 The Sierras Subbéticas is a stunningly beautiful, rugged park
Sierras Subbéticas Natural Park
By Jo Williams
The Sierras Subbéticas is a stunningly beautiful, rugged park located
in the heart of Andalucia between the three great cities of Cordoba,
Granada and Seville. The park was designated a natural park in 1988.
It is home to one of southern Spain's largest breeding colonies
of griffon vultures, as well as around 70 other bird species, like
booted, Bonelli's and short-toed eagles. It also has a rich variety
of wildflowers.
The park comprises 32,056ha of largely limestone plateau, from
500m to the 1,568m peak of La Tińosa, the highest in Cordoba province.
It is part of the rugged spur of the Cordillera Bética and has some
exceptional geological formations, such as its distinctive and volcanic-like
small, funnel-shaped depressions, known as dolinas, which can be
seen at Los Hoyones. Poljes - large, closed-in depressions - can
also be seen here at the Nava de la Polje. Los Lanchares are a series
of jagged, rocky peaks
The seventeen towns and villages in the park include Cabra
where San Juan Bautista church is said to be one of the oldest in
Spain and Rute
with its ruined Moorish castle and a fascinating Baroque church.
Rute's fame is based on anís production. You can taste this at any
of several bodegas in the village. Iznájar
is a charming whitewashed village on the banks of a vast reservoir
of the same name.
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| Zuheros, white village |
Information
There's a visitors' centre in Cabra, the Centro de Visitantes de
Santa Rita, on the A340 road to Priego de Córdoba at Km 57, 957
334 034.
Access
The park is easily accessible from Cordoba (via the A45 and then
A340 towards Cabra), Granada (A92 then A333 to Iznájar) and Seville
(A92 then A340 to Cabra). Once in the park, there is a network of
minor roads off the main A340 road, which crosses the park east-west.
Accommodation
Cabra has a a good choice of hotels. Zuheros and Rute have several
options and there are cottages to rent throughout the Sierra. There
is a youth hostel in Luque.
Priego de Córdoba, just outside the park, has lots of choice.
Camping
Camping-Cortijo Las Palomas in Carcabuey has a swimming pool
and restaurant.
Camping Huerta del Pilar is in Zuheros.
Camping La Isla - behind the village of Rute at the lake of Iznajar. (follow "Cuevas de San Marcos").
Camping is shaded by olive trees with beautiful view on the lake. It has a swimming pool and bar.
Flora
Although situated in a major olive-growing region, the park is mostly
free of the cultivated olive groves and wild olive trees and holm
oak groves predominate, while gall oaks grow on the north-facing
slopes. In the undergrowth are Kermes oaks, lentisc, retama and
gorse. On the higher ground, above 1,200m, are thorny scrubland
plants, like genista florida.
There are numerous endemic plants in the park, including the narcissus
bugei and the orchid ophrys speculum.
Fauna
Birds of prey in the park include Bonelli's eagles, short-toed eagles,
black kites and the occasional golden eagle. The park has Andalucia's
largest population of the peregrine falcon, a bird that is the park's
symbol.
A griffon vulture colony is at the Albuchite peak, close to the
road that links Carcabuey-Luque. Rocky, high areas like the Sierra
de la Horconera are inhabited by the ring ouzel, rock thrush, blue
rock thrush, alpine accentor and alpine swift.
Mammals here are wild boars, mouflon, wild cats, weasels, badgers
and the rare Millers' water shrew.
Rivers
The permeable limestone landscape means that there is a lack of
surface water, apart from the Anzur, Hoz, Salado, Zagrilla and Bailén
rivers, but a lot of subterranean water, creating abundant springs
and fountains.
Things to see
Ermita de la Virgen in the Sierra de Cabra, about 15km east
of Cabra, is a hermitage perched on a rocky, with staggering panoramic
views of the Sierra Morena and Guadalquivir river valley. Take the
A340 east of Cabra towards Priego de Córdoba and then turn left
on the CV115, a winding road that leads up to the hermitage.
Cuevas
de las Murciélagos in Zuheros are a series of spectacular
caves created by erosion of the limestone landscape. It has impressive
stalagmites, stalagtities and other rock formations.
Walks
There are nine signposted walks; contact the Santa Rita visitors'
centre mentioned in our information section for maps and more information
(available in Spanish only).
The Vía
Verde of the Subbética is a former railway line, now
reconditioned as a walking and cycling track, which skirts around
the northern and western fringes of the park, from where you can
enjoy many stunning views of the rugged Sierras Subbéticas,
cross viaducts and go through tunnels along the route. It´s
an appealing way to travel, on foot or by bike, between the dramatically
sited village of Zuheros, with its well-known Cueva de los Murciélagos
(Cave of the Bats), Luque and Cabra.
Villages nearby:
Cabra
Carcabuey
Luque
Rute
Zuheros
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