Letosa

Letosa is situated deep in the Parque de la Sierra de Guara. From L'Ainsa drive south to Guaso and then until Arcusa. After Arcusa you'll pass the branch towards Mondot and soon reach the crossroads where Paúles is signposted. Turn right and at the first houses of Paúles again right towards Las Bellostas. You'll pass the Molino de Pedro Buil, the Bordas de Sarsa da Surta, the (invisible) Casas del Gallinero. The road goes uphill, turns right and becomes level again. That's the point where you are crossing the meridian of Greenwich, thus leaving the eastern hemisphere. Look for a cart track leaving the road and going uphill. At the same spot is a small place where you can park the car. Make sure to have a map and sufficient water with you. The mill is about a two and a half hour walk away. This is also an excellent walk for butterfly enthousiasts and plant lovers.

Pictures: 30.vii.2004

Mill next to the Río Mascún.

The mill of Letosa is a humble construction consisting of a small workplace and a roofed space outside where the pack-animals could rest. (Other mills with similar set ups are f.e. Bara and Troncedo.) The roof of the workplace did collaps and the other part will also soon fall under the weight of the losas.

The entrance features a nice guardapolvo and huge borderstones. Two dates are marked: top left 1831 (or is it 1837) and top middle 1869 (or 1868) next to a cross.

The former workplace was rather compact with a small cupboard and an oven in one corner and one milling station occupying about a third of the room. Notice the mill stone in the back and the grua (the crane to lift the stone) in the middle.

The water ran from right (where the embalse is) to left (where the river is) under the mill stool. The cárcavo houses one big metallic wheel. Notice that the blades are short and running only along the outer third of the wheel.