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Parque Natural Fuentes Carrionas and Fuente Cobre
WEEKEND ROUTE
Palencia Province
INTERESTING SIGHTSEEING
- Las Tuerces geological formation.
- Covalagua. Frenchmen’s cave.
- Fuentes Carrionas y Fuente Cobre natural park.
- Nature interpretation center at Montaña Palentina and Casa del Oso Cantábrico (Cantabrian Bear House)
REPRESENTATIVE BIRDS
Mountain birds and forest birds.
SCHEDULE
Day 1
This trip begins 5 km (3.1 miles) from Aguilar de Campoo, in Villaescusa de las Torres, where an ornithological hiking tour begins in Pisuerga river (“Pisuerga river in Villaescusa de las Torres). Here you will be able to observe a wide variety of birds, such as common chiffchaffs, spotted woodpeckers, long tailed tits, common treecreepers, common firecrests, wrens, etc. You’ll also be able to observe some of the typical birds that inhabit rocky regions, such as crag martins, alpine swifts, red-billed choughs, Egyptian vultures and griffon vultures.
The tour passes a natural zone in Las Tuerces, an interesting geological and landscape site due to its peculiar topography, which consists on by fanciful-shaped stony limestone that originated from karst erosion. It constitutes an ideal enclave for various species of predator birds, such as booted eagles, griffon vultures and golden eagles. Underground evidence of such karst erosion can be observed in Reville de Pomar, where the Frenchmen’s cave is located. This tour is rather astounding, since you can observe formations and stalactites that took thousands of years to shape.
The wilderness area in Covalagua is also home to a number of interesting nocturnal bird species, such as long eared owls and eagle-owls.
Day 2
Up next, the P-220 highway takes you all the way to Nestar, the town where the “Between Nestar and Cordovilla de Aguilar” ornithological hiking tour begins. This is a nice tour through an open area comprised by farmland and pastureland. Here, you’ll be able to observe the common stonechat, white storks, skylarks, serins, corn buntings, hoopoes, etc.
This tour continues on to Barruelo de Santullán, where you will find the mining interpretation center as well as an interesting round ornithological vehicle trip, including stops and walks. It takes approximately 5 hours. This 40 km (24.8 miles) trip allows you to explore the Fuentes Carrionas y Fuente Cobre-Montaña Palentina Natural Park. You will be able to observe certain bird species such as wallcreepers, white-winged snowfinches and black woodpeckers. This park represents one of the best-preserved and least known mountain enclaves in the Iberian Peninsula. It combines the influenced obtained from the Atlantic region, comprised by Atlantic and Mediterranean forest habitats, thus enabling it to include elements that are characteristic to both habits and thereby increasing its natural wealth.
An ornithological hiking tour starts in San Martín de Parapertú and continues all the way to Mudá. This open area makes it easy to observe several birds of prey, such as common buzzards, griffon vultures, booted eagles, black kites and red kites. Bushes and shrubs are hiding places for northern shrikes, common stonechats, common firecrest, common chiffchaffs and more.
Continuing along the same highway to San Martín you’ll arrive at Cervera de Pisuerga, where you will find one of the two interpretation centers belonging to de Fuentes Carrionas y Fuente Cobre Natural Park. Here, you can find information and start various trips in Casa del Parque. The other interpretation center is La Casa del Oso Cantábrico (Cantabrian Bear House), located in Verdeña. In this town you’ll be able to make a trip along the majestic oak grove forms part of this district. Among other species of forest birds, the following are readily visible: middle spotted woodpeckers, fieldfares and bullfinches. It is also worth noting you’ll be able to observe the grey partridge, an endangered species which is practically endemic to the northern part of the peninsula
GAL (Local Action Group): MONTAÑA PALENTINA