The best MTB trails around Almodóvar Del Río

In the era of Islamic domination, Córdoba had a defensive belt made up of watchtowers with the capacity to communicate with each other by means of smoke during the day and light signals at night. One of the most impressive is the so-called Torre del Beato, in the Sierra Morena. Near the Cortijo de la Soledad we find a path that goes unnoticed by those who don't know its location. If we follow it, after walking for a few minutes we are overwhelmed by the imposing sight of a 9-meter-high tower preserved as if time had stood still. It is an almost square tower built with rubble stones plastered with lime and sand mortar and reinforced with well-carved ashlars at its outer vertices. Its crowning of Syrian battlements is surprising, allowing us to relate it to other buildings from the emirate period, such as the Great Mosque of Córdoba. Inside, the tower is divided into two floors, in addition to the roof terrace crowned by the battlements. The first room is covered by a brick vault, with access to the second floor via a staircase attached to the wall. From the top, sheltered between battlements (some of which lie scattered on the ground, already surrendered to the passage of time), the lookouts could make out nearby towers such as the Palomas or the Siete Esquinas and keep an eye on the routes taken by the minerals extracted from the very bowels of the mountain. This treasure still has the capacity to surprise many hikers, the curious, cyclists and people seeking the peace of nature among the many paths that criss-cross the Sierra Morena. (Source: https://eventourcordoba.es/blog/la-torre-del-beato/)

Located on the Caño Escaravita estate, just beyond the outlying neighborhood of Santa María de Trassierra. We found it in the western Sierra peri-urban district, next to the crossroads leading to the Ermitas and the Mirador de las Niñas, about fifteen kilometers from Córdoba. This is a zoomorphic water fountain on a pedestal from the Caliphate period, dating back to the 10th century. The sculpture represents a small elephant. Made of gray limestone from the Sierra Morena, it served as a support for the spout. The fountain is made up of three components: a water collection basin, a masonry pillar attached to it on its north side (which leads to a masonry irrigation ditch), and a rectangular pool located to the west of the canal. https://amedinacordoba.com/fuente-del-elefante/

A waterfall known as the "first spring of the Bejarano," whose water flow has always been active. There are few remains of an ancient structure from which the water flows: the aquifer catchment. The Romans knew how to harness this important spring, unique in these mountains, due to the large amount of water it provides every season (estimated at 20,000 to 35,000 m3/day). (Source: https://www.conocetusfuentes.com/ficha_detalle.php?id_fuente=10057)

The castle "Castillo de Almodóvar" is an impressive fortress that stands prominently on the El Redondo hill. In the 20th century, the castle was extensively restored by Rafael Desmaissières y Farina, Count of Torralva. This work gave the castle its current striking appearance, which seems very medieval, although many elements have been reconstructed. The castle was used for the filming of the series Game of Thrones. It served as the backdrop for Highgarden, the seat of House Tyrell. In October 2024, the seventh edition of the Age of Empires tournament sponsored by Red Bull took place in the castle under the name "Red Bull Wololo El Reinado".

The castle complex, whose origins date back to the 8th century, is remarkably well preserved and has been restored with great attention to detail.

A closed gate prevents you from continuing along this route.

It's really worth a visit. It feels like you can visit every little tower and many rooms. You can move around freely and it's a great place for children. With lots of "little things" the visit becomes an experience. People walk around in costumes. At one point medieval music is played. Then a legend is told and you can try your hand at being Arthur on one of the towers. And these are just a few of the great ideas. The GoT filming locations are documented in photos.

The new dam is no longer accessible, which makes it that the route can no longer be done as described. Hiking down to the lake however gives many nice views however.