Risco de La Villuerca

The Risco de La Villuerca is the highest peak of the Villuercas mountain range, with an altitude of 1,601 meters, and is part of the Villuercas-Ibores-Jara Geopark, in the southeast of Cáceres. Although the toponym is associated with Guadalupe, its peak is located between the municipalities of Navezuelas and Cañamero, in the mountainous area that surrounds the region of Guadalupe and dominates the axis of the mountain range. It is a great natural watchtower of apalachense relief, with ridges, folds and aligned valleys that allow us to understand the geological structure of this massif of the Montes de Toledo. From the top you can see a wide panorama: the Guadalupe river valley, the Gredos mountain range, the Viejas river syncline, the Ruecas valley, the Cancho del Fresno reservoir and other mountain ranges and crags of the geopark. It is an exceptional viewpoint to recognize the organization of the region and its relationship with Guadalupe. The ascent also covers heritage elements linked to the road, such as the hermitage of El Humilladero, traditional starting point of the ascent, and other historical landmarks of the environment. The area is integrated in the ZEPA-ZEC "Sierra de las Villuercas and Guadarranque Valley", an environmental protection figure that covers much of the massif and reinforces its natural and biological value. Therefore, the Risco de La Villuerca is of interest both for its mountain landscape and for its geological, ecological and cultural relevance within the region of Guadalupe.