Road to the Port

Road to the Port

A rural landscape featuring olive groves and Mediterranean woodland, ideal for experiencing oral traditions and sustainable development, whilst preserving an...
Gaena is one of the main bastions of oral tradition in Cabra, that intangible heritage passed down from parents to children, or from grandparents to grandchildren, and which cannot be protected from the passage of time unless it is passed on in this way. Well, in this enclave of Cabra, far removed from the relentless pace of change affecting medium-sized towns—which leads to an irreparable loss of rural identity—one can still observe scenes and landscapes that make us realise that the concept of sustainable land use and the compatibility of land uses was already established many years ago and that, over time, we have simply forgotten it. This short walk takes us on a journey through half a century of history, starting from the present-day village centre of Gaena and passing by the site of the old mill of the same name, before ascending the old Puerto path to reach the half-ruined farmhouse of La Ciruela. Many of these sites have now been significantly altered and adapted to modern times and new methods of production, such as the mill. However, others offer a glimpse of what life was like—and in many cases still is—in rural settlements such as this one, living for and by the land and the daily tasks that must be carried out there. Here we can come to understand how the environment is cared for, living in harmony amongst the olive trees and natural vegetation, and making the most of the resources and benefits offered by the surroundings of the dozens of houses situated in this area. This is the finest example of sustainable development within the Sierras Subbéticas Natural Park, where olive groves blend with the lush scrubland and Mediterranean woodland that stretches towards the Hoyones area, and where essential elements of rural life are still preserved, such as old village lanes, small fountains and watercourses with reasonably well-preserved riparian vegetation.