In the October version of the Seaside Gazette we printed an tour information to the Sierra de La Sagra Natural Park.
Sierra de la Sagra Natural Park
The park has the very best peak in Andalucia after the Sierra Nevada and lies behind the Cazorla & La Sierra de Segura, within the far north of the province of Granada.
The surrounding panorama is one among marked contrasts, starting from virtually steppe-like vegetation in some areas to pine and holm-oak forests. It contains 70,000 hectares, considerable in fauna (particularly birds)and flora. Depending on the 12 months, its summit and slopes stay lined with snow throughout late autumn, winter, and early spring.
Hanging-Bridge Route in Quéntar
The pure park is within the north of the province of Granada, between the municipalities of Huéscar and Puebla de Don Fadrique. It reaches an altitude of two,383 metres at its highest level, making it seen from a number of kilometres away. Its neighbour, La Guillimona (2,064m), within the mountain vary that offers it its identify, is the closest.
With steep slopes lined in thick forests of black pine (often known as laricio or negral), a forest observe on its western facet supplies entry to the summit, from the place on clear days the Almería shoreline will be seen within the distance.
Its flora consists of holm-oak forests on the foot of the mountain. In its wetter areas, specimens of the Aleppo or Valencian oak will be discovered. Further up, the black pine takes over.
A Piece of Yosemite in Granada
Without a doubt, essentially the most putting tree specimen in La Sagra is the sequoia. They are discovered on a non-public property, on the highway that connects Huéscar with the A-317 (a highway that leads from Puebla de Don Fadrique to Santiago de la Espada).
They are a rarity that has grown right here for 150 years and hundreds of miles from their North American ancestors. Curiously, the sequoia is a species of Californian origin that lives primarily in Yosemite National Park, within the Sierra Nevada mountains of California.
The tallest specimens, of their American model, attain greater than 100 metres. The sequoia bushes in Huesca are younger in comparison with the others, however in some instances they attain 70 metres in top. To give an concept of their top, they measure roughly the dimensions of a 22-storey constructing. The tallest constructing in Granada is the San Lázaro watchtower, which measures 65 metres with its 19 flooring.
It was Rafael de Bustos Sagade, seventh Marquis of Corvera, who introduced the sequoia seedlings to Huéscar. They have been among the many first specimens to enter Europe. In Spain, in reality, they’ll solely be seen in Cantabria and Galicia, though they have been planted later, are significantly smaller.
The ones in La Sagra are so massive that as much as seven individuals are wanted to embrace their trunk. And that’s even though they’re nonetheless comparatively younger specimens for this species, contemplating that within the US there are bushes estimated to be between 1,200 and 1,800-years previous. Sequoia are often called Mariantonias, a well-liked identify whose origin has a few theories.
The San Clemente Reservoir
Yet, the sequoias aren’t La Sagra’s solely attraction. About 20 kilometres from La Losa Estate the place the bushes are, is the San Clemente Reservoir, which was created in 1990 above the city of the identical identify. The Guardal River, a tributary of the Guadiana Menor, is chargeable for bringing water there. It is a confluence of two rivers, the Guardal and the Bravatas, the latter of which begins within the Sierra de la Sagra itself, in Fuente de Montilla, at an altitude of about 1,750 metres, offering the most important contribution.
The reservoir covers an space of 622 hectares and its most capability is 117 cu/hm contained behind a dam 92 metres excessive.
Near the reservoir are cultural websites such because the Carlos III Canal, the La Reina Dam, the Puente de las Ánimas, and Los Pilares (stays of an historic aqueduct).
The development of the reservoir flooded the city centre of the village of San Clemente, with roughly 680 inhabitants, and the small plain alongside the Guardal River. Its development not solely led to the disappearance of the village, but in addition to the relocation of its inhabitants to the so-called Barrio Nuevo de San Clemente.
In addition to irrigation, the reservoir’s essential use is leisure (fishing, swimming, and boating). There are designated areas, and sports activities resembling canoeing, mountain biking, and mountain climbing can be found.
According to the WWF, it is a massive dam that holds little or no water because of geological issues. The common quantity of water saved during the last eight years is 11 cu/hm or lower than 10% of its capability, even though close by reservoirs have maintained cheap volumes throughout this era (Negratín reservoir: 66%; El Portillo: 47%, and within the final 4 years it has not dropped beneath 84%). The trigger apparently stems from the geological traits of the floodplain, the place water infiltration happens.
La Sagra Astronomical Observatory
The privately owned Astronomical Observatory is situated on the north facet of La Sagra within the municipality of Puebla de Don Fadrique. Its administration, nevertheless, is the duty of the Institute of Astrophysics of Andalucía. It was inaugurated on June the 14th, 2004, on account of a collaboration settlement between the Institute of Astrophysics of Andalucía, a part of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), and the Astronomical Observatory of Mallorca (OAM). Whenever we report a meteor sighting, it entails this monitoring station.
Sited on the Collados de La Sagra, at an altitude of 1,530m, (roughly 85km from the Calar Alto Observatory, in Almería), it is among the few pure environments in Spain with good meteorology; clear skies, and really low ranges of sunshine air pollution.
It consists of the telescope management centre, a residence for astronomers, and three domes that home the survey telescopes (reflectors measuring 30 to 40cm in diameter); a fourth dome with a 45cm reflector was added in 2007.
Natural Refuge: Its Fauna
The Sierra de la Sagra is a pure refuge for species such because the griffon vulture, vipers, Bonelli’s eagles, wild cats, eagle owls, hares, and wild boars, with many fascinating invertebrates, together with butterflies and beetles, amongst them its most prized pure belongings. This entomological significance has led to its recognition as an Area of Interest for the Conservation of Invertebrates in Andalucía (ZICI), which additionally consists of the Cazorla and Castril pure parks.
Iberian ibex and deer additionally inhabit the world, as do practically twenty totally different species of bats. Amongst the scavanger birds, along with the griffon vulture, you may as well see Egyptian vultures and bearded vultures, and different raptors such because the golden eagle and the peregrine falcon. Amphibians, reptiles, and lepidopterans, in addition to quite a lot of fauna related to its rivers (brown trout, falcon, and otter), full the range of La Sagra’s fauna.
What to Do in La Sagra?
Nature adventures are one of many essential sights of the La Sagra Natural Park. You can take mountain climbing trails, for instance, to the Aceral de los Vaquerizos or to the Púlpito de la Sagra; a dangling ledge amidst vertical partitions with spectacular views of the Granada Geopark.
This route is really useful to be carried out with specialised guides in case you are unfamiliar with the world, because it runs by means of steep and typically vertical sections. Another choice is to climb to the highest of the go and luxuriate in unbelievable landscapes amongst centuries-old black pines which have grown on the limestone rock and whose shapes, sculptures by the wind, are worthy of photographing.
La Sagra additionally has quite a few barrancos and caves. Some will be entered, however at all times with the required security precautions. The Cueva del Agua is the most effective identified.
And in the event you simply need peace and quiet and a day surrounded by nature, on the foot of La Sagra is the Paraje de las Santas. Pure nature with various vegetation and the Bravatas River that runs by means of this space. Here you’ll discover the Hermitage de Las Santas, and subsequent to it, a big leisure space lined in bushes.
(Feature/Excursion, Sierra de La Sagra)
Excursion: Natural Park, Sierra de La Sagra, Redwoods, San Clemente Reservoir, Granada Geopark, Hanging Bridge, Quentar, Sierra de Segura
information, function, tour, andalucia, granada, altiplano, pure park, sierra de la sagra, redwoods, san clemente reservoir, granada geopark, hanging bridge, quentar, sierra de segura
