Puibolea

Puibolea is a small village in the Hoya de Huesca region and situated to the North-West of Huesca city. Leave Huesca and follow the signposts for Ayerbe and Pamplona (A-132). Turn right at km 4 where Chimillas, Banastás, and Lierta are signposted (HU-V-3141). At the branch for Lierta stay on the main road which turns to the left. When you arrive at the foot of Puibolea, look for the crossroads with the garbage containers where an arrow points to the farmbuildings Gratal. The mills are on the Barranco Bueno (Bco Salado) and of both almost no trace can be found.

Pictures: 01.i.1996

The first of the two mills situated nearest to the village (2) was probably part of a group of houses, that were in former times known as the Casas de la Salina, hence the name Molino de las Salinas — Salinas because of the salt water springs in the surroundings. In 1937, the civil war, there was heavy fighting to capture the mill and the village. The houses have disappeared and there are hardly any traces of the mill.

The other mill, more to the North (2), doesn't seem to have a specific name. This mill was built in the riverbed on the slope of the left bank (3). At the time of our visit only some of the outer walls and some pillars were upright (4).

There is a shallow mill pond (5) at the top of the edge of the bed. The walls are made of earth, but towards the entrance to the pressure pipe (saetín) there are two walls built from large, regularly cut natural stones, and forming a funnel towards the pressure pipe.