Serranillos - Collado de los Pozos

Overview

From Seranillos to the north of Cerro de Cabezo there are two more or less reasonable hiking routes towards the various summits of the mountain, which can neatly be combined into a loop trail, which traverses most of the east-to-west summit ridge. The by far more difficult one is the eastern one, which heads up a steep ridge to Collado de los Pozos, the saddle which separates Cabeza Santa from Cabezo de Mijares. it requires good route finding skills even when done top-down. However, the steepness of the side ridge suggests you shoud use this route as the ascent route for the complete loop. The route starts easy enough along a dirt road to the side of a field-filled shallow valley. As the valley turns increasingly steep, the route rather follows one of the southern side ridges of Cerro del Cabezo. After leaving the dirt road there is no path and staying close to the top of the ridge is the best option to reach the main ridge near Collado de los Pozos. From there to the main summits Cabezo de Mijares and Cabezo de Gavillanes you have to bushwhack through a sea of Spanish Broom and later negotiate a ridge of granite slabs.

Getting There

The trailhead at the village Seranillos can be reached as follows:

• From Avila take AV-900 to Burgohondo.
• Switch to AV-913 west until you reach Seranillos.

Route Description

• General:
  • Start altitude: 1200m
  • Summit altitude: 2191m
  • Prevailing exposure: N
  • Type: Hike, Scramble and Bushwhack
  • Protection: None
• Effort: 2 - Elevation gain: 1100m
• Power: 4 - Very steep and strenuous
• Psyche: 2 - Easy, a bit more serious on the traverse between Cabezo de Mijares and Cabezo de Gavillanes
• Difficulty: 1 - Easy
• Orientation: 3 - Difficult on the southern side ridge and the broom covered main ridge.

You start out from Seranillos on a dirt road which heads directly east. Gardens, later fields follow the road even after it bends south-westwards and later heads directly towards the south. You always stay on the left hand side of a shallow valley, wich heads directly at Cabezo de Gavillanes, getting much steeper. To the left a low stone wall follows the dirt road. Where it suddenly bends east, follow tha wall for a few hundred metres and then turn off towards the south. A steep ridge runs north towards Cerro de Cabezo, joining the main ridge between Cabeza Santa and Cabezo de Mijares.

At first you can still stay close to the vally floor, accompanying another stone wall. Look for a spot where you can start scrambling up to the top of the ridge after some 300m. As the lower part of the ridge is covered in rather dense bushes it is sensible to head for the spot, where this vegetation stops. Once there turn south again, following the top of the ridge directly. Another 500m later you pass some rocky outcrops on the left hand side . the ridge itself turns south-east and heads for another batch of rocks. Pass them on the western side, head back towards the east of the ridge and wind through some more granite rocks. You will join the main ridge a little to the west of Collado de los Pozos.

Follow the ridge, which gently curves towards the only slightly pronounced summit of Cabezo de Mijares. On the way you will have to negotiate a veritable sea of bushes of Spanish Broom. Stay as close to the ridge as the bushes allow and it will lead you to the first summit, which itself is covered in the bushes. Onwards it goes, still through Spanish Broom, untill you reach the saddle separating the two main Cabezo summits.

Now the most impressive part of the climb starts. From the saddle follow the rocky slabs, which lead directly towards Cabezo de Gavilanes. Depending on where you go (north or south side) you can encounter different levels of difficulty (mainly UIAA I) and exposure (more severe on the north side). There are some minor false summits which require the use of hands but finally you'll reach the highest of the Cabezo summits.

Essential Gear

Hiking gear is sufficient

Images

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