Nuñomoral

An Afternoon on the Hillside

At five in the afternoon on Calle Mayor, the sun falls at an angle and the stone and slate walls return ochre tones. There is very little sound. A passing sheep, a distant cockerel. Tourism in Nuñomoral often begins like this, with that mid-afternoon stillness in a village of around a thousand people, stretched along a hillside in Las Hurdes.

The houses follow the terrain with little compromise. Slate roofs, thick walls, streets that rise and fall in short but steady slopes. Almost everything here seems built to withstand winter and the height of summer rather than to draw attention.

Streets, Slopes and the Parish Church

Nuñomoral does not present itself as a neatly defined historic ensemble. It has grown over time, adjusting to the hillside. Streets are narrow, and in some stretches a car can barely pass.

The parish church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción marks the centre. Its stone bell tower is visible from several streets and works as a point of reference when the slopes start to disorient. Inside, the space is restrained: pale walls, little decoration.

Walking slowly brings out small details. Dark wooden balconies, plant pots set on low windowsills, stone benches pressed against façades. In winter, many of these houses release the smell of firewood through their chimneys.

The Hurdano River

A few minutes from the centre, the sound of water becomes clear. The Hurdano River runs nearby, forming pools among rounded rocks. In summer the water tends to stay cold even when the heat builds in the valley.

The banks are lined with alders, willows and ferns. Early in the day, before the sun fully reaches the valley floor, the air holds a damp edge and smells of wet earth. In autumn, chestnut trees on the slopes shift in colour, and the river runs darker beneath fallen leaves.

Paths Across the Slopes

Several paths leave the village towards the surrounding hillsides and nearby alquerías, small rural settlements typical of Las Hurdes. Some routes pass through old chestnut groves. The ground is often covered with leaves and loose stone, so sturdy footwear is advisable.

In summer, mornings are the better time to walk. By midday the sun hits the slate directly, and heat gathers on the slopes. Earlier in the day, the only sounds are blackbirds and the crack of dry branches underfoot.

In more remote stretches, it is not unusual to come across tracks left by wild boar or roe deer.

Festivities and Home Cooking

The patron saint festivities are usually held in August, when many people who live elsewhere return to the village. During these days, the square and nearby streets regain movement. Long conversations, chairs set out by front doors, children running between houses.

Food follows what the surroundings provide. Cabrito, roast or stewed kid goat, appears in celebrations. Embutidos from the matanza, the traditional seasonal slaughter and curing of pork, are common. Chestnuts find their way into dishes in autumn. Many families still prepare preserves and cure meat for winter, though this is becoming less frequent.

In colder months, the smell of smoke and curing sausages drifts from many kitchens.

Getting There and the Rhythm of Time

From Cáceres, the journey is roughly eighty kilometres along roads that wind through Las Hurdes. They are not fast routes. There are bends and changes in gradient, so the trip takes longer than the map might suggest.

Parking is usually straightforward if the car is left in the lower streets of the village. The higher areas have steeper slopes and narrower stretches.

Spring and autumn are the most comfortable seasons for walking. In summer, the heat intensifies at midday. In winter, fog can settle over the hillsides and leave the valley quiet for hours.

The built-up area can be covered quickly. In less than an hour, it is possible to cross it several times. Yet if the route drops down to the river or continues along the paths towards nearby alquerías, time begins to move differently. Distances here are felt more in the slopes than in kilometres.