The Sierra Morena marks the end of Andalusia, the hilly rampart that the old road from Madrid had to cross before dropping into the Guadalquivir lowlands. Cerro de la Caldera, a hill near Aldeaquemada in the north-east of Jaén province, sits in the heart of this frontier, in a quiet landscape of holm oaks, cork oaks, rockrose scrub and sandstone outcrops. Rock shelters in these hills hold schematic and Levantine paintings, and the area is part of the wider World Heritage listing of Iberian rock art.
The history here is thick with battles and journeys. Just to the west lies the gorge of Despeñaperros, the dramatic pass that carried the road and later the railway between Castile and Andalusia, with rock towers and steep walls rising above. Not far south, at Las Navas de Tolosa, a Christian coalition defeated the Almohad army in 1212, a turning point in the Reconquista. In the eighteenth century, King Charles III settled colonists from Germany and Flanders in new towns across the Sierra Morena to make the road safer, and Aldeaquemada was one of these planned settlements.
Near Aldeaquemada, the Cascada de la Cimbarra is a fine waterfall where the Guarrizas river drops through a gorge of quartzite, especially impressive after winter rains. The surrounding hills are wild and empty, home to deer, wild boar, eagles and, with luck, the Iberian lynx, which has made a comeback in the Sierra Morena thanks to conservation efforts.
The riding is quiet and enjoyable. Roads between Aldeaquemada, Santisteban del Puerto and Navas de San Juan run through the hills with gentle curves and good surfaces, and traffic is minimal. The old N-IV through Despeñaperros, now partly bypassed by the motorway, is a fun road in its own right, with tight bends and spectacular rock scenery. Summer is very hot, so ride in the morning or evening, and keep an eye out for wildlife on the roads at dusk.
Aldeaquemada is a tiny village with limited services. Santisteban del Puerto, about thirteen kilometres away, and Navas de San Juan have fuel and basic shops. La Carolina, on the main road, is a larger town with more options. In autumn and winter, the deer rut fills the hills with the roars of stags, an extraordinary sound in the stillness of the evening.