Sierra de Guadarrama National Park
|
Sierra de Guadarrama
|
||
 Peñalara Kar and the summit of Peñalara (right) are reflected in a small lake |
||
| location | Iberian Divisional Mountains, Community of Madrid and Castile and León | |
| surface | 339.6 km² | |
| Identifier | ES802001 | |
| WDPA ID | 555546231 | |
| Geographical location | 40 ° 50 ' N , 3 ° 53' W | |
|
||
| Setup date | 2013 | |
| administration | www.parquenacionalsierraguadarrama.es | |
The Sierra de Guadarrama National Park , in Spanish Parque Nacional de la Sierra de Guadarrama , protects an area of 33,960 hectares of the Sierra de Guadarrama in the Iberian Divide Mountains . A share of 21,714 ha belongs to the autonomous community of Madrid , another 12,246 ha are in Castile and León . It is the 15th national park that was established in Spain and the fifth largest in terms of size.
As early as 1920, the Sociedad de Alpinismo Peñalara proposed to set up a national park in the Sierra de Guadarrama. The proposal was unsuccessful at the time, and it was only in the early 2000s that it was resumed by the Autonomous Community of Madrid (Comunidad de Madrid). The national park was finally established in June 2013.
origin of the name
The national park gets its name from the Río Guadarrama and the municipality of Guadarrama. Both are located in the interior of the Sierra de Guadarrama. The word Guadarrama comes from the Arabicوادي الرّمل / Wādī ar-raml , which means 'river with sandy areas' and refers to the Río Guadarrama. The word Wād means 'river', the second part raml means 'sand'. According to a folk etymology , the Arabs corrupted the previously existing Latin name Aquae dirrama (watershed) as guaderrama . The mountains are the main watershed between the catchment areas of the Tagus in the south and the Duero in the north.
History of the national park
Due to its proximity to Madrid, the Sierra de Guadarrama was the place where the interest in nature awoke in Spain. The Institución Libre de Enseñanza , a private university-like institution that propagated the ideas of Krausismo , had a particular influence in this regard at the beginning of the 20th century. She stimulated numerous societies, groups and magazines that praised nature and especially the mountains. At the height of this enthusiasm for nature, the discussion about the establishment of a Guadarrama National Park began. The project was abandoned due to the political upheavals of the Second Spanish Republic and not resumed during the Franquismo period . At the beginning of the first decade of the 21st century, the government of the Comunidad de Madrid under President Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón and with Pedro Calvo as Environment Minister revived the old project. Afterwards, the administrations of the autonomous communities of Madrid and Castile and León were concerned with defining the boundaries and design of the new national park. On February 8, 2006, the President of the Comunidad de Madrid, Esperanza Aguirre, presented the status of the project in the Peñalara Natural Park .
On 7 November 2006, took Asamblea de Madrid , the Parliament of the Autonomous Community of Madrid, with the voices of the People's Party and against the opposition of the Socialist Workers' Party and the United Left the abbreviated with PORN plan to the order of natural resources in the Sierra de Guadarrama to ( Plan de Ordenación de los Recursos Naturales de la Sierra de Guadarrama ). The reasons for the dissenting vote were that the plan would not improve the existing protection of the area as a nature park, but rather reduce it. For example, dehesas and willows could be declared building land in the future and further ski areas could be set up. The text should be finalized by the central government.
The establishment of the Sierra de Guadarrama National Park was decided on June 13, 2013 in the Congreso de los Diputados with the votes of the People's Party , while the opposition parties abstained or voted against. The law was published in the Boletín Oficial del Estado on June 26, 2013 and came into force the following day.
Management of the park
Law 41/1997, which partially amended Law 4/1989 in 1997, regulates the distribution of tasks and responsibilities for the Spanish national parks. This law applies to the Guadarrama National Park without any noteworthy changes. The Autonomous Body of National Parks ( Organismo Autónomo Parques Nacionales ), subordinate to the Ministry of the Environment, will be entrusted with the management of the economic and functional affairs of the park. The autonomous regions of Madrid and Castile and León provide the personnel for the operation of the protected area. The details of the operation of the national park will be discussed and decided in the Cortes Generales after the government of Castile-León has completed its planning. The National Park Act of 2007 stipulates that the autonomous communities are responsible for the operation and financing of the national parks.
geography
The entire Guadarrama National Park is located in the Sierra de Guadarrama, a part of the Iberian Divide Mountains . This mountain system, which extends in a west-east direction over the entire Castilian plateau , is also known as Cordillera Carpetana or Carpetovetónica, after the pre-Roman peoples of the Carpetans and Vetons. The Sierra de Guadarrama is about 80 km long and extends in a southwest-northeast direction. It is part of the natural barrier between the plateaus to the north and south of the center of the Iberian Peninsula. The foot of these mountains is between 900 and 1200 m above sea level, their highest peaks reach 1000 m higher, the highest peak is the Peñalara with its 2428 m above sea level. The Sierra de Guadarrama begins in the valley of the Río Alberche , which separates it from the Sierra de Gredos , and ends at the Somosierra pass . It separates the catchment areas of the Tagus and Duero from each other, at the same time important tributaries of these rivers come from the mountains. Jarama , Guadarrama and Manzanares flow into the Tagus, and into the Duero Duratón , Cega and Eresma . The Guadarrama National Park is bounded in the southwest by the Guadarrama Pass and in the north by the El Nevero mountain. The “pre-park” and regional park zones extend to Monte Abantos in the far south and the Somosierra Pass in the north.
In addition to the main extent, part of this mountain range extends in a west-east direction, known as Cuerda Larga (Long Rope). It belongs to the Comunidad de Madrid, starts at the pass of Navacerrada and is 16 km long. It forms an elongated mountain range that extends over 2000 m to the Morcuera pass. From there, it descends to the Patones massif above the confluence of the Río Lozoya and Río Jarama . The highest peaks of the Cuerda Larga are the Cabezas de Hierro at 2,383 meters. The northern part of the main mountain range between Peñalara and the Somosierra pass is called Montes Carpetanos .
The Lozoya valley extends between Cuerda Larga and the main range of the Sierra de Guadarrama. It is one of the most beautiful mountain valleys of the Castilian Scheidegebirge and attracts tourists in summer as well as during the winter sports season. Another mountain range branches off the main line, called La Mujer Muerta (Dead Woman). It begins on the Río Peces, runs in west-east direction and lies entirely in the province of Segovia. The Sierra del Quintanar joins them. The Mujer Muerta is 11 km long, several peaks of the chain are over 2,000 m high, including the Montón de Trigo .
Besides the main mountain range, the Cuerda Larga and the Mujer Muerta, there are a number of small mountains and hills on the edge of the mountain range. On the Segovia side, seen from the north, the Cerro de las Cardosillas (1,635 m), the Cerro de Matabueyes (1,485 m), Cerro del Caloco (1,565 m) and the Sierra de Ojos Albos (1,662 m) follow . On the Madrid side, Cerro de San Pedro (1,423 m), Sierra del Hoyo (1,404 m), Cerro Cañal (1,331 m) and Las Machotas (1,466 m) follow from north to south .
summit
.jpg)
The Guadarrama National Park is located in a mountain range in which the peaks are usually not steep but have a rounded shape. The most important and impressive peaks in the park are:
- Peñalara (2428 m), highest point of the Guadarrama National Park
- Risco de los Claveles (2387 m)
- Cabezas de Hierro (2383 m), highest peak in the Cuerda Larga
- Risco de los Pájaros (2334 m)
- Dos Hermanas (2285 m)
- Cerro de Valdemartín (2280 m)
- Bola del Mundo or Alto de las Guarramillas (2265 m)
- La Maliciosa (2227 m)
- El Nevero (2209 m), on the northern border of the park
- Montón de Trigo (2161 m), part of La Mujer Muerta
- Siete Picos (2138 m)
- La Najarra (2,108)
- La Peñota (1,945 m)
- Perdiguera (1862 m), belongs to the Sierra de la Morcuera
- Monte Abantos (1753 m), southernmost mountain of the regional park surrounding the national park
- El Yelmo (1717 m), the most important peak in La Pedriza
- Cabeza Reina (1470 m)
Surrounding communities
The national park is surrounded by densely populated communities. In the Comunidad de Madrid in particular , many localities grew rapidly, which may change when the park is set up. In the province of Segovia, San Ildefonso is closest to the park on the northwest side of the Peñalara massif. The place is known for the Palacio Real de La Granja , a former summer residence of the royal family.
In the Comunidad de Madrid, the municipality of Guadarrama with 13,032 inhabitants is the largest town in the vicinity of the park. It is a bustling tourist destination south of La Peñota and near the Guadarrama Pass. To the northeast is the smaller Cercedilla , at the foot of the Siete Picos and the Valle de la Fuenfría . From there a tourist train goes to the Navacerrada and Cotos passes . At the foot of the south face of La Maliciosa , in the Valle de la Barranca, lies Navacerrada with its numerous hotels. Further to the east, on the southern edge of La Pedriza, is Manzanares el Real , a medieval village famous for its castle. There are also various types of accommodation available in this municipality. Among the places bordering the park, Miraflores de la Sierra and Rascafría should be highlighted for their beautiful location.
use
Little agriculture is practiced in the mountains. More important are the forestry (including the forestry experimental station on Monte Abantos ), and the cattle breeding, which provides meat and fighting bulls. In order to better market the products of the sustainable livestock farming operated there, the designation of origin "Carne de la Sierra de Guadarrama" was created. In addition to the origin, it guarantees that the meat comes from certain breeds of cattle ( Avileña-Negra ibérica , Charolais and Limousin ), which were kept extensively and mainly fed with grass from natural pastures.
Since the villages on the outskirts and in the Sierra de Guadarrama used to be small and difficult to reach from the capital, there is little industry. Only in the larger towns, such as Guadarrama , El Escorial , Collado Villalba and Segovia there are significant industrial activities.
The service industry is currently experiencing an upswing. It began in the second half of the 20th century when regional tourism developed in the Sierra de Guadarrama . The number of hotels, hostels and restaurants has increased steadily since then. The increasing mountain and recreational sport with ski areas , riding stables , diving schools and the like also ensures employment.
geology
The Sierra de Guadarrama is part of the elongated, almost west-east oriented floe of the Iberian Scheidegebirge . This clod was squeezed out of the Castilian plateau by the long-distance effects of the Alpine mountain formation processes in the north and south of the Iberian Peninsula and in the north of Morocco and Algeria .
The mountain rests on a granite plinth that was unfolded during the Variscan mountain formation during the Paleozoic Era . The rock was then subject to severe erosion during the Mesozoic (250 to 65 million years ago), whereby even the peaks were leveled. In the Tertiary , the mountains were raised again in the course of the Alpid mountain formation . During the Ice Ages in the Quaternary , the Sierra de Guadarrama was partially glaciated, as evidenced by some cirques .
Hydrography
Due to the abundant rainfall, there are numerous streams and the springs of several important rivers in the park area. The Río Moros and Río Eresma, which flows past Segovia, have their source on the north side. On the south side are the sources of the Río Guadarrama, the Río Manzanares , which flows through Madrid, and the Río Lozoya . On the south side of the Peñalara there are a number of small lakes of glacial origin at an altitude of about 2,000 m, which have been under nature protection for a long time. The largest of these is the Laguna Grande de Peñalara in the Peñalara Kar. Other important lakes in this area are the Laguna chica de Peñalara , the Laguna de los Claveles and the Laguna de los Pájaros . There are only a few smaller reservoirs within the park. They are used to supply residential houses and public buildings in the park. The largest reservoirs are located in the regional park, such as the Embalse de Pinilla , and outside the protected areas.
Nature and ecology
The flora and fauna of the Guadarrama National Park are very diverse. Some of the animal and plant species there belong to the flora and fauna of the Mediterranean region, and some of the species are also found in the Alps or the Pyrenees. In the future national park there are more than 1,280 different animal species, 13 of which are threatened with extinction. There are more than 1,500 native plants and 30 different types of vegetation. The animal species found in the park represent 45% of the fauna of Spain and 18% of the fauna of Europe.
flora
The mountain slopes in the Guadarrama National Park are covered on the alpine level with high mountain pastures, which are used for extensive livestock farming. Below that, in the subalpine and montane heights, are some of the most beautiful and productive natural pine forests in Spain. Examples are the forest of the Sociedad Belga de los Pinares del Paular in Rascafría on the Madrid side and the Pinar de Valsaín in the province of Segovia. It was established in the 18th century and has been used without interruption to this day. It is in excellent condition and supplies wood for the regional sawmills as well as for export. Below the pine forests there are Pyrenees oaks ( Quercus pyrenaica ) in the montane zone , which, to the displeasure of foresters, occasionally push into the area of the pine forests. The Pyrenean oak must not be felled, but only used in a kind of coppice forest management. These oak forests provide the firewood for the villages in the mountains, with the wood lots being redistributed among the inhabitants every year.
On the eastern edge of the national park, the species composition of the forests is changing; the pines will be replaced by pine trees , while the oaks will be replaced by Portuguese oak ( Quercus faginea ) and holm oak ( Quercus ilex ) as this region is lower down and receives less rainfall. On Monte Abantos, the forest that burned down a few years ago was experimentally planted with different tree species, which led to a very unusual vegetation mosaic.
List of plant species
- Tree species
- Black pine , maritime pine , Scots pine , Spirke , holly , alder , maple , hazel , boxwood , chestnut , holm oak , Portuguese oak , Pyrenean oak , juniper , whitebeam and yew
- Bushes
- Tree heather , crested lavender , common juniper , real bearberry , ferns , rock roses , gorse , broom , rosemary and thyme
- common mushrooms in the pine forests
- Morels , Edel-Reizker , umbrella, chanterelle and king oyster mushroom
fauna
Numerous and diverse fauna live in these ecosystems; mammals such as deer, wild boar, roe deer, fallow deer, badger, various species of martens, wild cats, foxes, rabbits etc .; encounter numerous species of waterfowl and large birds of prey such as the imperial eagle and the black vulture. The Sierra de Guadarrama is home to 45% of the total fauna of Spain and 18% of the fauna of Europe.
Many migratory birds sometimes live in the national park, so cranes spend the summer in the mountains and the winter in North Africa. In winter, storks and birds of prey come from Europe. The imperial eagle, black stork and wolf are threatened with extinction. There is an endemic species of butterfly, the Isabel spinner .
List of animal species
- Reptiles and amphibians
- Girondic smooth snake , viper snake , inverted nosed viper , Iberian green lizard , pearl lizard as well as tailed amphibians and toads .
- Mammals
- Squirrel , weasel , Iberian ibex , wild rabbit , deer , gorse cat , wild boar , rabbit , garden dormouse , Iberian wolf ( Canis lupus signatus ), badger and fox .
- Birds
- European bee-eater , hoopoe , treecreeper , southern gray shrike , jay , great tit , quail , cuckoo , woodcock , wren , chough , crested tit , blue tit , kingfisher , dipper and blackbird , golden cockerel , oriole , partridge , robin and great blue tick .
- Birds of prey
- Golden eagle , booted eagle , serpent eagle , eagle owl , long-eared owl , black vulture , griffon vulture , tawny owls , kestrels , owls , red kite , black kite , owl and buzzard .
- Waterfowl
- Mallard , Coot , Gray Heron , Common Goldeneye , Great Crested Grebe and Little Grebe .
environmental issues
The interior of the Iberian Peninsula has a continental Mediterranean climate , which is characterized, among other things, by dry summers. Therefore, the risk of forest fires in the Guadarrama National Park is high. In August 1999 a fire destroyed an important forest on the eastern slope of Monte Abantos. This was the last major forest fire in the Sierra de Guadarrama.
Another problem with this national park is the uncontrolled growth of almost all communities in the Comunidad de Madrid. In recent years, building speculators have come under fire for having protected areas “reclassified” in order to be able to build houses on them. The establishment of the Guadarrama National Park is intended to stop the further penetration of the settlements in the Sierra de Guadarrama, various environmental groups doubt such an effect.
climate
Guadarrama National Park is located in a region that has a continental Mediterranean climate . This is characterized by a large temperature difference between summer and winter and summer drought. As in other mountains, the climate here is also dependent on altitude, which is why the different climatic zones have to be considered separately.
Between 800 and 1,400 m, annual rainfall between 700 and 800 mm is measured, with water scarcity in summer. The mean temperature in this zone is 10 to 11 ° C, the maximum temperature in summer 28 ° C and the minimum temperature in winter -6 ° C. The precipitation between December and February usually falls as snow, but it rarely lasts longer than three days. All towns and villages in the vicinity of the Sierra are in this zone.
Annual rainfall between 1,400 and 2,000 m is between 900 and 1,000 mm. Here, too, water can be scarce in summer; the problem becomes less the higher the altitude. The mean temperatures are between 8 and 9 ° C, the maximum in summer at 25 ° C and the minimum in winter at -8 ° C. At this altitude, the precipitation falls mostly as snow between December and April. Fallen snow often lingers all winter, especially on the north sides.
Between 2,000 and 2,428 m, the mean annual precipitation is between 1,200 and 2,500 mm. Here, too, the summers are comparatively dry, with increasing altitude the precipitation increases. The annual mean temperatures at this altitude range between 6 and 7 ° C, in summer a maximum of 22 ° C is reached, in winter the temperature can drop to -12 ° C. At this altitude, snow falls between November and May, and fallen snow remains for the entire winter and a large part of spring.
Overall, the climate of the Guadarrama National Park is relatively humid, with significantly more rainfall than on the Castilian plateau . In addition, it is cooler in the mountains, with increasing altitude it gets colder. The wind can get very violent on the mountain flanks and on the peaks. Thunderstorms are more frequent in the area around the Sierra than in the plain.
Table of mean temperatures by altitude
| height | Winter temperature | Temperature in spring and autumn | Summer temperature |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2,428 m - 2,000 m | -1 ° C - -9 ° C | 8 ° C - -3 ° C | 20 ° C - 5 ° C |
| 2,000 m - 1,400 m | 3 ° C - -3 ° C | 11 ° C - 5 ° C | 23 ° C - 7 ° C |
| 1,400 m - 800 m | 3 ° C - -3 ° C | 15 ° C - 7 ° C | 25 ° C - 11 ° C |
|
Climatic data of the Navacerrada Pass (1,858 m)
Source: missing
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Snow days at the Navacerrada Pass
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | total |
| 13 | 12 | 11 | 13 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 8th | 11 | 78 |
Mountain sports and tourism
The Guadarrama National Park offers a variety of opportunities to practice practically every mountain sport, from hiking to paragliding . Because of the national park's proximity to Madrid and its suburbs, there are numerous well-developed hiking trails, rest stops and three ski areas.
Very good hiking trails can be found, for example, around Valdemaqueda , on the slopes of Monte Abantos, at the Guadarrama Pass, in the Valle de la Fuenfría, in the Siete Picos valley , around the Navacerrada Pass, in the Peñalara Natural Park and in the valleys of Barranca, Valsaín and La Pedriza . There are marked hiking routes, often with resting and barbecue facilities. Almost all paths are easily accessible in spring, summer and autumn, while in winter the paths over 2,000 m reach the level of difficulty of high mountain hiking trails, which is due to the numerous gorges, snow fields and rapid weather changes. In winter and spring, the snow depth can be more than two meters above 2,000 m.
The Navacerrada pass (1,858 m) is not only known for its ski station, but is also used by families and mountaineers as a destination and starting point for several high-mountain hiking trails. There are several hotels and hostels, restaurants, a ski school and ski rental, an infirmary, a church and a barracks on the pass. The train and bus station as well as a large parking lot facilitate the journey.
Another important center of mountain sports in the park is the Cotos Pass (1,830 m). This place can be reached by train or by car. It has an extensive parking lot, which can be overcrowded on public holidays. There is a restaurant and the Club Alpino Español building on the pass, which is a popular destination. Various hiking routes lead from Cotos into today's Peñalara Natural Park.
The three ski stations of this national park are not particularly large, but offer a wide range of services. One of them is located at Puerto de Navacerrada and has several hotels and restaurants. Another ski station, Valdesqui , is located on the northern flank of the Cuerda Larga, precisely in the valley that is bordered by the peaks of the Bola del Mundo (Alto de Guarramillas) and Valdemartín. It is the largest and most snow-sure ski station with the most visitors. On December 1, 2007, the Centro de esquí nórdico Navafría was opened, a center for cross-country skiing on the Navafría Pass. Until 1998 there was a small ski station at the Cotos Pass called Valcotos that was dismantled. Cross-country skiing is still possible on some of the former slopes.
Many climbing tours are carried out in the national park. The most suitable place for this sport is La Pedriza . There are numerous granite walls there, which is why most climbers can be found there. The highest and most popular climbing wall is the southern flank of the Yelmo. Other climbing opportunities can be found on the Peñalara Kar, where several mountain faces rise over 300 m.
Various mountain and sports clubs in the national park offer opportunities for horse riding, quad biking, water sports and paragliding. The top of Monte Abantos is a popular starting point for paragliders during the summer.
Attractions
Some places in the Guadarrama National Park are of particular interest from a natural and scenic point of view. Due to its proximity to the greater Madrid area, there is a strong rush of mountaineers and tourists all year round. The most famous sights of the park are the Peñalara massif and La Pedriza .
Macizo de Peñalara
On the south side of the highest peak in the national park, the Peñalara, at 2,428 m, the Peñalara Nature Park was established in a particularly beautiful landscape . There are three glacial cirques and a number of lakes, all of glacial origin. The Peñalara Kar is formed by some more than 300 m high rock walls that are arranged in the shape of a "U". At around 2,000 m above sea level and in the vicinity of the Kars there are several smaller lakes, which feed streams and small waterfalls when the snow melts. The most important of these lakes are the Laguna Grande , Laguna Chica , the Lagunas de los Claveles and the Laguna de los Pájaros . Below 2,000 m there are pine forests, in higher areas the lawns and shrubs of the high mountains predominate. The nature park can only be reached via three paths, all of which start at the Cotos Pass.
Individual evidence
- ↑ El Mundo : Aguirre presenta el proyecto del futuro Parque Nacional de la Sierra de Guadarrama , February 8, 2006.
- ↑ El País : El plan del parque de Guadarrama se aprueba sólo con los votos del PP , November 8, 2006.
- ↑ Ecologistas en Acción: Amenazas urbanísticas para el futuro Parque Nacional de Guadarrama , press release of October 21, 2004.
- ↑ elmundo.es: La Sierra de Guadarrama se proclama como nuevo Parque Nacional , June 13, 2013.
- ↑ Europarc España: Declaración del Parque Nacional de la Sierra de Guadarrama ( Memento of the original from March 26, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. .
- ↑ ABC.es: La Sierra de Guadarrama será legalmente Parque Nacional a partir de mañana , June 26, 2013.
- ↑ sierraguadarrama.info: Carne de la Sierra de Guadarrama, mucho más que carne ( Memento of the original from June 29, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. .
Web links
- Website of the national park
- Video of the Plan de Ordenación de los Recursos Naturales (Madrid), mainly landscape images, 2006 on YouTube
- EUROPARC España: Boletín 35 Especial Parque Nacional de la Sierra de Guadarrama (PDF; 5.2 MB), May 2013, ISSN 1695-3479
