WHITE VILLAGES: Cadiz, Zahara and Grazalema
Cadiz, Zahara de la Sierra, Sierra de Grazalema
Cádiz
Cádiz is the most southern province of the Iberian Peninsula.
It is extremely rich in natural beauty and some of the most important Natural Parks of Spain and Europe are found here:
Sierra de Grazalema and los Alcoronocales.
Both are rich in flora and fauna, including species under threat of exinction.
Many birds find here their resting and feeding place just after or before making the jump from or to Africa.
There is a wide range of options for hiking and other activities for nature-lovers.
Grazalema
Grazalema is located in the southwestern part of Sevilla, in the hydrographic complex of Cádiz. It is also situated in the extreme western side of the ‘Beticas’ mountain chains in the ‘Serranía de Grazalema’ comprising the Pinar, Zafalgar, Monte Prieto and Margarita’s mountains. It consists of a massif karstic limestone with closed river basins, headstreams of the Guadalete and Majacete’s Rivers and tributaries of the Guadiaro. It also comprises a mountain lagoon called ‘Laguna del Perezoso’. The relief is very complicated and abrupt, comprising very jagged crests and cavernous karstic plateau, with precipitous edges. The Sierra, the highest in the province of Cádiz, stands like a great spur overlooking the whole territory. The biosphere reserve contains a wealth of floral diversity, with some 700 species of vascular plants catalogued to date. Eighteen higher vegetation types have been found including evergreen sclerophyllous forests, woodlands and scrub. The core area comprises 300 hectares of Spanish fir (Abies pinsapo) forest, including carob tree woods, pine and fir woods. More than 8,000 inhabitants (2001) live in the biosphere reserve. In the low zones, cattle and sheep are allowed to graze with some restrictions. After nine years of protection, the Grazalema pine forest is rapidly evolving towards a state of equilibrium. An initiative to restock the karst-like deteriorated hills with standing shrubs and luxuriant creepers is being developed
Grazalema is the highest, most mountainous municipality in Cadiz, as well as the one that registers the most rainfall in the whole Peninsula. The entire township is part of the Sierra de Grazalema Nature Reserve.
The city centre has Roman and Muslim remains, and is one of the best examples of the so-called "white Andalusian towns". The Roman fountain, the Baroque church of Nuestra Señora de la Aurora (18th century), and the parish of Encarnación (17th-19th centuries) are a few examples of its monumental heritage.
Grazalema looks like a near hilltop village even from quite close but it doesn’t take long there to realise that there’s a lot of hill above you.
Grazalema is an outstanding spring destination for the naturalist. Quite apart from the diversity of birds to be seen in this corner of Spain - ranging from Greater Flamingo to Griffon Vulture and Purple Gallinule to Blue Rock Thrush - Grazalema's flora is outstanding, rich in spring monocots and including many attractive species which are confined to the Iberian peninsula.
Flora :
The finest Spanish pine grove in the country, a vegetational relic of the tertiary period, a veritable living fossil which only grows at altitudes of over 1,000 metres, is to be found in what is known as the Sierra del Pinar (Pine Grove Mountain Range). The rest of the Park’s vegetation, clearly Mediterranean in type, includes large areas of holm-oak woods. Cork oak, gall oak and pine groves are also to be found. Carob trees, wild olives and barberries also feature, along with riverside woods and thick scrub.
Fauna :
One of the largest nesting colonies of tawny vultures in Europe is to be found here. Several species of eagle can be seen: the golden eagle, Hieraetus fasciatus, Aquila heliaca, Hieratus pennatus and Circaetus gallicus.
Other birds such as the goshawk and the Egyptian vulture also inhabit the Park.
One of Europe’s largest bat colonies can be found here.
Mammals include genets, wild boar, stags and deer.
Walking in Grazalema
There is a road that bypasses the village itself and forks a short way above, one road to Zahara and the other to Benamahoma and El Bosque. There’s a great walk starting just along each of the forks, going left in both cases.
From the Benamahoma road you find a sort of style over a barbed wire fence and you can’t miss the path. Go straight on until you reach a farm – several miles. There were young pigs running around at will when I was there. Turn left and right higher up to reach the Salto del Cabrero, Goatherd’s Leap between two limestone ridges – and don’t jump!
The other walk starts up a steep path and crosses a ridge to loop around to Benamahoma, via El Pinsapar, where the rare Spanish fir grows, leaves like a Norway spruce but a blue tinge and a different trunk. Return by the road with the sun going down – fabulous!
Zahara de la Sierra
Zahara de la Sierra and its idyllic setting with views that can only be fully appreciated by standing at one of the look-out balconies - miradores, or by climbing up to the old Moorish castle keep, passing the old mosque to your right-hand side. The locals call it 'divina' evoking some of the love one feels for this place.
And the locals themselves? Friendly, generally small with bizarre Castillian accents, eyes deep and dark with mysterious gazes that send Arabia swooping over you like a desert sandstorm. That rapid look can judge you instantaneously, and should you cross that first expanse then you are in and integrated.
There are two central plazas where two old churches stand - each one of a differing architecture with beautiful colours and ceramic roofing tiles. Enter one and you may hear a Peruvian priest - El Cura - giving a sermon with Old World grace and qualities, enter the other and you will find the float of the Virgin Mary sadly and vacantly casting her wilted head and eyes downwards. She is carried through the streets during religious festivals.
Cádiz
Cádiz is the most southern province of the Iberian Peninsula.
It is extremely rich in natural beauty and some of the most important Natural Parks of Spain and Europe are found here:
Sierra de Grazalema and los Alcoronocales.
Both are rich in flora and fauna, including species under threat of exinction.
Many birds find here their resting and feeding place just after or before making the jump from or to Africa.
There is a wide range of options for hiking and other activities for nature-lovers.
Grazalema
Grazalema is located in the southwestern part of Sevilla, in the hydrographic complex of Cádiz. It is also situated in the extreme western side of the ‘Beticas’ mountain chains in the ‘Serranía de Grazalema’ comprising the Pinar, Zafalgar, Monte Prieto and Margarita’s mountains. It consists of a massif karstic limestone with closed river basins, headstreams of the Guadalete and Majacete’s Rivers and tributaries of the Guadiaro. It also comprises a mountain lagoon called ‘Laguna del Perezoso’. The relief is very complicated and abrupt, comprising very jagged crests and cavernous karstic plateau, with precipitous edges. The Sierra, the highest in the province of Cádiz, stands like a great spur overlooking the whole territory. The biosphere reserve contains a wealth of floral diversity, with some 700 species of vascular plants catalogued to date. Eighteen higher vegetation types have been found including evergreen sclerophyllous forests, woodlands and scrub. The core area comprises 300 hectares of Spanish fir (Abies pinsapo) forest, including carob tree woods, pine and fir woods. More than 8,000 inhabitants (2001) live in the biosphere reserve. In the low zones, cattle and sheep are allowed to graze with some restrictions. After nine years of protection, the Grazalema pine forest is rapidly evolving towards a state of equilibrium. An initiative to restock the karst-like deteriorated hills with standing shrubs and luxuriant creepers is being developed
Grazalema is the highest, most mountainous municipality in Cadiz, as well as the one that registers the most rainfall in the whole Peninsula. The entire township is part of the Sierra de Grazalema Nature Reserve.
The city centre has Roman and Muslim remains, and is one of the best examples of the so-called "white Andalusian towns". The Roman fountain, the Baroque church of Nuestra Señora de la Aurora (18th century), and the parish of Encarnación (17th-19th centuries) are a few examples of its monumental heritage.
Grazalema looks like a near hilltop village even from quite close but it doesn’t take long there to realise that there’s a lot of hill above you.
Grazalema is an outstanding spring destination for the naturalist. Quite apart from the diversity of birds to be seen in this corner of Spain - ranging from Greater Flamingo to Griffon Vulture and Purple Gallinule to Blue Rock Thrush - Grazalema's flora is outstanding, rich in spring monocots and including many attractive species which are confined to the Iberian peninsula.
Flora :
The finest Spanish pine grove in the country, a vegetational relic of the tertiary period, a veritable living fossil which only grows at altitudes of over 1,000 metres, is to be found in what is known as the Sierra del Pinar (Pine Grove Mountain Range). The rest of the Park’s vegetation, clearly Mediterranean in type, includes large areas of holm-oak woods. Cork oak, gall oak and pine groves are also to be found. Carob trees, wild olives and barberries also feature, along with riverside woods and thick scrub.
Fauna :
One of the largest nesting colonies of tawny vultures in Europe is to be found here. Several species of eagle can be seen: the golden eagle, Hieraetus fasciatus, Aquila heliaca, Hieratus pennatus and Circaetus gallicus.
Other birds such as the goshawk and the Egyptian vulture also inhabit the Park.
One of Europe’s largest bat colonies can be found here.
Mammals include genets, wild boar, stags and deer.
Walking in Grazalema
There is a road that bypasses the village itself and forks a short way above, one road to Zahara and the other to Benamahoma and El Bosque. There’s a great walk starting just along each of the forks, going left in both cases.
From the Benamahoma road you find a sort of style over a barbed wire fence and you can’t miss the path. Go straight on until you reach a farm – several miles. There were young pigs running around at will when I was there. Turn left and right higher up to reach the Salto del Cabrero, Goatherd’s Leap between two limestone ridges – and don’t jump!
The other walk starts up a steep path and crosses a ridge to loop around to Benamahoma, via El Pinsapar, where the rare Spanish fir grows, leaves like a Norway spruce but a blue tinge and a different trunk. Return by the road with the sun going down – fabulous!
Zahara de la Sierra
Zahara de la Sierra and its idyllic setting with views that can only be fully appreciated by standing at one of the look-out balconies - miradores, or by climbing up to the old Moorish castle keep, passing the old mosque to your right-hand side. The locals call it 'divina' evoking some of the love one feels for this place.
And the locals themselves? Friendly, generally small with bizarre Castillian accents, eyes deep and dark with mysterious gazes that send Arabia swooping over you like a desert sandstorm. That rapid look can judge you instantaneously, and should you cross that first expanse then you are in and integrated.
There are two central plazas where two old churches stand - each one of a differing architecture with beautiful colours and ceramic roofing tiles. Enter one and you may hear a Peruvian priest - El Cura - giving a sermon with Old World grace and qualities, enter the other and you will find the float of the Virgin Mary sadly and vacantly casting her wilted head and eyes downwards. She is carried through the streets during religious festivals.
Labels: tourist-information
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31.3.08
