The Paths of Camarena

Situated between the municipalities of Cabra and Doña Mencía lies one of the most iconic mountain ranges in the Cabra area. The Sierra de Camarena rises above the Cordoba countryside, marking the northern boundary of the Sierras Subbéticas Natural Park and guarding the entrance to the Nava polje thanks to the steep slopes of its most rugged hillsides. Once on the plateau that forms its summit, a series of small karst depressions allows us to gaze out towards the Cortijo de la Majada Alta, our gaze lost on the horizon of limestone ridges and the thicket of holm oak and gall oak forests. It is in this idyllic mountain setting that the route proposed here runs. Halfway up the slopes of the Sierra de Camarena, we will follow public roads and traditional livestock tracks between the village of Doña Mencía and the main farmsteads of the Egabrenses region, situated on the boundary of their municipal area with Doña Mencía and Baena; these include the farmsteads of Villanueva, La Majada and Camarena. With access, start and finish on the Subbética Greenway, this route climbs the slopes of Camarena, winding through the olive groves clinging to the steep slopes, until reaching the native vegetation typical of the mountains. Thus, Mediterranean scrub and, above all, holm oaks and gall oaks will be the dominant vegetation on a route that stands out for its spectacular scenery, as well as for the presence of significant ethnographic and natural features, such as the Fuente de Camarena (also known as the Fuente Majaral). The view stretches out over the peaks of Nueva Carteya and the endless olive groves of Baena, reaching as far as the Sierra Morena on clear days. Looking eastwards, we can also make out the mountain ranges of the Sierra Sur de Sevilla and the plains of Antequera and central Andalusia. However, one of the finest views unfolds before our eyes as we travel northwards through the mountains. It is here that, quite unexpectedly, the view of the village of Doña Mencía opens up before us, with its white houses hugging the undulating terrain that surrounds it, providing a striking contrast to the landscape of farmland and natural spaces that had hitherto enveloped us.