Path of the Bailon River

Hiking in the Sierras Subbeticas Natural Park

In the southwest of the province of Cordoba awaits the Sierras Subbeticas Natural Park, a protected natural area that treasures a rich geological and palaeontological heritage among other virtues. Caves, enchanted forests, ravines and mountains that are crossed by countless hiking routes, among which the Path of the Bailón River stands out. This route is perhaps one of the most visited of all those that cross this natural area, thanks in part to the great diversity of the landscape it runs through, the incredible places it passes through and the history that this area of Cordoba treasures. Among other attractions are the village of Zuheros, one of the most beautiful villages in Spain, and the hermitage of La Sierra with its viewpoint on Andalucía.

How to get to the path of the Bailon River

This is a linear route with two possible starting points. We can start the route in the town of Zuheros or from the car park that we will find shortly before starting the final stretch of the ascent to the hermitage of the Sierra within the municipality of Cabra. In any case, before starting the route we must apply for the relevant permit, which can be obtained at the Santa Rita visitor centre, on the road between Cabra and Priego, or at the office of the Sierras Subbéticas Environmental Agents attached to the visitor centre, at this link you have more information.​

Access from Zuheros

To reach the village of Zuheros we must follow the road that connects it either with Doña Mencía and Cabra or with Luque and Baena. Once there, in the middle of the road, without going into the town, we will find the turning that takes us to the car parks at the beginning of the path of the River Bailón, just before entering Zuheros.​

Enter your place of departure

Access from Cabra

If our intention is to do the route in the opposite direction, we will have to go to the town of Cabra. From there we must go to the hermitage of the Virgen de la Sierra. The accesses to this hermitage can be found on the road between Cabra and Priego de Córdoba, shortly after leaving Cabra towards Priego. This turn-off takes us to the hermitage after a while, but before beginning the final ascent to the hill where it stands we come across the path to La Nava, the starting point of the Path of the River Bailón in this area. There is no usual parking area here; we will have to walk a few metres along the path to find the signs marking the start of the route. Another option is to go up to the sanctuary and start our route from there, following the path that descends from there along the mountainside.

Enter your place of departure

Itinerary of the Path of the Bailon River

From Zuheros to the viewpoint of Canyon of Charco Hondo 0,9Km

The car park at the entrance to Zuheros will be our starting point for this beautiful hiking route in the province of Córdoba. This is the start of the Path of the River Bailón, which is clearly signposted by the information signs available to us. In front of us we can already see the gorge carved out by the river, which is usually dry although its flow is underground. We begin a demanding ascent that makes us take it easy at the start. The height we reach allows us to enjoy unbeatable views of the canyon and Zuheros as the route winds its way up to soften the gradient to be overcome. A balustrade separates us from the abyss next to us and warns us of our arrival at the false plain where the Charco Hondo viewpoint awaits us (0h 25min).​

From the Charco Hondo viewpoint to the Fuenfría fountain 3,8 km

After this short but gratifying respite, we are once again put to the test. The conditioning of the path gives way to the typical mountain trail surrounded by vertical crags. The river Bailón will get in our way on several occasions, forcing us to cross it, although generally without too many complications. Soon the Friar's Cave, so called because of the stalactite that crowns its entrance, takes us out of the effort we are making to advance. We continue along the route accompanied by the Bailón river until we reach one of the fountains we will pass by, the Fountain of the Mora.

We continue along the route, alternating between some gentler areas and others that are steeper and steeper, leaving the riverbed further and further downstream. After a while the landscape changes as we enter a holm oak forest whose shapes are well worth the name Enchanted Forest. This part of the route takes us through this holm oak forest, passing the ruins of an old farmhouse, and soon after that we reach the fountain of Fuenfría (2h 05min).

From the fountain of La Fuenfría to Las Chorreras 2,6 Km

After a well-deserved rest we follow the signs and continue our route towards the hermitage of Cabra. The slope has almost disappeared, giving way to a much more comfortable area with some uncomplicated ascents and descents. We quickly pass the Fountain of La Rebola and shortly afterwards we arrive at another of the important points of the route, the Paleodolina. An information panel explains the curious process of formation of this sinkhole and its location, thus avoiding overlooking this spot.

A change that translates into a wide plain where we will find the post that marks the detour that we must follow to approach Las Chorreras. This detour leads us to follow the course of the Las Chorreras stream, whose flow will give us an idea of the state of the place we are heading towards. We leave the plain behind us and enter the holm oak forest that hides Las Chorreras (2h 35min). A first waterfall makes us think that we have arrived, but in reality a few metres further up, following a hidden path that runs along the side of the waterfall, there is a second waterfall that is just as beautiful, if not more so, than the previous one.

From Las Chorreras to the parking at the road to the sanctuary 5,7 km

After enjoying this spot, we retrace our steps back to the point where we turn off to take the path that will take us to the foothills of the sanctuary of the Virgen de la Sierra. The plain is once again our companion, a companion that takes us to meet another old friend, the river Bailón, which in this area has created a totally different landscape to the one we are used to. There are several enclosures that we have to cross as we advance towards our next objective. This part of the route follows a wide path that, together with the waymarks, leaves little room for error. Little by little we leave the Polje de la Nava behind us and head towards the Picacho de Cabra. When we reach the edge of the Picacho de Cabra some signs mark the official starting point of the Path of the River Bailón on this side, just before our path meets the road (3h 45min), which ascends to the Sanctuary of the Virgen de la Sierra. If we want to climb up to the sanctuary we have to initially follow the road until we meet the winding path that ascends the mountainside. This extension means adding 1.5 km more, on the outward journey alone, to the total distance covered so far. This is in addition to another 200 m of positive ascent to the summit of the Picacho de Cabra.

Coordinates UTM Datúm WGS84

Profile of the Path of the Bailon River

Cartography

This schematic with the path is approximate and has been created from the derived cartographic base © Instituto Geográfico Nacional "Cuadrante 967-3, 967-4, 989-1 y 989-2 1:25.000".