The Hoces del Duratón and the legend of San Frutos

Possibly, we find in the legends related to San Frutos and the Sickles of the Duratón river, some familiarity with that biblical episode, in which Moses, fleeing from the army of the Pharaoh, separated with a blow of his rod the waters of the Red Sea, allowing the escape from the Israelite people.

Legend has it - and in this, I already warn you that Spain is a country rich in legends and traditions - that coinciding with the debacle that led to the Muslim invasion of that distant Hispania Visigoth, San Frutos, of noble origin, distributed all its wealth among the poor - making Christ's advice proper: give everything you have and follow me - and retiring to this inhospitable place, which also has another resemblance to the Hebrew exodus, as it was formerly called 'the desert of Duraton', was welcomed voluntarily to the hermit life.

It is said that, being installed in this beautiful and seemingly inhospitable place, San Frutos did with his rod what Moses had to save some Christians fleeing from the Muslim soldiers, causing the earth to separate, forming such spectacular sickles.

Leaving aside the legendary issue, the truth is that, with the help or not of San Frutos and its staff, the Sickles of the Duratón River constitute one of the most spectacular natural accidents in the Community of Segovia.

It is also true that something special had to have this so-called Duraton desert, because as evidenced by its ruins, there were several monasteries, the Priory of San Frutos and another Priory of nuns, known as the Convent of Our Lady of the Virgin of the Sickle, whose ruins - although the church of the Priory of San Frutos remains standing, keeping its mysteries and receiving a multitude of faithful to the pilgrimage in honor of San Frutos that is celebrated every October 25 -, whose ruins contribute to giving to the place, an unexpected note of romanticism.

In its cliffs and rocks, as well as in its many caves, an interesting fauna, both aerial and terrestrial, survives, highlighting the large colonies of raptors, such as the vulture, undisputed lords of the place.

NOTICE: Both the text and the accompanying photographs are my exclusive intellectual property.

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