// Environment

At the entrance, you will find the Cortijos de la Ballestera, a more dispersed grouping that welcomes us to the environment of La Ballestera. This area comprises old inns, certain ovens, small enclosures, and the “ventucha,” a place to shelter shepherds and their livestock by the fire during the transhumance of the mountains and its cold winters. Recently rehabilitated near the stream, it serves as a connecting element with the main nucleus.

Further on, the main nucleus of the village, shaped like an “almond,” evokes those Islamic patterns of small human settlements. The architecture, consisting mainly of houses and enclosures for the villagers’ livestock, predominantly reflects traditional mountain architecture. It is characterized by steeply sloped roofs with Arabic clay tiles from an old village kiln, stone walls whitewashed, and a small external gabled porch that protects the entrance from heavy snowfall.

The enclosures were mainly situated at the western end of the village, along a path leading to the village threshing floors (Eras). Most of these enclosures were placed away from the houses to keep the sounds and smells of the livestock from affecting daily life. Today, these enclosures have become the most privileged built spaces due to their isolation and unobstructed views of the architecture. It’s a fairytale-like place worth exploring in its entirety.

Within the village, we find the source of the Arroyo Montero, a tributary of the Segura River, which supplies water to the houses, orchards, and other urban elements of the village. The sound of water is present in some of the streets of the village through irrigation ditches that feed the residents’ orchards, which are still in use. A simple system of conduits has been developed, taking advantage of the proximity of the source, along with manually operated gates that provide irrigation to these fertile lands.

Additionally, there is a public fountain located in the main square of the village. A continuous stream of mineral water is directly piped from the stream, which has never stopped flowing despite recent droughts thanks to the continuous flow of the Arroyo Montero. It’s remarkable how the sound of the fountain can be heard from numerous locations in the village, especially noticeable from the village enclosures, particularly at night.

Finally, I would like to highlight an accessible route to the “natural jewel of the village,” the Cascadas de la Ballestera (Waterfalls of La Ballestera). These waterfalls, accessible from the threshing floors of La Ballestera, cascade down a steep topographic gradient in the natural landscape, forming a spectacular three-tiered waterfall into pools created by these cascades.

It is thanks to them that these lands are maintained, and the irrigation channels that nourish and supply the mentioned orchards continue to operate. Peppers, onions, lettuce, and majestic tomatoes are the most commonly planted elements in the area. These orchards were formerly the main source of food for the villagers, a historical relic still in operation.

Two of them are located in the Cortijos de la Aldea and another in the main nucleus next to the fountain, still in operation. These ovens were a gathering point for neighbors to knead and cook bread, meat, and other foods using firewood, an abundant resource in the Sierra de Segura. We can still imagine small neighborhood queues to cook their meals or bake bread. The operational oven can be used if any guest dares to bake their own bread or perhaps a good lunch.

It leads to ancient circular platforms stacked on top of one another following the descending topography of the area. These platforms were used to spread out wheat so that it could be threshed by animals. Today, this place serves as a beautiful viewpoint of the landscape and a meeting point for the villagers.

This is a place where you’ll encounter waterfalls and pools of extraordinary beauty, perfect for refreshing yourself in this rugged and rocky landscape. We recommend checking tourist guides and signs for accessing this natural wonder, located 60 km from the Tranco.