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Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park
By Jo Williams
Designated a Unesco Biosphere reserve in 1977, the Sierra de Grazalema
was declared the first natural park in Andalucia in 1984 and is
one of Spain's most ecologically outstanding areas. The 51,695ha
park is famous for its spectacularly rugged limestone landscape
of cliffs, gullies, caves and gorges. By far the most impressive
gorge is Garganta Verde, with its exceptional griffon vulture colony
and rocky walls that tower vertically for 400m. Andalucia's largest
cave system is also here, the Hundidero-Gato with its biggest cavern
measuring 4km long and an entrance of 60m tall.
The region is well known for being the rainiest place in Spain,
with an annual rainfall of 2,200mm, which means that the 1,300 Mediterranean
plant species that have been registered here, many of them endemic
and some of them unique to the Sierra, flourish. There is a magnificent
and well preserved forest of the rare Spanish fir, a relic from
the Tertiary period, in the Sierra del Pinar on the slopes of Cadiz
province's highest peak at 1,654m, El Torreón.
Dotted around the sierra are attractive pueblos blancos (white
villages), the one in the most dramatic setting being
Grazalema,
which nestles between the two rugged peaks of Pico del Reloj and
the Pico de San Cristóbal. Other picturesque pueblos blancos
include
Cortes de la Frontera,
El Bosque and
Zahara de la Sierra.
Around 3,000ha of the park is called an Área de Reserve, with
the most fragile ecosystems, Spanish fir forests and black vulture
colnies. Conservation measures are more strict than the rest of
the park and visits are controlled in terms of dates and numbers.
At times when fire risks are greater (July to September) walks to
this area are closed. For walks in the rest of the park, except
for Sendero Garganta Verde, you must go with an authorized Turismo
Activo company (details from the information offices listed in our
information section). For the rest of the year, you need to obtain
permits from the El Bosque information office.
High rainfall and a limestone landscape mean that the water courses
and springs are plentiful. The principal rivers are the Guadalete,
Guadiaro, Tavizna and Ubrique.
Information
There is a Centro de Visitantes (visitors' centre) in Cortes de
la Frontera (952 154 599), with information on geology, flora and
fauna of the park.
In El Bosque is the main park office (956 727 029), which has
maps, walking routes and issues permisos (permits) for walks. The
tourist offices in Cadiz (956 258 646) and Malaga (952 213 445)
can also provide information.
In Grazalema is an information office (956 132 225) that has walking
maps and can obtain walking permits from El Bosque office for you.
Access
The park is easily accessible by car or on foot. The main roads
crossing the Sierra are the A372 Ronda to El Bosque road and the
A374 Grazalema to Ubrique road. The A373 links Ubrique with El Bosque
on the western edge of the park. South of Zahara to Grazalema is
the winding CA531, while the MA501 links Cortes de la Frontera to
Benaoján.
Villages nearby:
Benamahoma
Benaoján
Cortes de
la Frontera
El Bosque
Grazalema
Montejaque
Ubrique
Villaluenga del Rosario
Zahara
de la Sierra
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