Rioja-Sierra de Los Agudos from Las Lagunas de la Degollada

Head to the Las Lagunas de la Degollada car park near Calahorra: there are no signposts, but the track is easily passable.

(S/E) Continue south along the track, passing close to a gas field on your right.

(1) At the junction, go straight on and leave the return track on your left.

(2) Take the track on the right and follow it for 1.3 km.

(3) At the Fork in the road, take the sharp left-hand bend to follow the track down towards a dry ford. Continue for 2.3 km through a beautiful wooded area.

(4) At a power line, leave the track and take the path on the left which climbs steeply. It cuts across a large circular loop of the track and rejoins it further up.

(5) Head left, walk a few dozen metres, then turn right onto the steeply ascending path which rejoins the track a little further up (it is also possible to stay on the track).

(6) At the summit of the Mesa, follow the ridge to the right downhill for about 600 m.

(7) At the fork in the road, leave the track and take the poorly maintained path on the left to rejoin the track, avoiding a descent and subsequent climb.

(8) Turn left again onto the track for 150 m and reach another junction.

(9) Turn left onto a narrower track, continue straight on at the junction for a lovely straight stretch.

(10) At the fork, turn left uphill towards the summit of Los Agudos, which rises to an altitude of 641 m: take care on the slightly vertiginous section towards the end to reach the summit.

(11) Below the summit, turn left onto the ridge path leading down towards the power line. You’ll come out onto a track.

(12) Cross the track and continue straight on to quickly reach a junction of tracks.

(13) Take the path opposite, which climbs and then descends steeply, reach the end of the path and join the stream.

(14) Head left and follow the stream as closely as possible for over 1 km, making your way through fairly wild terrain. Towards the end, the track’s ford forms a small pool: stay on the right-hand side of the stream, keeping to the right to avoid some rocks. In summer, there should be less water.

(15) At the ford, take the track to the right and you’ll reach a Fork in the road about 500 m further on.

(16) Follow the track to the left until you reach the next Fork in the road.

(17) Leave the main track for a smaller track climbing up to the right. At a Fork in the road, go straight up towards the ridge and follow it.

(18) At this fork in the road, leave the track and take the path on the left.

(19) At the end of the path, back on a track, turn left and return to the first junction on the way out.

(1) Turn right towards the car park (S/E).

Please note:

• The route is unmarked and partly off-trail, with a section through the dry bed of a stream. Tracking via GPS or smartphone is highly recommended.
• The route is mostly on clay soil and partly along a ridge; avoid in wet weather or after rainfall, as there is a risk of slipping on the steep sections.

In wet weather or during winter, at (13), to avoid the stream, turn left onto the track, then turn right at every junction; the track will take you to (15).

Take the guided tour of Calahorra Cathedral. It is possible to visit with a volunteer guide from the Friends of the Cathedral, who are both fascinating and passionate about the building. The cathedral has collected statues from the 12th to the 15th centuries from neighbouring and abandoned churches and monasteries, as well as a few paintings by the great Flemish masters.