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| The Sierra Nevada was designated a national park in 1998
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Sierra Nevada National Park
By Jo Williams
The Sierra Nevada is a dramatic, rugged and extensive mountain
range, the highest in Europe after the Alps and the most significant
section of the Cordillera Penibética. The protected area encompasses
86,208ha of torrential rivers, sheer-sided gorges, stony scree slopes,
glacial lakes between snowy summits and, in the foothills of the
Alpujarras, cultivated terraces of almond trees and vegetables.
Designated a national park in 1998, it is one of only two in Andalucia,
the other being the Doñana National Park. It retains its status
of natural park, which it has been since 1989, and this covers a
marginally smaller area, of 85,777ha. It was declared a Unesco Biosphere
Reserve in 1986, in recognition of its exceptionally diverse plant,
bird and animal species.
There are over 20 peaks more than 3,000m, which makes it the second
highest mountain range in Europe after the Alps. The two highest
peaks in the Iberian Peninsula are in the park, the Mulhacén at
3,482m, closely followed by the Pico del Veleta, at 3,396m. On a
clear day these mountains can be seen from as far away as Africa.
The park has a rich history, with the Tartessians, Visigoths,
Romans and Moors all leaving their legacy in the area, which can
be still be seen today; for example, the sophisticated irrigation
systems inherited from the Moors and the distinctive architecture
of the Alpujarras, with their flat-roofed houses, a design brought
from north Africa with the Berbers. The Alpujarras have a long tradition
of independence; the last Moorish king, Boabdil, famously sheltered
here after the fall of Granada. It became the Moors' last refuge
in Spain before their 1568 revolt failed and they were forced to
leave Spain.
In the west of the park is Solynieve, Europe's southernmost ski
resort, where the ski season generally runs from November to April.
Apart from skiers and snowboarders at the resort, the park is popular
with hikers, climbers and birdwatchers.
Apart from tourism, the economic mainstay of the Sierra Nevada
is agricultural produce, with cereal crops, olives, grapes, almonds,
walnuts, apples and cherries cultivated here, mainly in the southern
foothills of the Alpujarras. Europe's most important iron mine is
at Alquife, continuing a mining tradition in the Sierra that once
included the extraction of copper and silver as well. Trevélez is
renowned for its cured jamón serrano (mountain ham).
It's essential to bring high-factor sun protection and a hat,
to prevent burning at this high altitude.
Information
There are two centros de visitantes (visitors' centres) for the
park.
In the western part of the park is El Dornajo, at Km 23 on the
A395 road, 958 340 625. It has loads of information on the park,
including an exhibition on the area's flora and fauna, hiking, where
to stay, horse riding, cycle hire and paragliding. The centre sells
guidebooks and maps on the park, some of which are available in
English, and there is a shop selling locally produced cheese, ham
and wine. A café serves snacks and drinks. From El Dornajo there
are superb views of the Genil valley and Güéjar Sierra.
Open daily 10am-2pm. From October to March it's also open 4pm-6pm
and April to September, 6pm-8pm.
Láujar de Andarax visitors' centre is in the eastern part of the
park, on the C332 at Km 1, 950 513 548. It has displays on a range
of issues connected to the park, such as geology, flora and fauna,
mining, history and water.
From April to September it's open Thursday to Sunday and public
holidays 10.30am-2.30pm and 6pm-8pm. The rest of the year it's open
Saturday, Sunday and public holidays, 10.30am-2.30pm and 4pm-6pm.
Also in the east is the Puerto de la Ragua information point on
the A337 at Km 11.6 by a picnic area of the same name. In the Alpujarras
there is an information point in Pampaneira village. Or try the
tourist offices (turismos) in Granada and Almeria provinical capitals
or the local turismos of villages and towns in the Sierra.
Access
The park has several main entry points. For the western end of the
Sierra, take the A395 - Europe's highest road - from Granada city
that leads to the ski station. In the park's eastern section, the
A337 crosses the Sierra north to south. Further east is the AL503
in Almeria province. The Alpujarras are easily accessible via the
roads running east-west linking the main towns and villages.
Apart from these roads, there is a network of minor roads and
tracks that skirt the edges of the park's highest ground, which
are best explored on foot; bear in mind that these may well be impassable
for the winter months at least.
Accommodation
Check our main accommodation
page for hotels and self-catering cottages and villas in the Sierra
Nevada and the adjacent Alpujarras. At Solynieve there is a youth
hostel, a former parador and many hotels, most of which only open
during the ski season.
There is a network of mountain refuges (refugios) in the Sierra.
Generally, refugios offer beds and showers at a reasonable price.
Book in advance for the Refugio Poqueira, 608 554 224. Refugios
vivacs are stone shelters where you can stay for free.
Camping
There is one area of free camping (zona de acampada organizada)
in the park's eastern flank, which is Monterrey, north of Láujar
de Andarax. Take everything you need.
There are many organized campsites in the park and on its fringes,
mainly on its southern edge in the Sierra's foothills, the Alpujarras.
Camping Balcón de Pitres, located on the Órgiva-Ugíjar
road at Km 51 near Pitres, has a campsite, wooden cabins, mountain
refuges and a hostel.
Camping La Molineta is situated close to Láujar de Andarax.
Camping Órgiva, on the A348, has a campsite as well as
farmhouses, bungalows and a cabin for rent. Open all year.
Camping Puerta de la Alpujarra, less than 1km from Órgiva
on the A348, has several swimming pools.
Camping Trevélez, 1 km out of village on the Órgiva road,
boasts a claim to fame of being Spain's highest campsite. Cabins
for rent and swimming pool. Open March to November.
Cortijo Balderas is 5km east of Güéjar Sierra, at Km 5
on the Padules road, and has a campsite and cabins to rent. It runs
activities and camps for young people and also has a programme of
short residential workshops for adults on cooking, art and relaxation
techniques, among other subjects.
Suggested routes
Given the park's rich wildlife and protected status, it is best
explored on foot along one of the many signposted routes in the
park (see our section on walks); indeed, some tracks have been closed
to traffic in recent years to limit damage to wildlife by traffic.
Or you could go on horseback or mountain bike.
However, there are a few roads crossing the park that give access
to the park with excellent views, like the A395 road linking Granada
city to the Solynieve ski resort. This road has many good restaurants
along it, and the helpful El Dornajo visitors' centre.
Flora
The park's plants are outstanding, with the highest number of endemic
plant species in Europe. An impressive 2,100 different species of
vascular plant, a quarter of those recorded in the whole of Spain,
have been registered here, over 120 of them endangered. Around 70
plant species are only found in the Sierra Nevada, mainly in the
higher areas, while 175 species are native to the Iberian Peninsula.
Wildflowers that have been listed as threatened species include
the daffodil narcissus nevadensis, Sierra Nevada sandwort (arenaria
nevadensis) and the wormwood artemisia granatensis. The most well-known
native wildflowers are the Nevada violet and the Sierra chamomile.
The main tree vegetation comprises groves of holm oak (quercus
ilex, subsp. rotundifolia) principally between 1,300m and 1,700m.
There is also extensive woodland of sweet chestnut (castanea sativa)
and Pyrenean oak (quercus pyrenaica) and tracts of pine forest.
Lichens are often the only vegetation growing on the exposed,
poor soils above 2,800m. However, sheltering from the often glacial
and strong winds in winter in the stony cascajares (corries) are
a surprisingly wide variety of plant species, many of them endemic.
These include glacier toadflax (linaria glacialis) and the grass
species festuca clementei, poa laxa and agrostis nevadensis. Clinging
tenaciously to steep, rocky high slopes are flowering species such
as the pink-coloured violet viola crassiuscula, the buttercup ranunculus
acetosellifolius boissieri, Nevada saxifrage (saxifraga nevadensis)
and alpine rock cress (arabis alpina).
Below 2,800m is vegetation more typical of the Mediterranean.
There are pine trees (pinus sylvestris), savin and common junipers
(juniperus sabina, j. communis), the sedge carex fusca, creeping
speedwell (veronica repens), thyme (thymus serpylloides), ironwort
(sideritis glacialis) and hedgehog broom (erinacea anthyllis). Native
plant species here include the sandworts arenaria pungens and arenaria
tetraquetra subsp.amabilis, genista versicolor, Nevada clover (trifolium
nevadensis) and the Nevada cinquefoil potentilla nevadensis. In
the holm oak groves is the honeysuckle lonicera etrusca.
In the lower valleys are gall oaks (quercus faginea) and the native
maple acer granatense and the Montpellier maple acer monospessulanum.
Commonly occuring shrubs on the lower slopes are prickly junipers
(juniperus oxycedrus), flax-leaved daphne (daphne gnidium), Spanish
barberry (berberis hispanica), hawthorn (crataegus monogyna), lentisc
(pistacia lentiscus), wild olive trees (olea europaea sylvestris)
and butcher's broom (ruscus aculeatus).
The abundant water courses are fringed by alder trees (alnus glutinosa),
ash trees (fraxinus angustifolia), elms (ulmus minor), willows (salix
atrocinerea) and poplars (populus alba).
Fauna
The park's main draw for fauna is its rich birdlife, with over 60
species inhabiting the Sierra. Nesting birds of prey include golden
eagles, Bonelli's eagles, peregrine falcons, griffon vultures and
kestrels. On the higher slopes are Alpine accentors, black redstarts,
northern wheateaters, rock thrushes, rock buntings, red-billed choughs
and skylarks. In the woodland areas are hoopoes, short-toed treecreepers,
green woodpeckers, coal tits, great tits, goldfinches and golden
orioles.
The most commonly seen mammal by far is the Spanish ibex, a type
of mountain goat with distinctive curling horns. Mediterranean pine
voles and weasels are among the mammals inhabiting the higher slopes,
while lower down are wild cats, wild boars, foxes, badgers, beech
martens, genets, field mice and garden dormice.
The Sierra Nevada has 78 endemic vertebrate species, most of which
are butterflies and beetles. The park is renowned for its outstanding
variety of butterflies with 120 species recorded here, like the
apollo butterfly. Other important invertebrate species are the 37
native species of beetle, including the rare endemic rhinoceros
beetle and the grasshopper chorthippus nevadensis.
Reptiles and amphibians include ladder snakes, southern smooth
snakes, ocellated lizards and natterkack toads.
Things to see
Jardín Botánico de La Cortijuela, near the Cerro del Trevenque
in the west of the park, has around 100 plant species that can be
found in the park.
Balneario de Lanjarón is a natural spa. Its waters have
been renowned for their medicinal qualities since 1765.
Tibetan Monastery O Sel Ling was named by the Dalai Lama
as 'the Place of the Clear Light' and, positioning yourself by the
brightly coloured Buddhist stupa at the monastery's entrance that
offers a magnificent view over the Alpujarras, you can appreciate
why. Founded in 1982 it offers retreats to those who are willing
to abide by the monastery's guidelines.
Villages of the Alpujarras in the region that lies between
the Sierra Nevada and the sea. Perched on the steep sides of these
sierras, with their torrential streams and rivers and wooded valleys,
are many beautiful towns and villages. Bubión, Pampaneira and Capileira are an often-visited triumvirate, with tourists attracted by their
magnificent position in the steep and narrow Poqueira gorge. Trevélez offers some of the best cured ham (jamón serrano) in Spain. See
also our page on the Alpujarras.
The eastern villages are much less visited than those in the west,
but are not as attractive. The landscape is drier and more barren.
Láujar de Andarax is one of the most worthwhile villages to see
in the eastern Alpujarras and has a beautiful shady spot 1km northeast
of the village called El Nacimiento, which is the source of the
Andarax river. Here are some waterfalls in a steep-sided valley,
where several walks start. There are also a few restaurants and
a picnic area with barbecue pits.
Walks
There are many excellent signposted and waymarked senderos (walks).
Make sure you have a good map. Details of senderos, maps and walking
guides are available in the Sierra's tourist offices and visitors'
centres (see information).
The long distance footpath, the GR7,
crosses the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, linking villages of
the Alpujarras east-west.
See Guy Hunter-Watts' description of the Walk
of the Ruined Mills and Arab Baths, which begins and ends in
Ferreirola. There are details of further walks in this area in his
guide Walking in Andalucia.
The Vía
Verde of the Sierra Nevada is a former railway line that has
been converted into a 6km-long walking and cycling track starting
15km south of Granada city, at Güéjar-Sierra.
Sendero Siete Lagunas is an 8km challenging walk to one
of the Sierra's most spectacular spots, a glacial valley at over
3,000m sandwiched between the peaks of Mulhacén and Alcazaba, with
seven mountain lakes (siete lagunas). The walk starts in Trevélez.
You can take a sleeping bag to spend the night here. In summer,
you can also continue on to Mulhacén peak the next day.
Sendero Nacimiento del Río Andarax is a fairly easy linear
walk of 6½km (13km round trip). It starts from the Nacimiento picnic
area a few kilometres outside Láujar de Andarax in Almeria province
and leads to the source (nacimiento) of the Andarax river, where
there is another picnic area, Monterrey, with a mountain refuge.
First the path zigzags through dense pine forest by the side of
the river. Some 4km later there is a crossroads; take the left-hand
fork and a bit further on there are some superb views down the valley.
Carry on taking the left-hand path whenever there is a fork in the
track.
Villages
There are few villages on the higher ground because of the severe
weather, with strong icy winds and snow for some of the year. There
are 25 villages in the park and about 10 dotted around the edge.
In Granda province:
Aldeire
Alpujarra de la Sierra
Bérchules
Bubión
Cádiar
Cáñar
Capileira
Cogollos de Guadix
Dílar
Güéjar Sierra
Jerez del Marquesado
Juviles
La Zubia
Lanjarón
Lanteira
Lugros
Monachil
Nevada
Nigüelas
Órgiva
Padul
Pampaneira
Pórtugos
Trevélez
Válor
In Almeria province:
Abrucena
Almócita
Bayárcal
Beires
Canjáyar
Láujar de Andarax
Nacimiento
Ohanes
Padules
Paterna del Río
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