Visiting The Sierra de Baza, Andalucia – Wondrous wildlife amongst breathtaking beauty
By discovering a spot of exceptional beauty embraced with unique and unusual wildlife which has remained unbeknown to you for almost five years, makes you realize just how immense, spectacular and extraordinary Spain’s sierras actually are.
Situated where the provinces of Almeria and Granada meet to the east of Andalucia, lies the Sierra de Baza, a truly sublime natural park brimming with the most spectacular of scenery and the most impressive of wildlife. Covering an area of 53,649 hectares, this vast stretch is sparsely populated and sparingly visited, remaining empty and undiscovered making it not only the perfect setting for an autumn’s walk but also the ideal habitat for many different species of fauna and flora.
Many different species of birds of prey have been recorded in the Sierra de Baza. Kestrels, Egyptian Vultures and Golden Eagles can regularly be seen thermalling overhead. There are seven different signposted walks in the park. A network of paths takes you through the pine-clad slopes with acer and oak, over angular limestone crags sporadically scattered with fragrant thyme, juniper, rosemary and lavender. Mistletoe wildly overhangs restricting the pathway ahead.
The Sierra de Baza Natural Park preserves 30 species of mammals including wild boar, badgers, foxes and deer. A butterfly gracefully flutters past, a species unique to the area appropriately named ‘Eucloe Bazae’ – Baza butterfly.
Several well maintained and well catered for picnic and barbeque areas can be found in the Sierra de Baza. One particularly stunning barbeque spot is “Las Bastidas”, on the eastern flank of the park. A bumpy track coils and descends into the heart of the sierras until you eventually arrive at Las Bastidas. A plethora of slim poplar trees and tall reeds of grass line the entrance, accompanied by the sound of steadily trickling water, causing you rightly presume you have found somewhere special.
The abundance of trees and plant life that envelope the many picnic tables makes this recreational area a lush and fertile oasis of tranquillity. The scorched and parched yellow land you have just driven out off could be a million miles away as a stream of water as clear as the sky above trickle either side of the stepping stones that aid you across the river.
Many unusual creatures, including black-winged damselflies, can be seen vibrantly buzzing above the stream, frequently resting on the stepping stones, and it is this abundance of unusual wildlife amidst a lack of human existence and a backdrop of jaw-dropping stunning scenery, which makes the Sierra de Baza a very special place indeed.