The area to the north of the Guadiana Menor, between Hinojares and Cabra del Santo Cristo, is part of one of the most desert areas of the province of Jaén, where they are added to the shortage of precipitation, a high litological erosionability and the accelerated process of natural erosion due to the phase of adaptation of the river channels to the change of the base level that occurred during the Quaternary in the Depression of Guadix- Baza.

All of these circumstances give rise to a highly degraded, carpeted landscape called bad@-@ land, of enormous beauty and geomorphological interest.

The area described corresponds to a large area of land in the south-eastern part of the province of Jaén, of which we will highlight the environment of the Cortijo Cherrín, in the vicinity of which there is also a magnificent example of deformation structures. These metric scale deformation structures are found in the upper Miocene (Tortonian) age turbite deposits, and are produced by the liquefaction of the sediment due to the abrupt sedimentation of turbidity currents. In particular, these are piled load structures with asymmetric morphology, whose vergence indicates the sense of movement of the turbidity current.

Source: Inventory of Georresources of Andalusia. Environmental Council. Junta de Andalusia.

With three heights and bounds, the most outstanding is that of the balcony on the first floor, in a vertical line with the access door, and crowned by a small attic with a watch that imitates that of the municipalities colonized in the 18th century, but which is located not in the center but on one of the sides of the building, and on which a small bell is installed.

The hazelnut is presented in several places in the Park, usually in the area of Segura and in it we will see it. In the high valley of Segura, between Pontones and the Utrera Strike, one of the most extensive hazelnuts of the Park is spread, presenting a good state of conservation, as it has preserved it from the transformation of the area by the human being.

In the recommended area the hazelnut (Corylus avellana) is abundant, forming an extensive plant community, in which we find lanthanes (Viburnum lantana), worlds (Viburnum opulus), vidars (Clematis vitalba), liver, (Hepatia nobilis), parnasias (Parnassia palustres), wild strawberries (Fragaria vesca), orchids (Listera ovata, Dactyliorhiza elata), cardos (Cirsium pyrenaucas and several sagulis (S.), and Sallicola (S.). We also found repopulation choperas with the Populus x canadensis hybrid. This whole set forms a thick and wide forest in gallery, where hazelnut is the protagonist.

For our visit to the hazelnut we choose the head of the Segura River. We will go to Pontones and from there we will take the track that passes to the side of the Segura River, downstream, in the direction of the Masegoso cortijo. We can make it walk or by vehicle, but we will enjoy more of the walk, as it does not reach 5 km to the end.

These semi-arid areas are the result of the gradual degradation of the ancient Mediterranean forest, which with an aridization of the climate has sculpted landscapes whose beauty is only overcome by their hostility and dryness, causing the plants to pass hard tests in order to live in these environments.

This vegetation is called xerophyll, because it lives in dry environments, with precipitation below 300 mm. annual. Among them are species such as albaida (Anthyllis cytisoides), sosas or salsoles (Salsola oppositifolia), salates (Suaeda spp., Hammada articulata), herb of the conjunctures (Ephedra fragilis), garbancers (Ononis fruticosa) and rabbit garbancillo (Ononis tridata). At times there are sabinas (Juniperus phoenicea), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), male rosemary (Cistus clusii), rethemes (Retama sphaerocarpa), tomilos (Thymus zigis), some carrasco pine (Pinus halepensis) and some other lenticus (Pistacia lenticus), reminding us that this vegetation is the result of the destruction of an ancient Mediterranean forest.

But one of the most significant species of these areas is the caparra (Capparis spinosa), a culinary plant that its preparation in vinegar has been known from very old, and is now an essential element in the best European kitchens.

We suggest:

• The best times for this visit are in autumn and early spring.

On this trip we will not spare the car. We will head to Huesa and from there we will take the road of Pozo Alcón and follow it to the crossing that leads us to the village of Ceal. From this village comes a narrow and tortuous road that goes to Hinojares, which passes through a semi-arid area, populated by scavenges (Stypa tenacissima), which in the area has the name of an atocha, so a nochar is a spartal.

It is interesting to look at the species with which the recreational area and its surroundings have been repopulated. They are indigenous plants of great ecological value, such as maples, complaints and madroños. The whole area suffered a serious fire in the summer of 2005, as a result of a dry storm that unloaded hundreds of rays. In addition, a powerful natural regeneration of vegetation is taking place in the recreational area. The whole shows how right human action is when it supports nature's own regenerative capacity.

Tranco road A-319, in the surroundings of the Tranco reservoir.

There are two ways to access the Bear Dehesa:

• From the village of Onsares, you have to leave on the road to Villarrodrigo and, within 3 km, we take the forest track that leaves on our right. We follow her without taking any of the detours that go back to Onsares to the right. At 6, 5 km from the time we took this lead, we got to the recreational area.

• From the A-310 road between Siles and La Puerta de Segura, at point 17, we take a forest track passing through the village of La Pendolera. After 14.8 km, without being separated by any detour, we reached the Dehesa del Oso. The initial section of this track passes through the area where the works of the Siles dam are currently being carried out.

If we access from Siles, it is appropriate to stop for a while in the small village of La Cañada the Lord.

The whole area is covered by an impressive black pine pineapple with oaks, complaints and dense Mediterranean bush.

From the Dehesa del Oso you can go by forest track to the village of El Bellotar, 5 km, already located in the province of Albacete. To do this, we have to follow the Cambrón route and, in which we will see at the end of 0.7 km (collado de Las Lagunillas), follow the front rather than turn right towards El Cambrón. From El Bellotar you can get off by asphalt road to the charming village of Villaverde del Guadalimar and close a circuit back to Siles.

Here's what it takes to spend a quiet day in the middle of nature. You have a large parking area, meringeros with chairs and wooden tables, a fountain, a kiosk-bar (open only in summer) and a charming piscina-dam very busy in the months of hottest.

The presence of water attached to the lush and closed forest around this area allows, when there is little human activity, the mammals of the saw to move freely around. The bouquet, boar or even muflon have been seen a few meters from the recreation area.

But the minuscule life is the queen of the area: invertebrates like the dragonfly, and a very delicate crustacean like the native river crab are raised in the remnants of the stream of Linarejos. Your visit must, by obligation, be respectful of the inhabitants of the mountain, avoiding unnecessary noises and removing any waste from the place.

We suggest:

• Take a walk to the canyon that the Guadalquivir River has tasted in the Cerrada del Utrero. It's about following the track that comes out next to the kiosk of the recreational area and turning left to go next to the stream. Do it with caution because in the end you arrive at the spectacular jump of Linarejos, where you don't have to look too much.

In Cazorla take the Sierra road (A-319) until the crossing known as the Empalme del Valle. Turn right on the JF-7092 road and after passing the bridge over the Guadalquivir River (4 km from the Empalme) follow the left track (JF-7091). 2 km from this bridge we turn left by a track that arrives, after a kilometre to the recreational area.

We suggest...

• A walk up the road. Above the road that crosses it, a small dam is reached, hung by the scrapes of sediments, and at the back there is a pot of clean and transparent waters that invite an exciting bath when it is hot.

• The short climb to the high mountain shelter of La Cueva del Peinero, through a short forest track that part of the Recreative Area. The almost circular panorama that you will have from this place will make you feel part of a wild and great scenario, overtaken by a lion vulture and other raptures.

LOCATION

JH-7155 (Transversal de las Villas) road, 34 km from Mogón. You can also access the opposite end of this road, in which case you have to travel 26 km from the detour on the road A-6202 (direction Charco del Oil).

A large petreous blocks, which are in the middle of the channel, strongly call our attention and, at the top of one of them, a lookout gives us a magnificent view of this unique place, whose waters reflect the intense green of vegetation. At the foot of this little oasis, on our right, the rocky wall has a large cave to which the ceiling of the heirs climb.

According to tradition, the name of this place is due to the fact that a donkey, loaded with pear of oil, rushed down the narrow road, falling into this pond and impregnating the entire surface of liquid gold.

It is common to observe, on the edges of the imposing rocky walls, the silhouette of the montés goat and the slow and silent flight of the leonate vulture. In the same way of the river you can see the fishing martin biting like a small winged missile.

We suggest...

• Visit about 200 m, on the left bank of the river, the opening of the drain tunnel of the Tranco reservoir, by which the water comes out turbulently.

• The possibility to make several short routes, following the path that begins right next to the kiosk, and that runs parallel to the river line between the lush riverside vegetation, made up of alphas, mumberas, strawberries and doves.

• Near this place, 300 m. below the Bridge of Los Agustines, one of the most unique and picturesque fishing grounds without death of common trout is started.

One of the main access to this area is from the N-322 road. At the height of Villanueva del Archbishop, we will take the road A-6202, which with its sinuous and quite characteristic layout, direction to the reservoir of the Tranco, to the crossing signposted to the Charco del Oil, in the km 18. We follow until the sale of the Agustines where the road is fork. Continuing from the front, during a small stretch that goes parallel to the route of Guadalquivir and you reach our destination. From the Sierra de Segura and the Valle alta del Guadalquivir you must reach the dam of the Tranco reservoir, to take the A-6202 direction to Villanueva del Archbishop and, later on, the detour to the Charco del Oil.