Outdoor Adventures with Ancient Brit
Canoe Guide - Rio Alagon and Tagus
Canoe Tours in Spain: Rio Alagon and Tagus (Rio Tajo)
This tour follows the Rio Alagon about 80 km from west of Plasencia, where it is free flowing, to reach the
section of the Rio Alagon flooded by the Alacantara Dam. When the Alcantara Dam is reached you head
upstream up the flooded Tagus for about 40 km. This tour, takes you through a remote, largely uninhabited,
region of the Extremadura of Spain.
Start: You can launch your canoe at the bridge over the Rio Alagon on the CC204 about 18 km WNW of
Plasencia.
Finish: You can take your canoe out at beaches where the N630, between Plasencia and Caceres, crosses the
Tagus. The best place is probably on a peninsular just north of the main bridge over the Tagus, where rough
tracks lead to the N630.
Transport: There is a railway between Plasencia and the Estacion de Rio Tajo, just south of the road bridge
across the Tagus. I left my car at the launching site and at the end of my paddle I took the train to Plasencia and
attempted to hitch a lift 18km along the CC204 back to my car, but ended up having to walk back to the car.
Accommodation: There are sufficient sites suitable for wilderness camping on the route, but in the steep-sided
valleys these can be a fair distance apart.
Difficulties: Do not attempt the upper section of the Rio Alagon while there is a big discharge of water from
the Valdeobispo Dam. Wait for the water level to drop. The early section of the route is challenging and would
only be feasible for a skilled canoeist. The early sections of the tour follow a narrow, sometimes, fast-flowing
river with easy rapids. In places the river is partially blocked by trees or vegetation and there are occasional
weirs. When I paddled this section in 2003 there was no indication that this section of the river is navigated very
often, if at all. It is remote and you would need to be self-sufficient in case of an accident or capsize. This section
of river is subject to rapid changes in water level and flow depending on the amount of water being discharged
from the Valdeobispo Dam upstream.
The steep sided valley tends to funnel the wind and the strong winds can produce big waves once the wider
sections of the Rio Alagon and Tagus are reached. It can get too windy to canoe safely in an open canoe.
In sunny weather the wind often builds up in the afternoon, so it is better to paddle early in the morning.
Portages: There are no portages on this route
Time: The route is about 120 km. The time you will take will be very dependent on the wind strength and
direction. It took 7 days to complete the route in windy weather.
The Route:
a) CC204 - Coria Bridge 40 km
This section will be adventure and I’m just giving a few ideas of the problems you will encounter. The first
obstacle was a small weir and a little later the stream dropped 1m through a 2m wide channel on a sharp bend
with overhanging branches about 1m above the water. Further downstream the river split into a number of
channels and the channel I chose became blocked by trees. I had to wade across the waist deep channel and then
pull the canoe across an island to regain the main channel. Further down I almost capsized at another weir. I
then made the mistake of canoeing when the water level was up and the flow was fast. I chose the wrong channel
to the right of a large island and came round a bend to find the channel blocked by a fallen tree.
Difficulties were only occasional and by Coria Bridge the river had become under the influence of the
Alcantara Dam.
b) Coria Bridge - Alcantara Dam 40 km
After passing through flooded woodland, the route passes into typical Extramadura wilderness with brush and
old olive plantations on steep rocky hillsides. Eventually the Rio Alagon joins the Tagus at the Alcantara Dam.
c) Alcantara Dam - N630 40 km
There is no habitation throughout this section as you pass through a rocky wilderness. Head ENE for about 12
km, then take the right hand branch when the Riv. De Fresnedosa joins the Tagus. Then head east for about 28
km until the Tagus forms a big lake just before the N630. If you head directly east across this lake for about 2
km you will come to a peninsular with beaches, with track access, where you can land your canoe.
Information:
I know of no sources of information on canoeing on the Rio Alagon or Tagus, but I have given sufficient detail
above.
This tour follows the Rio Alagon about 80 km from west of Plasencia, where it is free flowing, to reach the
section of the Rio Alagon flooded by the Alacantara Dam. When the Alcantara Dam is reached you head
upstream up the flooded Tagus for about 40 km. This tour, takes you through a remote, largely uninhabited,
region of the Extremadura of Spain.
Start: You can launch your canoe at the bridge over the Rio Alagon on the CC204 about 18 km WNW of
Plasencia.
Finish: You can take your canoe out at beaches where the N630, between Plasencia and Caceres, crosses the
Tagus. The best place is probably on a peninsular just north of the main bridge over the Tagus, where rough
tracks lead to the N630.
Transport: There is a railway between Plasencia and the Estacion de Rio Tajo, just south of the road bridge
across the Tagus. I left my car at the launching site and at the end of my paddle I took the train to Plasencia and
attempted to hitch a lift 18km along the CC204 back to my car, but ended up having to walk back to the car.
Accommodation: There are sufficient sites suitable for wilderness camping on the route, but in the steep-sided
valleys these can be a fair distance apart.
Difficulties: Do not attempt the upper section of the Rio Alagon while there is a big discharge of water from
the Valdeobispo Dam. Wait for the water level to drop. The early section of the route is challenging and would
only be feasible for a skilled canoeist. The early sections of the tour follow a narrow, sometimes, fast-flowing
river with easy rapids. In places the river is partially blocked by trees or vegetation and there are occasional
weirs. When I paddled this section in 2003 there was no indication that this section of the river is navigated very
often, if at all. It is remote and you would need to be self-sufficient in case of an accident or capsize. This section
of river is subject to rapid changes in water level and flow depending on the amount of water being discharged
from the Valdeobispo Dam upstream.
The steep sided valley tends to funnel the wind and the strong winds can produce big waves once the wider
sections of the Rio Alagon and Tagus are reached. It can get too windy to canoe safely in an open canoe.
In sunny weather the wind often builds up in the afternoon, so it is better to paddle early in the morning.
Portages: There are no portages on this route
Time: The route is about 120 km. The time you will take will be very dependent on the wind strength and
direction. It took 7 days to complete the route in windy weather.
The Route:
a) CC204 - Coria Bridge 40 km
This section will be adventure and I’m just giving a few ideas of the problems you will encounter. The first
obstacle was a small weir and a little later the stream dropped 1m through a 2m wide channel on a sharp bend
with overhanging branches about 1m above the water. Further downstream the river split into a number of
channels and the channel I chose became blocked by trees. I had to wade across the waist deep channel and then
pull the canoe across an island to regain the main channel. Further down I almost capsized at another weir. I
then made the mistake of canoeing when the water level was up and the flow was fast. I chose the wrong channel
to the right of a large island and came round a bend to find the channel blocked by a fallen tree.
Difficulties were only occasional and by Coria Bridge the river had become under the influence of the
Alcantara Dam.
b) Coria Bridge - Alcantara Dam 40 km
After passing through flooded woodland, the route passes into typical Extramadura wilderness with brush and
old olive plantations on steep rocky hillsides. Eventually the Rio Alagon joins the Tagus at the Alcantara Dam.
c) Alcantara Dam - N630 40 km
There is no habitation throughout this section as you pass through a rocky wilderness. Head ENE for about 12
km, then take the right hand branch when the Riv. De Fresnedosa joins the Tagus. Then head east for about 28
km until the Tagus forms a big lake just before the N630. If you head directly east across this lake for about 2
km you will come to a peninsular with beaches, with track access, where you can land your canoe.
Information:
I know of no sources of information on canoeing on the Rio Alagon or Tagus, but I have given sufficient detail
above.
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