San Leonardo De Yagüe brings together trails in the Cañón del Río Lobos Natural Park, buildings and recurring festive traditions. The municipality is one of the places in the natural park, whose distinctive biogeographical landscape is shaped by a deep canyon and steep rock walls. There are several highlights to consider when planning your visit: a linear hiking route ending at a bridge, a longer GR stage with an approximate duration, architectural history and festivals held at various times of the year.
Trails in the Natural Park
The Senda del Río Arganza is an easy, 5.57-kilometre linear trail. It connects San Leonardo De Yagüe with the Puente de los 7 ojos in the heart of the Cañón del Río Lobos Natural Park. The start and end points are in different places, so plan the route as a connection between them, not as a circular trail. The GR 86.2 is a stage from Navaleno to San Leonardo De Yagüe: it is 10.7 kilometres long and takes around three hours. Compared with the Senda, it is longer and also has an approximate time estimate. The routes therefore differ not only in distance, but also in their respective endpoints and the time information available.
Architectural history across different periods
The Church of Arganza is Romanesque and may date from the 11th century; it has a portico and an arcade of nine round arches. The Castillo de San Leonardo De Yagüe was commissioned and built in 1563 by Juan Manrique de Lara, with the permission of Philip II. The Casas de los Ferrones are traditional houses built by Basque ironworkers between the mid-18th century and the beginning of the 19th century. Their history links a specific architectural subject with the origins of their builders. A possible date, a precisely stated year of construction and a longer construction period thus sit side by side.
Festive traditions in February and July
Two recurring traditions take place close together in February. Las Candelas and San Blas are celebrated on 2 and 3 February with Paloteo dances inside the church. La Matanza follows in mid-February: a traditional slaughter ritual followed by a tasting of the specialities made from it. In July, the festivities in honour of Santa María Magdalena conclude on 25 July with a communal beef-based Caldereta served at the Fuente del Tío Briones. If you would like to plan your trip around a festival, check the dates for the relevant year.
The Bosque Mágico Fuente del Pino
The Bosque Mágico Fuente del Pino is a family attraction featuring forest gnomes and a small forest village. The attraction is aimed at children and adults. Unlike the historic buildings, the focus here is on the forest village and its gnomes.
Discover more destinations: Langa De Duero, Cabrejas Del Pinar, Almarza, La Rasa, Cortos, San Felices, Casarejos, Ocenilla
For the overview of the wider region: Soria.
