En route through the magical kingdom of the mallos de Riglos

The memory of the mallos de Riglos, one of the most unique geological formations on the Peninsula, is imprinted in the huge balls of rock that dot its limestone surface.

The nummulites (marine fossils) that can be seen in some of its iconic bowls explain the origin of these vertical needles that rise up to 275 meters in the Aragonese Pre-Pyrenees, 45 kilometers northwest of the city of Huesca.

This landscape, declared a natural monument in 2017, fixes the eyes of those who walk through this area of ​​the Hoya de Huesca;

Although they are not the only ones in the Aragonese region, as the Peña Rueba and Agüero mallos are close by, they are for many more spectacular.

Nor is it necessary to start climbing to appreciate the aerial nature of this geological complex, whose walls have been besieged for almost a century by a regular congregation of climbers.

The Camino del Cielo, a circular trail of five kilometers and of low difficulty —but with slopes of generous unevenness—, rises between the mallos de Riglos to surround them and open dizzying views of its needles, which fly over a large colony of griffon vultures.

Interior of the castle of Loarre, in the region of La Hoya de Huesca (Aragón).D.

Villalobos (Alamy)

At first there was nothing here.

The geological material that makes up the mallos, a thick conglomerate of limestone gravel and sand, pressed and compacted for centuries, was not in this place.

“Gigantic alluvial fans from the Pyrenees were stored, one on top of the other, during the Miocene;

from about 23 million years ago to five years ago”, explains Luis Miguel Agudo, a geologist at the Spanish Institute of Oceanography.

Sporadic and violent storm events dragged masses of detrital rock detached from the Pyrenean mountains.

This mountain range, which emerged about 65 million years ago, previously lay under the sea, which is why marine fossils are now found among the Riglos bowls.

"Then comes the most interesting part in the formation of mallos, and that gives it the uniqueness of its geomorphology",

Sharp explains.

"The clash between the Iberian and Eurasian plates generated fracturing processes in these conglomerate deposits, but more defined needles emerged here because that fracturing density was greater than in other areas," details the geologist, referring to the neighboring Peña Rueba group. .

Visible from Riglos, on the other side of the river Gállego, it has a much more massive profile.

The waters of this channel were evacuating the sediments dragged by the currents that appeared between these enormous fractures in the rock, which were separating the rocky monoliths and through which, millions of years of fluvial erosion later, the Path of Heaven runs.

but here more defined needles arose because that fracture density was greater than in other areas”, details the geologist, referring to the neighboring Peña Rueba group.

Visible from Riglos, on the other side of the river Gállego, it has a much more massive profile.

The waters of this channel were evacuating the sediments dragged by the currents that appeared between these enormous fractures in the rock, which were separating the rocky monoliths and through which, millions of years of fluvial erosion later, the Path of Heaven runs.

but here more defined needles arose because that fracture density was greater than in other areas”, details the geologist, referring to the neighboring Peña Rueba group.

Visible from Riglos, on the other side of the river Gállego, it has a much more massive profile.

The waters of this channel were evacuating the sediments dragged by the currents that appeared between these enormous fractures in the rock, which were separating the rocky monoliths and through which, millions of years of fluvial erosion later, the Path of Heaven runs.

start the march

It is convenient to carry out this circular march in a counterclockwise direction.

Thus, the first part (uphill) is more extended and affordable, and also reserves the most spectacular section, the Summer Circus, for the end.

Following the signs from the center of the town of Riglos, the cobbled streets quickly change into a flat and comfortable track (GR-1) that approaches, to the east, the Mallos Menores.

After another indication that forces us to turn left, the path heads up several of them: the Colorado mallos (on the left) and the group formed by the Chichín, Herrera and Magdalena mallos (just opposite).

The path, narrow but comfortable, zigzags uphill between both formations, to end up surrounding the back of the Colorado and reaching, at an altitude of about 920 meters,

a first viewpoint in front of the alley formed by this mallo, that of Agua and, looming in the background, the collapsed southwest face of La Visera.

This was one of the last walls in Riglos to be conquered by climbers.

The first of its routes (Mosquitos) was opened in 1976, although among fans of this sport the ropeless ascent of La Fiesta del Bíceps by Carlos García in 1985 is more remembered;

230 meters of climbing with no margin for error on a wall that, as it gains height, curves towards the void.

although among fans of this sport, the ascent without rope of La Fiesta del Bíceps by Carlos García in 1985 is more remembered;

230 meters of climbing with no margin for error on a wall that, as it gains height, curves towards the void.

although among fans of this sport, the ascent without rope of La Fiesta del Bíceps by Carlos García in 1985 is more remembered;

230 meters of climbing with no margin for error on a wall that, as it gains height, curves towards the void.

Rafting down the Gállego River organized by Alcorce, a multi-adventure company in Murillo de Gállego.

Recovering your breath, it remains to finish the ascent to the plateau of Campo Roseta, where another deviation (signposted) invites you to climb to the Bentuso (or Espinablo) viewpoint, the highest point of the route.

From its 1,038 meters you can see the spectacular Summer Circus.

Here it is higher than the peaks that are contemplated;

those of Mallo Pisón (934 meters, on the left) and El Firé (952 meters, on the right), one of whose five points, the Buzón peak, went down in history in 1935 as the first in Riglos to be climbed by the Frenchmen Jean Arlaud and Jean Grelier and Italian Piero Ghiglione;

It was baptized by the mailbox of piadas (reviews) that they left in it after crowning it.

In the background, framed between both monoliths, you can see the sinuous course of the Gállego and its fertile plain of olive groves, riverside forests, holm oaks and cereal fields.

The descent begins through a profuse density of oak and scrub.

The path gradually enters the majestic circus that we have just seen.

Before connecting at a bend with the PR-HU 98 trail, an old trail that connects with the Foz de Escalete, you have to climb the natural promontory of the central viewpoint of the mallos (next to the path), which surround the hiker with their vertical buttresses .

Then, it only remains to continue descending between the surrounding walls, home to vultures and wallcreepers, until passing under the northern spur of Pisón and, with the first houses of the town in sight, look at the Torreón del Puro, a small mallo attached to the wall south of the floor.

The chronicle of its first climb in 1953 by the Aragonese Manuel Bescós, Alberto Rabadá and Ángel López, Cintero, is full of epic, rivalry and tragedy,

four more plans

The warm months offer a refreshing attraction in Hoya de Huesca: the rapids of the Gállego River.

From April to September, companies in Murillo de Gállego —UR Pirineos, Alcorce, River Guru— offer whitewater rafting descents, with routes that depart from the Carcavilla power plant or the La Peña reservoir and pass at the foot of the Riglos mallos.

For families, there are descents, between Murillo and Santa Eulalia de Gállego, which traverse smoother rapids.

There are also calmer and equally tempting plans.

From the 300 square meters of thermal relaxation —and views of the Riglos needles— offered by the Hotel Spa Agua de los Mallos, in Murillo de Gállego, to the revision of the traditional Aragonese recipe book, in terms of haute cuisine —it has a Michelin star —, from the Espacio N restaurant, in Esquedas.

, by Ridley Scott.