Natural Parks in Cantabria

Natural Parks in Cantabria highlight the region’s lush mountains, forests, and coastline. The Picos de Europa National Park, partly in Cantabria, offers dramatic limestone peaks, gorges, and diverse wildlife. The Saja-Besaya Natural Park is known for dense forests, rivers, and populations of red deer and wild boar. On the coast, the Oyambre Natural Park protects beaches, dunes, and estuaries, providing habitats for many bird species. Together, these parks reflect Cantabria’s blend of rugged mountain landscapes and rich coastal ecosystems.

Macizo de Peña Cabarga Natural Park

October 16, 2023 by clive

Region: Cantabria
Towns and Villages: Medio Cudeyo, Liérganes, Penágos and Villaescusa
Declared a Natural Park: 1989
Park surface area: 2,588 hectares

Points of interest

Although the Macizo de Peña Cabarga Natural Park has been a protected area since 1989 it unfortunately lost this protection in 2005 due to the lack of plans and regulations needed. Various administrations have blamed each other and as of the writing of this article the area lays in a type of limbo waiting for clarification of its status.

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Clive Muir – Wildside Holidays – Walking, wildlife and culture holidays in Spain

I’ve been living in western Andalucía for more than 20 years and spend much of my time researching and running English-language travel websites about Spain. My work covers destinations including Cádiz, Ronda, Grazalema and the Caminito del Rey, as well as Wildside Holidays, which focuses on walking, wildlife and nature travel in Spain.

Through Wildside Holidays, I share practical information about Spain’s natural parks, mountains, wildlife and walking destinations, drawing on many years of living and travelling in the country. The aim is to help visitors discover Spain’s natural landscapes responsibly and plan rewarding walking and wildlife experiences.

Dunas de Liencres Natural Park

October 10, 2023October 10, 2023 by clive

Points of interest The Dunas de Liencres Natural Park is located at the mouth of the Pas river (Ría de Mogro) close to the town of of Liencres in the central area of the Cantabrian coast. The area is made up of coves, two beaches, a large maritime pine plantation and one of the most … Read more

Oyambre Natural Park

October 10, 2023 by clive

Region: Cantabria
Local towns and villages: Comillas, San Vicente de la Barquera, Udías, Valdáliga and Val de San Vicente
Declared a Natural Park: 1988.
Park surface area: 5758 hectares.

Points of interest

The Oyambre Natural Park is a Spanish protected natural area located on the western coast of Cantabria. A great success story as the park was declared after pressure from local and international ecologist groups (begining in the the seventies) protesting against urban development projects that endangered its dunes and beach environment.

The natural park, which includes the estuaries of Ría de San Vicente, Ría de la Rabia and its surroundings constitutes a magnificent example of a coastal ecosystem. In addition to cliffs, areas of meadows and native hardwood forests, there are various dune systems which together with those of the Dunas de Liencres Natural Park make up some of the most important dune ecosystems on the Cantabrian coast.

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Clive Muir – Wildside Holidays – Walking, wildlife and culture holidays in Spain

Googles Doodle mentions the Picos de Europa national park!

September 17, 2023 by clive

The Montaña de Covadonga National Park was established in Asturias in 1918, the first national park in Spain. The, now larger, park covers three major massifs – Western, Central and Eastern which are all part of the Cordillera Cantabria range. The dramatic Cares river canyon, which is 1,500m deep, divides the western and central parts.

Today’s Doodle celebrates Picos de Europa National Park. Spread across 11 villages in northern Spain, the park is home to meadows, lakes, and a steep, sloping mountain range. On this day (the 17th of September) in 2001, the Bulnes cable car was inaugurated, which ended the isolation of the town of Bulnes which is located … Read more

Points of interest

Points of interest

The Caminito del Rey