 Pink Flamingos in the Marismas del Odiel.
Las Marismas del Odiel Natural Area
By Jo Williams
The Paraje Natural de las Marismas del Odiel is the second most
significant wetland reserve in Andalucía after the Parque Nacional
de Doñana. This large estuary and marshland of the Odiel and Tinto
rivers covers 72-sq-km between Huelva City, Punta Umbría, Gibraleón
and Aljaraque. It was granted protected status in 1989. The best
time to visit is in spring during the breeding season and in winter
when there are lots of waterfowl.
Within the Odiel nature reserve are some smaller protected areas:
the Reserva Natural Marismas del Burro between Gibraleón and Huelva
city; the Reserva Natural Isla de Enmedio between Aljaraque and
Punta Umbría; the Paraje Natural Estero de Domingo Rubio south of
La Rábida; and the Paraje Natural Lagunas de Palos y las Madres
between Huelva and Mazagón.
Access
By far the best views of the marismas are along the causeway that
crosses the marshes. To get there, follow signs out of Huelva city
towards Punta Umbría. Cross the Río Odiel bridge and take the right
fork for Ayamonte, then turn immediately left for Espigón. Instead
of going on to the bridge again to return to Huelva, take the right
turn - the Dique San Juan Carlos I road - which continues for about
20km through the centre of the Paraje. After 2km on the left is
the visitor's centre, the Centro de Visitantes Calatilla. La Calatilla Visitors’ Centre – Anastasio Senra
Centro de Recepción La Calatilla – Anastasio Senra
This Visitor Centre has been open since 1994. It offers basic information on the different aspects of this natural area, to those who are interested. The Centre is also home to the offices that take care of the area and its natural habitat.
The Centre has a very interesting exhibition with information boards, tools, samples of vegetation and animal life, archeological remains and audiovisual information on the salt marshes.
Visitors to the Centre can obtain information on guided tours, etc. There is a large car park and this makes a good starting point for some of the signed footpaths. It is located on the Dique San Juan Carlos I road. and overlook the River Odiel.
There is a popular restaurant located next to the visitors centre.
Centro de Recepción La Calatilla - Anastasio. Senra
Huelva
Tel: 95 450 04 21
Suggested routes
Take the N-441 from Gibraleón to Huelva City and look out for the
marismas on your right, which start a few kilomtres out of Gibraleón.
Follow signs to Punta Umbría around the western edge of Huelva City,
along a road that skirts the marismas. The A-497 Punta Umbría road
goes over the Río Odiel bridge, which crosses the wetlands. The
A-497 then goes over and around the marismas before reaching Punta
Umbría.
The best route, however, is to take is the Dique San Juan Carlos
I road, which runs for about 20km through the centre of the marismas.
To get here, see Access.
Flora and fauna
The marismas are renowned for their rich flora and fauna and are
an important stopping place for migratory birds. A third of Europe's
spoonbill population lives here and in winter there are many aquatic
birds here.
The varied habitats range from salt and freshwater marshes, salt
pans to intertidal islands, lagoons and creeks. These support a
wealth of birdlife, the most important being between 300 and 400
pairs of spoonbills, along with grey and purple herons, flamingoes,
storks, marsh harriers, little egrets, little terns, black-winged
stilts, Kentish plovers, cormorants and ospreys. During migration
and in winter you can see often thousands of flamingoes and waders.
There is also a wide variety of gulls.
There is an incredibly rich variety of vegetation in the marismas,
including tamarisk, rosemary, glasswort, junipers and stone pines.
On the dunes are white retama, thyme and sea lavender. In spring
the marismas are smothered in blue and yellow salt marsh flowers.
Rivers
The main river running into the nature reserver is the Odiel, which
turns into an estuary riddled with creeks, particularly at its northern
end. The other rivers within the area are Río Aljaraque, Río de
la Bota and Río Punta Umbría.
Walks
There are several footpaths across the marismas with birdwatching
sites starting from near the vistors' centre, the Centro de Visitantes
Calatilla. Alternatively, there are is a signposted walk along the
cycleway from the campsite at Playa La Bota, which covers 5.5km
and takes around 3 hours. This follows the shores of the Bota and
Punta Umbría rivers and passes a former saltworks, before entering
Punta Umbría at its northern end.
You can also walk from Gibraleón train station along the
vía verde,
a disused railway line converted into a cycleway and footpath that
runs to all the way to Ayamonte, passing through the northern protected
corner of the marshland. It crosses the Odiel river just outside
Gibraleón.
Cities and towns
Huelva
Punta Umbría
Information
The Centro de Visitantes Calatilla (959 509 011) see above.
The tourist offices in Huelva City and Punta Umbría also have information.
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