La Valle: Water, Hiking and Historic Places

La Valle consists of individual houses set apart from one another. For navigation, specific routes, water spots and historic places are therefore important. The Barranco de Sieste runs along the left-hand boundary of La Valle; the Pozas de San Martín are emerald-green pools on white rock.

Getting There and Finding Your Way

You can reach La Valle via the road to Sieste. Access to the La Valle and San Martín area is via the road past the Monasterio de Boltaña, heading towards Sieste; before reaching the village, turn left and follow the signs to San Martín. The turn-off is an important landmark if San Martín is your destination. Check road conditions locally before driving. At the end of the road, you will reach the Condado de San Martín.

Water and Swimming

The Barranco de Sieste near La Valle is suitable for swimming in summer; conditions may vary with the water level. If swimming is part of your plans, take local water conditions into account when making your decision.

Hiking Routes and Waterfalls

Route 6 – El Confesionario from San Martín offers a clearly defined hiking option. It starts at the car park for the Pozas de San Martín in La Valle, is 5.5 kilometres long and has 250 metres of elevation gain. The route is rated moderate and takes three to four hours. It passes through the Pozas de San Martín and continues to the Cascada del Confesionario. The distance and elevation gain help you assess the route’s length and ascent; the difficulty rating and estimated time provide additional guidance on challenge and duration. Check local trail conditions before setting off.

Route ZZ-020 Journey to the “Barranco de Sieste” includes an optional out-and-back detour to the “Confessional” waterfall. The detour is an option along the route, not a required part of it. The routes offer different ways to plan: Route 6 can be assessed by distance, elevation gain, difficulty and duration; on ZZ-020, you can decide whether to include the optional detour to the waterfall in your hike.

Historic Places in La Valle

The historic places also offer different points of interest. Castillo de Morcat controlled the La Valle area. Ermita de la Virgen de la Sierra lies on the former boundary between Guaso, Latorrecilla and La Valle de Boltaña. The Almazara is located on the left bank of the Barranco de La Valle and is in a severely dilapidated state. Casa Monclús has a private oratory. From Latorrecilla, Ermita de la Virgen de la Sierra can be reached on foot via a steep, densely overgrown path in about 50 minutes. Check current trail conditions before your hike.

For the broader travel overview: Boltaña.