Dehesa Mayor: Church Art, Landscapes and Cycling Route
Accommodation in Dehesa Mayor
Dehesa Mayor brings together historic church architecture and a landscape where páramo, pine forest, bodies of water and cultivated plains meet. A driving route and a cycling route also lead to the village. When looking for hotels for a stay in Dehesa Mayor, you can use these themes to focus your trip planning: church art, natural landscapes, cycling or local festivals.
Church, Art and Local History
The Iglesia de San Juan Bautista dates from the 17th century; its Baroque main altarpiece was created in 1701. The municipal architectural register of Cuéllar lists the church as fully protected. It was built of masonry using whitish limestone from the surrounding area. The construction period, the year the altarpiece was created, the building material and the protection status are different aspects of the same building. The dates refer to different parts: the 17th century refers to the church, and 1701 to the main altarpiece.
The village’s history also has several names associated with it: in 1290, Dehesa Mayor was called Sant Mayor; the name Dehesa Mayor is mentioned from 1591 onward. Together with the church, this history offers a cultural point of interest distinct from the village’s landscapes and routes.
Páramo, Pine Forest and El Espadañal
Dehesa Mayor lies near the Arroyo Cerquilla, at the natural boundary between the páramo and the pine forest. A siliceous landscape with pine forest begins on the other side of the road by Dehesa Mayor. Most of the plains around the village are used to grow cereals, potatoes and sugar beet. The surrounding area therefore brings together a body of water, the transition between two landscape types and open agricultural land.
El Espadañal, a large body of water home to migratory birds, amphibians, crayfish and small fish, lies near Dehesa Mayor. Small lagoons in the area are important refuges for birds; the nearby El Espadañal lagoon is one of them. For nature lovers, bird habitats and the wildlife of the water are distinct features of the surrounding area.
Routes and Practical Planning
The Páramo driving route reaches Dehesa Mayor via the C-112 road in the direction of Riaza. A cycling route by the Segovia Provincial Tourism Association runs from Cuéllar through wide, straight roads in the Tierra de Pinares to Dehesa Mayor. The two routes differ in mode of transport and starting point: the driving route comes via the C-112 in the direction of Riaza, while the cycling route runs from Cuéllar through the Tierra de Pinares. You can therefore consider the road route and the described cycling route separately when planning your trip.
The Cantalejo–Cuellar bus route is listed for Dehesa Mayor; check whether it is currently running before you travel.
Local Festivals
The main local festival is San Juan Bautista. It is celebrated on the weekend closest to 24 June. San Isidro Labrador is celebrated on 15 May. The dates fall at two different points in the calendar: San Isidro in May and San Juan Bautista on the weekend near 24 June. If you would like to plan your stay around one of the festivals, check the specific event date for your year of travel.
Discover more destinations: Castillejo De Mesleón, La Matilla, Arcones, Sebúlcor, Navafría, Villacorta, Valle De Tabladillo, Prádena.
For the main travel overview: Segovia.
