Alpetea Castle

Alpetea Castle

The area is known as "Castillo de Alpetea" but don't expect to see a castle. Some legends place an ancient one here, from the 10th century, where a famous Muslim warrior called Montesinos lived, but others only see the rocky form that looks like a castle from afar.

Currently, what we can see, is a fortified position strategically placed during the Spanish Civil War to control the San Pedro´s BridgeThe bridge at the confluence of the Gallo and Tagus rivers was a witness to the fights between the Requetés and the Republicans for control of the bridge.

This set of trenches still allows us to distinguish their constructive characteristics based on military tactics such as their zig-zag layout to prevent aerial sweeps, as well as to prevent potential assailants from lining up, and also to prevent a possible explosion inside it from scattering shrapnel around it.

At the end of the route there are, overlooking the valley, two examples of machine gun nests The building is in an extraordinary state of preservation, where the elaborate signature of the builders can be carefully seen in the form of coats of arms engraved in cement.

But it is not only the historical heritage of this area that we can admire here, the perfect location of this position also offers a panoramic view of the valley that in itself is worth the visit, in one of the points with the best panoramic views of the entire natural park, and from here we can contemplate places like the Viewpoint of Zaorejas or the Campillo Waterfallfrom a totally different angle. The side that looks towards the Gallo river is also very worthwhile, as we are sure to be surprised by the flight of griffon vultures and Egyptian vultures.

<< How to get there?

To access this impressive viewpoint we have to take the "mountain road". CM-2113 linking the San Pedro´s Bridge with the locality of Villar de Cobeta. Just before reaching the village, at a sharp bend, you will see a road off to your right and a small wooden sign that shows us the way forward towards the Alpetea Castle. We will have to take it and reach its end. It will end in a small "roundabout" that makes a juniper treeHere we can park the vehicle and continue walking. The path from here is clear, we just have to walk towards the edge of the cliff, following the trench lines along the plateau.