Fuente Caputa
Following last month’s description of a walk, here’s another one; a short, beautiful and easy walk of 6 km.
From the RM-15 motorway take exit 33 to Calasparra and Cieza and continue for just over 6 km. After a series of downhill bends with pine trees either side, turn first right. Continue on this road for another 4km and after a downhill section the road will turn sharply left. 200mtr further turn right onto a track that crosses a bridge over Fuente Caputa and park up.
The walk starts on the forest road that goes uphill. Ignore the ‘No Trespassing’ sign unless you are driving a car. Keep on the main track and the route goes uphill. After 1.14km the track turns sharply left and continues uphill to a plateau. There is an old abandoned house on the left and to your right there are views down over the motorway and beyond to Bullas.
The surface then changes to tarmac. Ignore the track on your left and continue straight ahead on this road. It goes across the plateau with Rosemary, Esparto Grass, Junipers and Pine Trees. The track will start to veer around to the left and Mula Castle and La Cierva Reservoir will emerge on your right with the wonderful backdrop of Sierra Espuña in the distance. This is a good place for a photo.
The track will start to descend and turn to the left before meeting a T-junction after 3.64km from the start. Turn left here and the track will start to descend quickly to the valley and the Rambla de Perea. After 4.5km you will come to a fork in the road. Take the right hand and lower of the two roads. A little bit further on, you will cross a bridge over the rambla. In another 350mtr is a sharp right hand bend where you turn off left past the rubbish containers and towards an aqueduct in front of you. As you approach it drops down into the rambla and you walk upstream underneath the aqueduct to a large pool, which is El Pozo de Caputa. This is a well-known beauty spot, a very popular bathing area for local people and a good place for a picnic stop.
Go to the left hand side of the pool and the path goes up along the edge of the Pine Trees to a narrow, but short rock ledge. You must go along this narrow path for 10mtr, then turn left into the rambla above the waterfall. There is a cable attached to the rock wall to assist you along this section, so proceed with caution. The route then follows the rambla upstream for the final 1km towards the finish. The rocks shortly give way to narrow, well-worn paths. Follow them all the way to the finish. At places there are several choices, but they all go in the same direction to another attractive and natural bathing pool. From here follow the water course a short distance to where you left your car.
This is a shortened version from our walking book. If you want the full version please email WARM2005@gmail.com