Region: Castilla y Leon Province: Soria y Burgos Declared a Natural Park: 1985 Park surface area: 10,176 hectares Towns and Villages: Casarejos, Hontoria del Pinar, Herrera de Soria, Ucero, Nafría de Ucero, San Leonardo de Yagüe, Santa María de las Hoyas
Points of interest
The Cañón del Río Lobos Natural Park is a stunning limestone landscape with two thirds of the park located in the province of Soria and the rest in the province of Burgos.
One of the most visited areas of the Natural Park is the Templar hermitage of San Bartolomé, a Romanesque construction from the first quarter of the 13th century with some Gothic influence. It was part of a monastery of which only the chapel remains.
Located behind the hermitage are the caves which contain engravings and paintings dated to the Bronze Age.
The area has also become famous as a starlight destination. The Starlight Foundation is a non-profit organization that was founded in 2009 to promote the protection of the night sky and the development of “astrotourism” and there is an ever growing list of starlight destinations in Spain to visit.
There are extensive forests of juniper and black pine, over a hundred pairs of griffon vultures and also nesting in the area golden eagle, bonellis eagle, Egyptian vulture and various hawks. Mammals include roe deer, wild boar, squirrels, otters, badgers, and wildcats.
Declared a Natural Park: (Fuentes Carrionas and Fuente Cobre-Montaña Palentina Natural Park) 1992
Renamed and expanded: (Montaña Palentina Natural park) 2000
Park surface area: 78,360 hectares
Towns and villages: Aguilar de Campoo, Brañosera, Castrejón de la Peña, Cervera de Pisuerga, Dehesa de Montejo, La Pernía, Polentinos, Triollo, Velilla del Río Carrión, San Cebrián de Mudá
Points of interest
The Montaña Palentina Natural Park (formerly called Fuentes Carrionas y Fuente Cobre-Montaña Palentina Natural Park) is a protected area located in the north of the province of Palencia. The Palentina Mountain range is home to the Fuentes Carrionas and Fuente del Cobre which are the sources of the Carrión and Pisuerga rivers.
This is a space of great natural, landscape, fauna and botanical value. It has the most northern mass of junipers in Europe, together with endemic species from the Cantabrian Mountains such as the Cantabrian Artemis and the Echium cantabricum.
Towns and villages in the area: Alfoz de Bricia, Basconcillos del Tozo, Los Altos, Sargentes de la Lora, Tubilla del Agua, Valle de Manzanedo, Valle de Sedano, Valle de Valdebezana, Valle de Zamanzas
Points of interest
The Hoces del Alto Ebro y Rudrón natural park is located in the northwest of the province of Burgos and presents a landscape of great beauty. Narrow valley bottoms wedged between steep gorges and cliffs are crossed by the Ebro and Rudrón rivers. These are in contrast to the extensive, almost flat moorlands located at higher altitudes.
A short clip showing the diverse landscape of the Hoces del Alto Ebro y Rudrón natural park
Hoces del Alto Ebro and Rudrón natural park
The Ebro River crosses the north of the province of Burgos from Orbaneja del Castillo to beyond Miranda de Ebro for 150 km in a succession of canyons (hoces) alternating with open valleys, as well as other natural elements in the surroundings that constitute an area of natural interest. The route of the river goes from west to east, but very sinuous, either because it ends up crossing a mountain massif in the most favorable place (dissolution of limestone rocks mainly) or because it forms meanders in the valleys.
Find a hotel close to the Hoces del Alto Ebro and Rudrón natural park
The nearby Las loras UNESCO Global Geopark is halfway between the Castilian Plateau and the Cantabrian Mountain Range. This transitional location gives the region the typical weather and environmental features of the surrounding regions. It also possesses a wide range of environments and biodiversity, with both Euro-Siberian sites as well as Mediterranean sites. In addition, the unusual topography resulted in a peculiar landscape where limestone cliffs and significant high altitude moorlands alternate with gorges and deep valleys created by the river system.
Waterfalls in the The Las Loras UNESCO Global Geopark
The Hoces del Río Riaza Natural Park is located in the northeast of the province of Segovia near to the border with the province of Burgos.
This stunning area has been created by the Riaza river which has excavated the limestone of the Segovian plains to create one of the largest areas of gorges, canyons, cliffs and ravines in Spain.
One of the largest Griffon vulture colonies in Spain are resident here and also, due to the caves, it is a safe haven for the Greater mouse-eared bat (Myotis myotis.)
The Linares reservoir is worth a visit especially the dam which has fantastic views and is a great place for birdwatching. The village of Maderuelo was recently named as one of the most beautiful villages in Spain.
This short video shows the beautiful countryside of the Hoces del Río Riaza natural park
This area is characterized by the dominance of the sessile juniper mixed with other oak species woodland. There are rosaceae species such as wild rose, blackberry, hawthorn and blackthorn and various planted woodlands of pine. Depending on the time of year, the Cistus species (Cistus ladanifer and Cistus laurifolius.) can be a beautiful sight when in flower.
Mammals are represented well in this area with otter, wild boar, fox, roe deer, badger, genet, marten, weasel, wild cat, rabbit and hare
Find a a hotel close to the Hoces del Rio Riaza Natural Park
From January 1 to July 31 it is necessary to request an authorization at the Information Centre to be able to travel through the reserve area of the natural park, this area includes the PR-SG-6 (Senda del Rio) and PRC-SG- 7 (Hermitage of Casuar).
Information/Visitors Centers
Hoces del Río Riaza Natural Park visitor centre
Address: Las Eras street in the village of Montejo de la Vega de la Serrezuela. Take the A-1 / E-5 highway, exit 146 and in Milagros, the road to Montejo de la Vega. From Aranda de Duero, continue on the N-1 road to Fuentespina and there take the C-114 road to Fuentelcesped where you take the detour to Montejo de la Vega.
At the Information centre you will find all the information you need to get the best out of a visit to the area. Guides and leaflets are available about the various trails (Including permits when needed) as well as details of other nearby areas of cultural or natural interest.
There is an audivisual film and also exhibitions on the fauna, flora, geology and culture of the area.
Take a trip on the Wildside! Discover the wildlife and nature of Spain, its Natural and National Parks and find the top wildlife, activity and walking holiday companies.
Iberia Nature Forum
Struggling with identifying those bugs and beasties? Why not check out the Iberia nature Forum! https://iberianatureforum.com/
Take a trip on the Wildside! Discover the wildlife and nature of Spain, its Natural and National Parks and find the top wildlife, activity and walking holiday companies in Spain.
