NATURE

Castielfabib: forests, rivers and riverbanks full of life and traces of the past

Castielfabib stands out for its rich natural heritage, being a destination that combines history, biodiversity and unique landscapes.

Among its main attractions are The Rodeno, forest known for the cave paintings of the Lomas de Abril, These paintings, unique in the Rincón de Ademuz region and declared a Site of Cultural Interest, date back approximately 5,000-7,000 years.

On the other hand, the Molar of the Three Kingdoms It not only houses medieval history, as the meeting point of the ancient kingdoms of Aragon, Castile and Valencia, but is also a Municipal Natural Area with spectacular views and endemic flora that attract nature lovers and hikers.

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Another natural treasure of Castielfabib is the Jurassic reefs of Arroyo Cerezo, a geological rarity dating back more than 150 million years and a unique testament to the region's marine past. Its recent development, including a viewpoint, allows visitors to admire these fascinating fossil remains. Furthermore, the Ebrón River and its gorges offer an unforgettable experience with trails that wind through well-preserved riverside forests and habitats for species such as the otter and the native crayfish. These features, along with the stunning landscape of the Val del Agua Ravine, make Castielfabib an ideal tourist destination for those seeking to connect with nature and explore the region's geological and cultural heritage.

Rodeno Forest and rock paintings of the Lomas de Abril

The prehistoric paintings that we can admire in these rock shelters are the only ones discovered so far in the Rincón de Ademuz. They belong to the Levantine rock art tradition, estimated to have been painted some 5,000–7,000 years ago, and are protected by state and regional legislation, having been declared a BIC (Bien de Interés Cultural - Asset of Cultural Interest).

Its discovery dates back to March 2014, by Ricardo Canet García, a member of fire brigade no. 18.

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In the area of the Corrales de los Fantasmas there is a group of traditional architectural constructions, which served as a temporary residence for farmers at specific times of the agricultural cycle. There are also archaeological remains of interest: a defensive wall and a group of stones in the form of petroglyphs, presumably used as ovens for the traditional extraction of juniper oil from the miera.

The area is also declared as a micro-reserve of flora “El Rodeno”, with an undergrowth that presents very rare species in the Valencian flora, such as Asplenium septentrionale and Halimium umbellatum, both protected, which together with the spectacle grass (Biscutella atropurpurea) make up a good example of silicicolous vegetation in the supramediterranean zone that also presents a good state of conservation.

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Muela de los Tres Reinos (Arroyo Cerezo)

The Cross of the Three Kingdoms, located near the village of Arroyo Cerezo in the municipality of Castile, at the northwestern edge of the area, is a tripoint and meeting place of the ancient medieval kingdoms—Aragon, Castile, and Valencia—where landscape, history, and legend converge. Given its ecological, scenic, and sociocultural characteristics, this place was declared a Municipal Natural Area by the Valencian Government on September 5, 2014.

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After a short, easy climb, we reached the 1,560-meter geodetic vertex where the ancient kingdoms of Valencia, Aragon, and Castile once met. Legend has it that the three kings gathered here to settle disputes without having to leave their kingdoms, sharing the table where they resolved their affairs.

This plateau represents one of the last limestone promontories southeast of the Montes Universales before the valley slopes down to the Turia depression, an area rich in fossils and with a distinctly continental climate. Although rainfall is not particularly abundant, the low temperatures, snowfall, and summer storms give the area a verdant landscape, very clean air, and exceptional views.

It also forms part of a 3.5-hectare micro-reserve of flora, as well as being a Municipal Park and a Site of Community Importance (SCI) within the Natura 2000 network. It represents a fine example of high-mountain Mediterranean vegetation, with excellent pastures and numerous endemic plants, most notably Thymus borgiae, which has one of its few Valencian populations in this area. The pastures are dotted with lush Scots pines (Pinus sylvestris) and twisted Spanish junipers (Juniperus thurifera) that withstand the onslaught of wind and storms on this imposing hill overlooking the plain.

The Jurassic reefs of Arroyo Cerezo

The reefs of Arroyo Cerezo are bioconstructions composed of corals, sponges, and cyanobacteria that date back more than 150 million years to the Late Jurassic period. They retain much of their original morphological characteristics and are distributed across three distinct geological strata.

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This geological feature is a rarity within the Spanish geological record. Its uniqueness lies not only in its age, but also in its scarcity nationwide, with fewer than ten reefs of this age, making those at Arroyo Cerezo a unique case in the Valencian Community.

These reefs were located in the northern part of the Tethys Sea, at a much lower elevation than today. During the Cretaceous period, the sea gradually receded, reoccupying this area near the coast, and finally allowing these lands to emerge permanently.

At the end of this period (between 70 and 18 million years ago), the Alpine Orogeny occurred, giving rise to what we know today as the Iberian System. Finally, around 5 million years ago, the current topographic elevations were reached, and since then, erosion has allowed the development of a complex drainage network, of which the Arroyo Cerezo ravine is a part, allowing us to admire the Late Jurassic sea with its reefs. A viewpoint has recently been built to allow visitors to contemplate these natural wonders.

Ebron Riverbanks

From the "Ebrón Gorge Viewpoint", you can see a great view of the town, as well as the valley and the gorges of the Ebrón River, the ruins of the old Franciscan convent of San Guillermo and the Hydroelectric Power Station.

During the walk along this beautiful route, we will cross the LIC Rius del Racó d'Ademús (site of community importance), a basically riverine area that probably includes the best preserved rivers in the entire Valencian Community.

It maintains excellent riparian forest cover and is of great interest as a habitat for the otter and other aquatic fauna species that are almost extinct in the rest of the Valencian territory, such as the common trout or the native crayfish.

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The length of the Ebrón riverbed reaches 21 km, its main characteristic being the regularity of its course and abundant flow, provided by the contributions of the large Albarracín aquifer, which has allowed an intense use of its waters for agricultural use and until the beginning of the 20th century by a good representation of flour mills, a fulling mill for tanning hides, even a paper factory that now disappeared.

The former site of the paper mill is now part of a micro-reserve of flora that requires high soil moisture, with numerous species considered rare in the Valencian flora, such as the hazel tree (Corylus avellana) and some rare orchids, including the protected species Epipactis phyllanthes. The presence and nesting of the dipper (Cinclus cinclus), a bioindicator of river purity, has also been confirmed. Its adaptations allow it to dive for up to 30 seconds and walk along the bottom feeding on insects.

All of this, combined with the winding riverbed, the multitude of pools, and the reddish conglomerate walls that enclose the valley, will make this excursion a delight of sensations.

Val del Agua Rambla

We are at a fantastic viewpoint overlooking the Val del Agua Ravine, from which we can observe the unique erosion produced in this stretch of river sands, which was deposited more than 200 million years ago and gave rise to the most characteristic rocks of this landscape, the red sandstones.

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The highest tree layer is represented by the maritime pine, which requires acidic soil to thrive and dominates the sandstone zone. Its strong roots penetrate the earth, fracturing these massive blocks of compact rock. It is also known as the resin pine due to the use of its resin for turpentine, paints, and varnishes, among other applications. Clay pots where this resinous sap was collected can be found scattered throughout the area.

This habitat, adjacent to the Protected Landscape of the Rodeno Pine Forests of Teruel, boasts a great diversity of fauna, including large mammals such as wild boar, roe deer, and red deer, as well as birds of prey that take advantage of the rocky outcrops for nesting and raising their young, notably the golden eagle, peregrine falcon, common kestrel, and eagle owl. Woodland birds are also common, using the pine forests as refuges, such as the long-eared owl, tawny owl, sparrowhawk, booted eagle, and goshawk.