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Route · Carrascosa

PR-CU 4: Sendero de las Dehesas

PR-CU 4, Sendero de las Dehesas, is a linear short-distance trail of 19.7 km with 596 m of elevation gain and about 6 hours, of moderate difficulty, between Carrascosa and Cueva del Hierro. It crosses Carrascosa's wood pasture and Valsalobre's common ox pasture, descends to Valsalobre, climbs above 1,400 m beside Valtablado's ruins and ends in Cueva del Hierro.

Tracks crossing open low hills and scattered trees in an aerial view of the PR-CU 4
A stretch of the PR-CU 4, seen from the air in 2024. Photo: «Ortoimagen», Sistema Cartográfico Nacional (2024) · CC BY 4.0
Code
PR-CU 4
Distance
19.7 km
Elevation gain
596 m
Time
6 h
Layout
Linear
Difficulty
Moderate

Walking time without travel or stops. Check the source to see whether distance and time include the return. Difficulty as graded by the official source. «Easy» does not mean accessible.

  • PR-CU 4
  • Carrascosa
  • Valsalobre
  • Cueva del Hierro

Where to start

In Carrascosa, a village on a paramera, a high open limestone plateau, among pine forests and dehesas, wood pastures. It ends in Cueva del Hierro.

The route

It soon enters the Dehesa de Carrascosa, passes La Mimbrera, crosses part of the paramera and enters the Dehesa Boyal de Valsalobre, the common ox pasture described in The dehesa and livestock of Valsalobre. A long descent reaches the village of Valsalobre. From there it follows the Navareja stream along a steep slope, above 1,400 m, to the ruins of Valtablado de Beteta. A saddle then opens onto the Nogueruela stream valley and the descent to Cueva del Hierro.

Difficulty and time

Linear, 19.7 km and 596 m of elevation gain, about 6 hours. Moderate difficulty.

Before you set out

As it is linear, arrange your return. Snow is common in winter. The three villages have only basic facilities.

Official route · Federación de Deportes de Montaña de Castilla-La Mancha y Diputación de Cuenca (Senderos de Cuenca) (PR-CU 4). Description, track and notices on the official route page (in Spanish). Before you set out, check there for changes or closures.

Frequently asked questions

Is it circular?

No, it is linear, from Carrascosa to Cueva del Hierro.

Which villages does it link?

Carrascosa, Valsalobre and Cueva del Hierro, with the ruins of Valtablado de Beteta on the way.

Carry on from here

Lands and landscapes

From here, follow the memory of the land

These readings connect Sendero de las Dehesas with the stories, the work and the villages around it.

Where it is

Location of Sendero de las Dehesas BetetaCarrascosaCueva del HierroValsalobre Valsalobre
Municipal boundaries: © IGN (CC BY 4.0).

● Villages · ● Places · ━ Simplified official route

Location sketch. The map with paths and names loads as you scroll to it.

Reference villages: Carrascosa · Valsalobre · Beteta · Cañizares.

Open the full map and its historical layers →

Download GPX track · Official source

Where the data on this page come from
Municipality (INE code)

«Source consulted»: the primary source has been read. «Reference located»: the source has been identified but not yet read. «Open question»: the figure needs confirmation.