For millions of years, the waters in the River Jalón have been shaping a valley that slowly penetrates into the plateau of Castile and connects with the Ebro valley. The course of the valley has guided one of the main communication routes in the centre of the Iberian Peninsula since Roman times. In this section, the River Jalón is trapped between escarpments that leave a narrow space that is barely enough for the N-II road and the railway. After the A2 motorway was built away from the Jalón Gorge, the old national road is used less and is now a comfortable and interesting route for motor vehicles, walking or cycling.
The escarpments hide a complex geology in which sandstone, conglomerate and limestone are interbedded, creating an array of colours and textures of great beauty, including vertical formations sculpted in the rock, natural rock-shelters, cascades and old iron mines.
- Access by car: the whole route follows the N-II road. This has little traffic, a wide hard shoulder and places where you can park.
- Access for people with limited mobility: there are no infrastructures for people with limited mobility, but the lower part of Somaén is accessible by wheelchair because the surface is firm and the slopes are moderate.
- Legal protection: it does not form part of any Protected Natural Area.
- Seasonality: visits are recommended at any time of the year.
- Recommendations, what to see and do: visiting Somaén and the village at the foot of the castle is a must.
Rev. PAB: 08.05.23