Uña: Lagoon, Hiking Trails and Historic Buildings

In Uña, the Laguna de Uña, trails through a limestone landscape and historic buildings are useful points of reference when planning your trip. If you’re looking for a hotel in Uña, you can plan your stay around whether you’d especially like to hike, watch birds or explore the sights in town and by the water.

Lagoon and Waterways

The Laguna de Uña covers approximately 15 hectares and lies where the Arroyo del Rincón meets the Río Júcar. Activities available at the lagoon include hiking, birdwatching and regulated fishing. Check local guidance before fishing. There is also a birdwatching observatory.

The Centro de Recepción de Visitantes de Uña is in the town centre, opposite the Laguna de Uña and along the PR-CU 37 Sendero del Escalerón y La Raya. Check the opening arrangements before visiting. The Arroyo de la Madera forms small, clear pools in limestone cavities and caves before flowing into the Río Júcar.

Hiking Trails and Viewpoints

The PR-CU 37 Sendero del Escalerón y La Raya starts in Uña, goes up via the Escalerón and returns via La Raya. The route offers views of the lagoon, the cliffs and Uña, as well as opportunities to observe local wildlife, especially griffon vultures. Take care on steep and exposed sections.

A circular route around the Laguna de Uña starts at Uña’s central car park. It can be reached from Cuenca via the CM-2105 road; check current road conditions before setting off. Another option is the Ruta de las Pozas del Arroyo de la Madera: an easy, linear 2.5-kilometre walk, taking approximately 35 minutes one way. It starts and ends at Uña’s car park.

There are also hiking and mountain biking routes around Uña through pine forests and limestone gorges carved by the waters of the Júcar and its tributaries. Viewpoints offer views across valleys, forests, gorges, mesas and high plains. Alongside the trails by the lagoon, you can choose routes through a varied landscape.

Limestone Landscapes and Nature Experiences

Las Catedrales de Uña are rock walls with narrow passages. They provide a way to climb from the bottom of the canyon carved out by the Arroyo de la Madera up to the summit. From the Mirador del Travertino de Uña, you can view the Cascada Tobácea de Uña. The Ermita de la Virgen del Espinar is covered in rock and vegetation; it can be reached via a small path behind the viewpoint by the lagoon.

The Cueva del tío Manolo, also in the municipality of Uña, offers an introduction to caving. You must hire an adventure tourism provider to visit it. This required arrangement sets it apart from the walks and hiking trails described above.

Buildings and Local Traditions

The Iglesia de San Miguel Arcángel was built in the 13th century and remodelled in the 16th century. The masonry building has a bell gable and a wooden pitched roof. The historic Fuente-Lavadero is near the Laguna de Uña; the adjoining facilities include a picnic area.

If you’d like to attend the San Roque festivities on 16 August, check the dates locally for your year of travel. The festivities offer an opportunity to discover the folklore of the Serranía de Cuenca. Another connection to the waterscape is the Escuela Regional de Pesca Fluvial de Uña, founded in 1989. It promotes river fishing as a leisure activity in keeping with the protection and respect of aquatic habitats, and shares knowledge about fishing and river ecology.

Discover more destinations: Buenache de la Sierra, Arcas, Villares Del Saz, Pozoseco, Casas de Roldán, Palomera, Piqueras Del Castillo, Valverdejo.

Back to the regional travel overview: Cuenca.