Butterflies in La VeraButterfly Routes
The Butterflies route begins in the GeoCentro Monfragüe. It’s an 8 kilometers round trip.
Inside a forest of oaks and shady scrubs, such as tree heath and strawberry trees. With amazing views of La Vera and Campo Arañuelo to the north, Villuercas to the east, plains of Trujillo to the south and the Monfragüe National Park to the west.
24 species that are easily observed from February to October.
- Lenght: 8,13 Km
- Minimum lift: 447 msnm
- Maximum lift: 839 msnm
- Average lift: 651 msnm
- Ramp: 392 m
- Maximun slope: 24,1% y -24,2%
- Mean slope: 8,9% y -10%
Along the route there is information about all the 24 species that can be seen quite easily. The best moment to see these beautiful insects is between February and October
During spring, in the lower areas of the route, near the village and on the stretch of the old road to Jaraicejo, you can find many species of butterflies.
In summer, the most interesting zone to observe butterflies is the area of Miravete’s Peak, the highest part of the route, where the males of various species mark their territory, a behavior known as hilltopping. Among these species are Vanessa atalanta, Papilio machaon, Iphiclides podalirius and Lasiommata megera.
Along the route, there are important remains from past eras, such as the bridge over Terreros stream from possible Roman origin (experts speculates with the bridge on the possibility of belonging to the old Roman road that linked Emérita Augusta (Mérida) with Caesar Augusta (Zaragoza)), the Arab castle of Miravete’s Peak (10th-12th century) and the forts from the Peninsular War (19th century): Fort Senarmont and Fort Colbert.
Likewise, the itinerary offers the possibility of observing some interesting geological formations, such as quarries, Deleitosa’s and Jaraicejo’s rañas, the Appalachian relief of Las Villuercas and Monfragüe or the Amorican’s quartzite of the crests of the mountains.