La Estepa

The tour that we propose in this route is a loop of about 7 km in which we will cross one of the last steppe areas of La Rioja. During the tour we will cross areas of vineyards and dry land crops interspersed with some wild land. The route starts and ends at the car park, which is located near the warehouse that we come across as soon as we go up to Rihuelo. The first part of the route runs along a long straight line in which, walking between different types of crops, we can begin to get an idea of the characteristics and exceptional nature of this type of habitat. We will arrive at a crossroads of several paths, we must go along the one that, leaving some vineyards on the left and on the right the nave of a winery will take us to the "Balsa de Portil de Lobos". Taking into account the long periods of drought in this area, especially in the summer, these irrigation ponds are very important for the fauna, being a meeting place for many species that collect the valuable liquid throughout the day. Once we have passed the irrigation pond, we will arrive at a crossroads where we must take the path to the right and which, gaining a little height at the beginning and then descending the hill, will take us through a mixture of different uses of the land that give this area a singular beauty. Once we are in the lower part, we will only have to go back up the path that is to our right at the intersection to return to the straight line that, in the opposite direction to the previous one, will take us back to the starting point.