• Region: Castilla la Mancha.
• Province: Guadalajara.
• Declared a Natural Park: 2011.
• Park surface area: 125,772 hectares.

Points of interest

The Sierra Norte de Guadalajara Natural Park extends through the a vast area of the northern mountains in the province of Guadalajara. It encompasses the Ayllón and Pela mountain ranges as well as the pre-existing Hayedo de Tejera Negra Natural Park, the Pico del Lobo-Cebollera Massif nature reserve, the Pelagallinas River fluvial reserve and the National Hunting Reserve of Sonsaz.

• The Hayedo de Tejera Negra Natural Park was declared in 1978 with an area of ​​1641 hectares.
• The Natural Reserve of the Pico del Lobo-Cebollera Massif declared in 2005 with an area of ​​10,024 ha. Special Protection Area for Birds (ZEPA) and Place of Community Importance (SCI).
• The Pelagallinas River Fluvial Reserve declared in 2003 with an area of ​​362 ha.

Find a hotel close to the Sierra Norte de Guadalajara Natural Park

Fauna

Raptors are well represented in the area with populations of Bonelli’s eagle, golden eagle, kites and peregrine falcons along with the mountain birds such as bluethroat, alpine accentor and red-backed shrike

Notable in the group of mammals are roe deer, Iberian shrew, snow vole, otter, stone marten, badger, wildcat and genet .

The Iberian wolf is once again present in the mountains of the Sierra Norte de Guadalajara natural park causing the usual conflicts between landowners, farmers and the environmental protection groups.

The presence of the American mink, an escaped/introduced invasive species is causing problems in the area and time will tell the outcome of this. Maybe the wolf and other carnivores will help to control the expanding populations?

Bats are numerous in the area with 11 species present

The Hayedo de Tejera Negra Natural Park

The Hayedo de Tejera Negra Natural Park is a beech forest located in Cantalojas in the northwestern corner of the province of Guadalajara and is the most southern forest of its kind in Europe .

In 1974 the Tejera Negra beech forest was declared a natural site of national interest and in 1978 it was declared a natural park and was expanded in1987 However, in 2011 t was integrated into the Natural Park of the Sierra Norte de Guadalajara and along with other beech forests in Spain and Europe it was declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco as an extension of the Primary beech forests of the Carpathians and other regions of Europe.

The beech forest here has survived due to being mostly inaccessible and this halted the harvesting for firewood and charcoal as well as clearance in order to create pastures for livestock.

The area is very popular for the harvesting of edible wild mushrooms especially boletus species.

Guadalajara offers the traveller a host of culture, nature and history as this promo video shows.

Hiking in the Sierra Norte de Guadalajara Natural Park

The website of Hiking Iberia has some fantastic walks in the area. On the map just click on the icon of the route for excellent descriptions and maps of the area. You can even each hike you can download the GPX file which can be used on your GPS device.

https://www.hikingiberia.com/en/sierra-norte-guadalajara

Information/Visitors Centers

Centro de Interpretación del Parque Natural de la Sierra Norte de Guadalajara

The Interpretation Center of the Sierra Norte de Guadalajara Natural Park is in Cardoso de la Sierra on the GU-187 road in the direction of Colmenar de la Sierra.

There is a video projection and information about the geology, history, fauna and flora of the area.

Centro de Interpretación del Parque Natural de la Sierra Norte de Guadalajara,”Hayedo de Tejera Negra”

The Interpretation Center of the Sierra Norte de Guadalajara Natural Park, “Hayedo de Tejera Negra” is located 2 km from the town of Cantalojas)

Here you will find

• 1: 5,000 scale model of the Park
• Audiovisual room.
• Interactive panels of the different ecosystems of the park.
• Descriptive panels about the flora and fauna in the area.
• Descriptive model of the geomorphism of the Sierra de Ayllón.

Official website in Spanish
web: https://areasprotegidas.castillalamancha.es/rap/espacios-naturales-protegidos/enp-parque-natural/parque-natural-sierra-norte-de-guadalajara

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