Pleasant walking itinerary along a very pleasant path, a short tour through a cave that crosses a hill and ends in Los Acuáticos (The Aquatics) with a unique view from a high point.
The itinerary can be done from El Fortín to Los Acuáticos and return by the same path. But it is recommended to go by vehicle to El Fortín, do the excursion on foot, and return by the side of Los Acuáticos where a vehicle can pick up the passengers in the Novillo Valley. The first part of the path corresponds to a cultural area, with the urbanized path, small viewpoints, statues, and rest areas. The path continues ascending until reaching the Los Acuáticos area, reaching the height of almost 300 meters above sea level. In the first part of the itinerary, we descend to the bed of the Novillo that crosses a hill underground. In dry seasons, it can be crossed through the cave to the other side. On the way back, you can return by the same path or descend directly to the Novillo Valley, with a stop at the olistostrome materials.
GEOSITES
1. The hidden face of the valley
Panoramic view of the mogotes from the west
Unusual image of the Viñales landscape
Tectonic structure of Viñales
2. Dos Vistas Viewpoint
Change of relief
Contact of two different lithologies
Tectonic structure of Viñales
3. River Cave Sinkhole
Stream entering a cave
Karst sinkhole
Karst evolution of Viñales Valley
4. River Cave Resurgence
River emerging from a cave
Karst resurgence
Karst evolution of Viñales Valley
5. Dog's teeth
Limestones with sharp grooves
Karst form called lapiaz
Karst evolution of Viñales Valley
6. Limestones with flint
Limestones with dark and hard levels
Limestones with flint levels
The stratigraphic column
7. Novillo Arch
Stone arch
Remains of karst erosion
The stratigraphic column
8. Los Acuáticos Viewpoint
Almost zenithal view of the mogotes
Another view of the mogotes of Viñales
The tectonic structure of Viñales
9. Green rock breccia
Varied rocks
Olistostrome
Sedimentary environments
CURIOSITIES
In the 1930s, in the Cayos de San Felipe neighborhood of the Pinar del Río region, lived a woman named Antoñica Izquierdo in very humble conditions. She bore the burden of the household formed by her husband and her 7 children. She was illiterate and dressed in a humble tunic. Her youngest son fell seriously ill, but they did not have the financial means to pay for a doctor and medicines. In the early morning of January 8, 1936, Antoñica claimed to have heard the voice of the Virgin telling her how to cure him with water: "I am going to empower you so that you can heal, but you will never be able to charge anyone or do it out of interest." The sick child was healed, and that was the birth of a phenomenon of popular belief and a legend. From that day on, the myth of Antoñica Izquierdo began to grow. Caravans of people on foot, on horseback, in carts, long lines of believers came from all parts of Cuba to be healed by her. Doctors, pharmacists, and even politicians did not look favorably on someone who healed without charging anything. For this reason, she was accused in 1936 of illegally practicing medicine.
She had to face a trial in Viñales, in which she was acquitted, and another in Consolación del Sur, also acquitted due to popular pressure. She went to live with her sister in the town of Isabel María, where she continued to heal people with water until in 1944 she was accused again, in this case, of obstructing the elections. Finally, in Pinar del Río, she was declared insane and locked up in the Mazorra hospital where she died, a year later, on March 1, 1945. But Félix Rodríguez Paula founded the sect of the Acuáticos following Antoñica's teachings of healing with water. They settled in the area that, today, is called Los Acuáticos, in the upper part of itinerary 7. Since then, their descendants live based on the cures with water from a nearby spring and the exhortations of Antoñica Izquierdo.
