The
botanist David Bellamy described the Alcornocales
as perhaps "Europes last
real wilderness area". A 45minutes drive
takes us to the gateway of the forest at Alcala
de los Gazules. The Alcornocales Natural Park
is undoubtedly one of the jewels of Spain’s
many protected nature reserves. The density
of the woodland, the 1,000m (3,000ft.) peaks,
the narrow valleys and ridges are what has
protected this area from man’s development.
Due to the density of the woodland, the proximity
of both the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean
Sea and the height of the sierras, this nature
reserve benefits from its own micro-climate.
Even in the harshest of droughts the “canutos” (narrow
gorges) tinkle with the sound of fresh water.
These canutos conserve a sub-tropical habitat
unique in Europe, a dense foliage of rhododendron,
laurel, ash, birch, oak and even a rare species
of carnivorous plant. Always surprising to
the visitor is the denuded “Alcornoque” (cork
oak) whose bark is stripped in a 7 year cycle,
the two-tone trunks providing an unusual background
to the landscape. Our walk takes us up to the
Algibe from where we can see into the Straits & the
Rock of Gibraltear, Morocco, the sierras of
Ronda & the Atlantic & Mediterranean
coastlines. We may see red deer and wild boar
are a common sight. Griffon vultures, Egyptian
vultures, Booted & Snake eagles are a common
sight as well as Peregrine falcons, Sparrow
hawks and Kestrels. After the walk we return
to Vejer by private transport. Picnic lunch
on walk. Dinner in the ‘Jardin
del Califa’, Vejer.
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