Source of the River Escabas

Source of the river Escabas

The birth of the river Escabas takes place in the Mostajo ravine at an altitude of 1,500 metres, in the immediate vicinity of the Tragacete mountain rangeIt is close to the headwaters of the Cuervo and Júcar rivers, and runs through three regions of Cuenca, the Serranía Alta, el Campichuelo and la AlcarriaThe river flows into the Guadiela River, shortly before the tail end of the Buendía reservoir, over a distance of 60 kilometres.

We will often hear that the river Escabas is born within the Hosquillo Valley with the contribution of the Truchas stream, but its real source, or rather its first source, which is always exceptional and only occurs after a good rainy season, is a few kilometres further upstream, in a magnificent spot called la Cañada MostajoIt flows along streams, brooks and smaller streams such as the Alconera and Vallejo del Agua streams, before cascading down a waterfall of several tens of metres, in the inaccessible valley of the Hosquillo.

This source is located in a landscape that is not easily accessible, scarcely humanised and completely uninhabited for some kilometres around, to which we can add the small size of the few villages through which it flows to highlight the special beauty and purity of this mountain river.

One spot on this river is particularly worth mentioning, namely the so-called Vulture's Cornerwhere its waters are forced to abruptly precipitate generating a big waterfall accompanied by other smaller ones, and springs that flow at its feet, which, after approximately 6 kilometres of travel, gives the river a more permanent character. From this point on, the river, to a greater or lesser extent, already carries water.

Lastly, it is worth highlighting the considerable work it does with the animals in the area, a clear example of which is the Hosquillobut mention must also be made of the many ungulates and birds that populate the Serrezuela de Valsalobre that make these waters their main source of livelihood.