Located in the northeastern corner of Jaén, one of Andalucia´s lesser known provinces, is Spain´s largest protected area – Sierra de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas Natural Park, most oftenly known as Cazorla. Cazorla is also the name of the main town in this immensely beautiful and staggeringly wild expanse.
Jaén is my home province but it still takes 3.5 hours to get to the extremes of the province where the Andalucian regional border meets that of Castilla La Mancha. Deep ravines, soaring peaks, barren high mountain plains, gushing waterfalls and Mediterranean Forest rule the vast views. Winding, narrow roads with hairpin bends, a myriad of viewpoints providing jaw dropping visitas that make you stop to whip out the camera means the journey takes even longer.
A visit to Cazorla, so close yet so far is not a day trip. Nor would a week be enough to explore and experience the 810.5 square miles of this largest protected area in Spain and the second largest in Europe. The Sierras were declared a biosphere reserve in 1983 by UNESCO and since 1988 they are also a Special Protection Area for migratory birds.
Flora and Fauna in Cazorla Natural Park
This is the birthplace of southern Spain´s most famous river – the Rio Guadalquivir which leaves Jáen province to head through the city of Cordoba and Sevilla before entering the Atlantic Ocean at the Gulf of Cádiz. A mighty river from a trickling source in a verdant valley deep in this nature reserve, which oozes with flora and fauna, some of them – around 360 are endemic – to Sierra de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas .
This multitude of microclimates means a huge diversity of nature rules with 36 species of mammals, 130 birds, 21 reptiles, 12 amphibians and 11 types of fish breathing life into this hinterland.
Activities in Cazorla Natural Park
Extensive pine covered areas and towering peaks of rock dominate, and little towns, often topped with castles and watchtowers betray the turbulent history of the nearly 400 years of Moorish domination. Some of these peaks reach over 2,000 metres and one of these is Yelmo, meaning helmet, famous for its thermals. Paragliding and hang gliding enthusiasts flock here to launch but also for it´s yearly event Festival Internacional del Aire “El Yelmo” or FIA el Yelmo.
Hunting is of course an ancient tradition here where mountain goat, deer and wild boar abound and it was designated as the Cazorla- Segura National Hunting Reserve back in 1960. If you prefer to see these animals close up rather than hunt them then visit the Collado de Almendral Wildlife Park but in many places and certain bars wild boar freely come out of hiding at dusk to be fed.
It goes without saying that where there´s a wealth of game the menus are full of it, definitely not the ideal place to be a vegetarian or vegan, if you´re a fan of wild boar and venison then it´s the place to be. It´s easy to dine well here.
The solar powered boat on Tranco Reservoir silently glides along and on a boat trip at dusk it´s possible to see deer or wild boar at the water´s edge, a thrilling site amongst the undergrowth or barren earth if the reservoir is low.
Cazorla is an enormous dark sky zone with only 23 towns in the whole natural park finding a spot to stargaze is easy but why not go really deep into the park to the small town of Don Domingo the first Starlight Reserve in Spain or visit the Cosmolarium in Hornos de Segura Castle. For a personal astronomer José at Astro Andalus is the guy to go to.
See my post Spain´s Longest Circular Walking Route – the GR247 in the Sierra de Cazorla Natural Park
Read my Astro Andalus experience.