Aledo – and Sierra Espuña
AFTER a long period of being virtually banned from enjoying my explorations of Spain, there seems to be some light at the end of the tunnel as restrictions have ended, I am beginning to renew my travels albeit not quite so widely as I had been doing back in the 80s.
I regularly used to let my nose lead me well off the beaten track. Now older, wiser and a touch more calculatingly when I am exploring so I shall be less disorganised.
A few years ago I was regularly using ‘green route’ back lanes and found myself heading towards Sierra Espuña regional park a place I had hitherto never knew existed.
Without a second thought, I followed the route and by accident, I discovered Aledo, a tranquil village inland from Murcia and a delightful detour.
Almost at the foot of the densely wooded Espuña mountain nature reserve, the tiny, unspoilt pueblo of Aledo sits on a rocky verdant promontory. With a small population of hardly a thousand, it is probably little known outside Murcia but is within easy driving distance of Almería. Tightly packed cottages, in
very southern country pueblo-style Spanish Mediterranean hill village, Aledo still has its individual charm yet appears to turn a blind eye to tourism.
Unlike many ‘Casco Antiguo’ places with artfully cobbled streets and gift shops, Aledo has managed to remain immune from tourist clutter.
On my wander up and down its few lanes, I never spotted anything even remotely resembling a souvenir kiosk. Tidy, flower bedecked cottages flanked meandering alleyways, which gently climbed to the upper heights in a state of somnolescent tranquillity.
There was no obvious tourist office but I did pick up a modest 'Aledo-Murcia' leaflet from the local 'ayuntamiento' that was staffed by just a clerk and a young police officer. However, by the time I had got so far I had already hiked through much of the pueblo, the location of the town hall being within a stone’s throw of the crowning ramparts.
I found it impossible not to be impressed by the serenity, or do I mean tranquillity, of Aledo. As I rambled up the steep lanes past numerous flower-bedecked cottages scrambling towards the baroque church, ramparts and a bleak Arab tower, I saw no more than a dozen people during my visit. That included the dual attendants in the town hall!
Ambient tranquillity appeared to be Aledo’s charm. Now as then this near somnolescent country pueblo is captivating if only to experience the views from the battlements. This superb elevated viewpoint offers a wonderful 360º panorama from its fortified position. The castle keep - Torre de la Calahorra - from which an excellent vista of rural Murcia appears to be visible – encouraged me to capture the view on film.
Immediately below, the pretty cottages appeared to cling precariously to the rocky tor.
From the ramparts the caves of La Mauta and La Rambla de los Molinos form part of the horizon whilst to the north are the lush forested peaks of Sierra Espuña natural park.
Even without the panorama, the ‘rooftop’ plaza - once the site of 11th century Aledo castle - is a fascinating place. The 18th century baroque church of Santa Maria is magnificent, having been constructed on the site of a 16th century predecessor and maybe the remains of an Arab mosque. The last vestige of el Castillo – Torre de la Calahorra - is the rugged, angular tower that had recently been renovated so tourism is not truly forgotten.
Aledo was once a fortress figuring in battles as far in the distant past as 1492. All that remains now as a reminder of its history are sections of battlements and the Moorish tower.
Aledo has received some publicity despite its shyness. I photographed the pueblo and the picture appeared as the glossy cover of Valencia Life No.12 in 2000.
To visit Aledo the simplest route is to bypass Murcia and turn off the E-15 motorway in the direction of Totana as I did. This 'green route' goes directly to Aledo. To turn the trip into a full day outing, after visiting the pueblo, follow the same route onwards in the direction of Bullas then veer right into the Sierra Espuña regional park and onwards to Alhama de Murcia. This route – it is a single-track lane - is a delightful drive meandering through densely wooded country. It is a bit precipitous and certainly tortuous, with a limited number of passing places; regular toots on the horn are a safeguard. Once the ascending lane emerges from the dappled light and shade of lush forestry into the rugged reaches beneath the sierra peaks, the view is breath taking. The descent is more gentle and eventually one arrives on the outskirts of Alhama de Murcia near the motorway.