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A Journey to prehistoric times

The river Vero has been during millenniums a place to pass trough and a meeting point for towns and diverse cultures. It was the place chosen by small prehistoric human groups to take shelter and to feed. As testimony of it, they have been conserved until the present time numerous rock paintings inside caves and coats of the walls of the canyon of the river Vero.

The value of the more than 60 caves and their cave paintings has lead to it being declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

To introduce us in the exciting world of the prehistory of the High Aragon, anything better than beginning this route in Colungo visiting the Centre of Interpretation of the Rock Art. In him we will find all the necessary information to go to the different coats with cave paintings existent in the canyon of the river Vero and we will know the keys that allow to understanding the evolution of the primitive towns and their cultural manifestations.

In Colungo we will take the highway A-2205 in direction to Arcusa. Their snaked way will allow us to enjoy a landscape of great beauty, where the conglomerate, dresses of oaks and arbutuses are crossed by deep throats like that of Fornocal.

Little before arriving to the hill of San Caprasio, to 9 km of Colungo, it is the point of beginning of the path that leads to the coats of Arpán and the cave of the Source of the Trucho.

After travelling 2.5 m, the vehicle can be left to the left of the highway in case we want to visit the Covachos of the Tozal de Mallata. After admiring the cave paintings existent in these coats, that the same as Arpán and Barfaluy have service of guided visits, it is of great interest to continue advancing with the car for the same highway. Next to the ravine of Portiacha a viewpoint exists, with wide parking, from which can be enjoyed the impressive and wild canyon of the river Vero.

Already in the district of Sobrarbe we will continue our route in address to the small town of Lecina that it has known how to conserve an urban group of great beauty and with medieval flavour. It should not miss the visit to their famous millennial oak, to which you access, in only 10 minutes, for a path that leaves of the square of the town. It is also necessary to go to this same square, where it is the office of tourism, to take the path that goes to the Covachos de Barfaluy.

Returnning toward Colungo this interesting route can be completed visiting the small population of Asque, from which can be carried out different trips, as visiting the coat with cave paintings of Regacens or Devil's Bridge on the ravine of the Throats.

Finally we arrive to the beginning point, Colungo. To scarce 1000 m of the town and in direction to Barbastro, the car can be left next to a farm; it will be necessary to cross the highway and to ascend for a small embankment to arrive to a field of almond trees where it is the millennial olive tree of Nadal.

From Alquézar or Radiquero they can also begin on foot other journeys, with the purpose of visiting the caves paintings of the coats of Chimiachas and Quizans, going by the small population of San Pelegrín.

Foto: Ignacio Pardinilla

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