Berrocal de peraleda: Cancho Valdecastillo
LOCATION AND ACCESS The granite boulder area or berrocal of Peraleda de San Román extends from the River Gualija to the west to the vicinity of Valdelacasa de Tajo to [...]
Nº44 – Valle de Gualija: San Román and Marialina Mine
LOCATION AND ACCESS The source of the River Gualija lies in the vicinity of the village of Navatrasierra in the heart of the Guadarranque syncline; it runs northwest until it [...]
Nº45 – Crags of Vadillo Peraleda de San Román
LOCATION AND ACCESS The Canchos (crags) del Vadillo (orthoquartzite outcrops) are located on the left bank of river Guadalija deep valley, by the “Armorican quartzites” in the Syncline of Guadarranque-Guadalija. [...]