ARIÑO-EL PUENTE DEL BATAN. LA SIERRA DE ARCOS (GR 262 long distance section)

The GR 262, starting from the town of Ariño in the direction of Albalate, runs along the slopes of the Sierra de Arcos, where the town is also located. After crossing the bridge over the Martín River, take a path on the left bank of the Martín River, which takes advantage of an old underground water channel of which you can see the water supply sheds. The trail advances downstream on the road between Ariño and Albalate and crosses the asphalt before reaching the Los Baños spring. This spring was recovered by creating a recreational area and ponds that allow bathing.

On the right shoulder of the road, the trail bypasses the turnoff to the Los Baños springs (two minutes from the turnoff) and crosses the Martín through a ford to climb to a viewpoint where an interpretive table describes the springs and the historical and geological aspects of the environment. The trail goes around the hill and comes out to the meadow of the Ariño spa. It crosses the spa area and continues progressing down the valley towards an old mini-power station and suspension bridge, which gives access to the road that leads to the recreational area La Casilla with barbecue included (5 minutes) and the Sanctuary of the Virgen de Arcos (20 minutes).

The GR continues under the suspension bridge, where we will cross an area with picnic tables to take a narrow path that ascends to the medieval tombs of the Sierra de Arcos (in front of the Sanctuary). Here the trail joins a track or farm road at the foot of the Sierra de Arcos. We will pass through an area of houses and chalets and the old Batán building (houses of the bataneros) where the water channel that supplies the Rivera hydroelectric plant located in Estrechos (next stage of the GR) begins, to end up linking with the bridge of the A-1401 road known as Puente del Batán (Batán Bridge).