"Started my hike around 4 PM, with the sun still high and the air thick with that dry, herbal scent of the Sierra de Almagro. The first stretch followed a dusty jeep track that wound its way toward the base of the unnamed 573-meter peak. It was a steady climb, the terrain kept me alert—loose stones, the occasional thorny bush, and the kind of silence that makes you feel like the only person for kilometres. Reaching the summit felt like stepping into a forgotten corner of the world. No markers, no signs—just wind, rock, and a view over the lake above Cuevas del Almanzora. From there, I dropped into a patch of stubborn maquis—sticky, scratchy, determined to slow me down. But it was worth it for the approach to the Cerro Tortuga. I couldn’t help but wonder if this area had once been part of a mining zone. While Sierra Almagrera, not far from the,r is well-known for its historic silver and lead mines, I haven’t found solid evidence of mining specifically around Cerro Tortuga. Still, the terrain has that raw, worked-over feel in places—maybe old prospecting trails or just the scars of time." — belgianIbex • Jun 20, 2025