A distinctive juniper forest on a rocky plateau and several streams define Cañaica del Calar. Route 31 starts in Calar De La Santa, passes through Cañaica del Calar and Fuente del Sabuco, as well as other waypoints, and returns to Calar De La Santa. This offers several different starting points for planning your trip: the landscape, the rock art, and a clearly defined circular route.

Juniper Forest and Route

Cañaica del Calar is distinguished by its combination of juniper forest, rocky plateau, and several streams. Route 31 passes through some of the best juniper forests in the Region of Murcia. Juniper is therefore both a feature of the landscape in Cañaica and a theme of the route. If you are mainly interested in the landscape, you can distinguish the plateau's specific features from the route itself: it passes several named waypoints and returns to the starting point. Check local trail conditions before setting out.

Rock Art in Cañaica del Calar

Cañaica del Calar has two rock overhangs containing rock art. Overhang I contains 60 anthropomorphic and animal figures arranged in several scenes. Anthropomorphic means human-like: this group therefore includes both human and animal figures, and their arrangement in several scenes is another distinctive feature. Overhang II contains 14 motifs, mostly human. The two overhangs differ in both the number and the focus of their motifs: the larger, mixed group in I is followed by a smaller group in which human motifs predominate. This allows the types of figures and the arrangement of the scenes to be considered as two distinct aspects of the rock art.

The Motifs of Fuente del Sabuco

Fuente del Sabuco also has two rock overhangs. Overhang I contains more than 70 figures, including archers, quadrupeds, and male and female human figures. Overhang II features two panels with horizontal and vertical lines, human figures, and quadrupeds. The two areas have different emphases: the first features a variety of specifically identified figures, while the second combines lines and figures across two panels. Compared with Cañaica del Calar, whose first overhang contains 60 figures arranged in several scenes, the number at Fuente del Sabuco I is higher. By contrast, other details distinguish the second overhangs: human motifs predominate in Cañaica, whereas horizontal and vertical lines are also noted at Fuente del Sabuco II.

Route and Visit Planning

Route 31 starts in Calar De La Santa, passes through Cañaica del Calar and Fuente del Sabuco, as well as other waypoints, and returns to Calar De La Santa. The starting and ending points are therefore the same, with the named locations marking the circular route. For your planning, this is different information from the descriptions of the motifs: the route sets out the itinerary, while the details about the rock overhangs help distinguish the cultural sites by theme. Check trail conditions before your trip.

Visits to the Fuente del Sabuco I and II rock art complex are arranged through the Casa de Cristo Rock Art Interpretation Centre. If you would like to include this site in your trip, arrange your visit there and check the visitor arrangements before travelling. This way, you can treat the route and the visit arrangements as two separate planning steps.

For the broader travel overview: Moratalla.