Free walking tours in Minas del Horcajo and what to see

Must-sees

Minas del Horcajo is a hamlet of Almodóvar del Campo, in the south of Ciudad Real province, tucked into the Sierra Madrona beside the Valle de Alcudia y Sierra Madrona Nature Park. It began as a mining settlement in the mid-19th century, when argentiferous galena, a lead ore containing silver, was discovered. It grew into a sizeable village with its own narrow-gauge railway, but mining died out in the 20th century and only a handful of people live there today.

What you come to see is the atmosphere of an abandoned village in the middle of the hills: the church of San Juan Bautista among holm and cork oaks, the remains of masonry mine shafts, wash houses and workshops, and a few houses still standing. The most striking approach is the Horcajo tunnel, an old structure of the mining railway. In autumn, during the rut, you can hear the red deer all around.

Free tours and guided visits

There are no free walking tours or guided visits of the village; you explore it on your own, carefully, as many structures are in ruins. What you will find in the nature park are guided outings to hear the deer rut between September and October, which the provincial tourism website recommends doing with a guide. The park's waymarked trails, such as the one linking the Puerto de Niefla with the Horcajo tunnel, can be done independently.

How long to spend

The village takes an hour or two to see, but getting there takes time on mountain roads and tracks. It makes sense to allow half a day and round it off with a walk nearby or a stop in Brazatortas or Fuencaliente. If you go during the rut, stay until dusk and plan at least one night in the area, as the best moments are at dawn and at nightfall.

Where to stay

There's very little accommodation in Horcajo itself, just a rural house or two, so book ahead. Brazatortas and Fuencaliente, on the edge of the nature park, have rural houses and small places to stay with easy access to the trails. If you need more services, Almodóvar del Campo and Puertollano are the most complete bases, though they're further from the hills.