From the village to the sky: Lúcar launches a hiking and trail running day to Piedra Lobera on 4 October
Lúcar and the Cóndor Mountaineering Club are offering three routes to Piedra Lobera on 4 October, from 5.2 to 28.5 km. Registration until 30 September.
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From the village to the sky. That is how Lúcar sums up the day it is preparing for next Sunday, 4 October: three hiking and trail running routes around Piedra Lobera, the great landscape landmark of the Alto Almanzora (Upper Almanzora). It is organised by Lúcar Town Council and the Club de Montañismo Cóndor (Cóndor Mountaineering Club), with the collaboration of Almería Provincial Council and the Andalusian Federation of Mountain Sports, Climbing and Hiking.
It is the first ‘Camino a Piedra Lobera’ (Road to Piedra Lobera) gathering and it is promotional in nature: the trail run is not competitive and there will be no timing. There are three levels to choose from:
- Family hike or beginners’ trail run: 5.2 kilometres and 170 metres of positive elevation gain. It starts at 11:00 from the town hall square. Low difficulty.
- Guided panoramic hike or short trail run: 12 kilometres and 470 metres of elevation gain. It starts at 9:00 from the Piedra Lobera car park. Medium difficulty.
- Piedra Lobera Trail: 28.5 kilometres and 900 metres of elevation gain, only for mountain runners. It starts at 9:00 from the town hall square. High difficulty.
A Natural Monument turning 25
Piedra Lobera is no ordinary mountain. This limestone formation with sheer walls, in the Sierra de Lúcar, was declared a Natural Monument by the Andalusian regional government (Junta de Andalucía) in October 2001: 25 years ago now. It covers 207 hectares and holds, according to the Junta, an exceptional catalogue of flora, with numerous endemic species. The town council also highlights its Atlas cedar forest and the views over the Almanzora Valley and the mountain ranges that surround it.
For a small village like Lúcar, an event like this is also a way of showcasing its mountains and attracting visitors. What is more, it counts as an official activity of the Liga Ibérica de Senderismo (Iberian Hiking League).
Registration and prices
- Price: €12 for mountain sports federation members, €15 for non-members (insurance included) and €10 for those registered on the padrón (the municipal register) in Lúcar. Companions can join the meal for €5.
- Includes: waymarked routes with GPX tracks, refreshment points with fruit, nuts, sweets and isotonic drinks, a commemorative gift, the ‘Pasaporte del Senderista’ (Hiker’s Passport) to be stamped along the route and a final get-together meal organised by the town council.
- Deadline: until Wednesday 30 September at 17:00, on the registration website meapunto.net. There is a maximum of 200 places.
- Information: Club de Montañismo Cóndor, on 608 590 041.
Minors must be accompanied by an adult, and the organisers ask participants to choose their route according to their own fitness and to leave no trace on the mountain.
If you fancy going up Piedra Lobera, don’t leave it until the last minute: registration closes on Wednesday at five in the afternoon.
