Los Alcornocales Natural Park is an outstanding natural place located at southern Spain. Continue reading to know everything you need to know about this Natural Park and find the reasons to not miss it.
The minicipality of Cortes de la Frontera, located in the Serrania de Ronda in Malaga, is part of the Natural Park which extends to the province of Cadiz, exactly to municipalities such: Tarifa, Ubrique, Alcalá de los Gazules, Prado del Rey, Algeciras, Benalup, Jerez de la Frontera, Los Barrios and El Bosque among others, the last one with beautiful hiking trails that start from the small and pinturesque white village.
The cultural offer, fauna and Mediterranean flora are the landmarks of Los Alcornocales Natural Park.
Cortes de la Frontera
If you decide to visit this white village in Malaga you will find many historical and natural attractions. It is a town that focus in the cork production, local activity practiced since ancient times throughout the area covered by this natural park.
Among the attractions we feature La Casa de la Piedra, a construction carved in stone from Al-Andalus age or earlier origin.
– Hiking trail to Colmenar
From the train station there is a hiking trail to Colmenar with a duration of approximately 4 hours, you can take the train for going back from Colmenar.
You must head to Puente de los Alemanes bridge with a strong rising slope and also a strong descent, remember to wear good shoes.
Before reaching Colmenar you will have to pass a suspension bridge.
Medium difficulty for this route because of the distance you must walk and elevation changes but with a beautiful landscape and a walk above 60 meters above the water.
On arrival there are places where drinking and eating before taking the train back.
– Hiking trail to Cañada real del tesoro
– Hiking trail to Jimera del Libar
Flora and fauna
One of the main features of this park is the presence of one of the most extensive oak forests worldwide, dense forests with a large number of other species also that form what many call the Mediterranean forest.
Regarding wildlife, this park is considered a stopping point for migration birds, you may find species like storks, honey buzzard, booted eagle and vultures among many other species as a main passage through the Strait of Gibraltar.
Among the population of mammals you can find otters, bobcat, deer, ibex and roe deer among others. The Iberian lynx is believed to live in places far from human presence so are hard to be seen.
About this nature reserve
The situation of this park has been of great importance throughout history, it has an human population that has developed over thousands of year.
They found remains dating the first human to the Neandertal age, there are hundreds of caves, some with important representations of art like Cueva del Tajo de las Figuras, Cueva de Laja Alta or Cueva de Bacinete.
This area was a place where many civilizations settled, fenicians, moors and catholics who left an important cultural legacy.
Towns and villages
Cadiz: Alcala de los Gazules, Algar, Algeciras, Arcos de la Frontera, Benaocaz, Castellar de la Frontera, El Bosque, Jerez de la Frontera, Los Barrios, Medina Sidonia, Tarifa, Ubrique, Prado del Rey and Jimena de la Frontera.
Malaga: Cortes de la Frontera
