Salamanca Natural Spaces
Arribes del Duero
In the west of Zamora and Salamanca, where the Duero makes border
with Portugal and it is boxed almost forming the deepest and extensive
tubes - a hundred of kilometers of all Iberian Peninsula, is the
region of "Los Arribes". A space natural privileged
in that they emphasize the rustic beauty of his granítico
landscape and a rich one and varied fauna and flora.
The relief of You arrive Them it belongs to the dominion of the
Paleozóico Socle and is constituted fundamentally by granites
and granodioritas. Their more beautiful landscapes have been formed
by the rivers Duero, Huebra and Uces. In the tube of this last
one one of the most beautiful and spectacular cascades of all
the Peninsula is located: the Well of the Smoke("Pozo de
los Humos"), where the water falls from more than 200 meters
of height.
Within the limits of the space an interesting and beautiful locality
is located: the villa of Fermoselle. After contemplating to the
rest of his walled enclosure and the románicas covers of
the church of Asuncio'n, it is necessary to cross his narrow and
lofty streets where it surprises very a well conserved set of
popular architecture.
Las Batuecas
According to the dictionary of the Real Academia de la Lengua,
to "be in Las Batuecas" is to be distracted and oblivious
to something: meaning, to be engrossed and fascinated. Feelings
of this kind are still felt today by the people who visit this
secret valley, protected by escarped mountains and containing
a beautiful Mediterranean-type forest, a place where some of the
most interesting species of Iberian fauna have found refuge.
Add to this the valuable cave paintings from the Neolithic era
that can be found in the valleys caves and shelters, the high
cultural value of the legends of Las Batuecas and the ethnographic
and architectural collection of the village of La Alberca, and
we find a space without comparison in all of Castilla y León.
In the deepest part of the valley is the Carmelite convent of
San José. The convent entrance is the starting point of
another trail on foot which takes us to the Cascada del Chorro
(waterfall) and also enables us to enjoy the scenic beauty of
Las Batuecas.
Candelario
The Sierra of Candelario, Béjar y Solana is an old Palaeozoic
mountain mass belonging to the Cordillera Central that rises to
the West of the Sierra de Gredos.
This beautiful and diverse landscape is the result of intense
modelling of different types, both glacial and fluvial. Glacial
action gave rise to cirques and lakes, whilst rivers have created
deep valleys full of leafy woods of chestnut and Pyrenean oak.
In the peaks of the Sierra de Candelario (highest point : La Ceja
at 2,425 m.) there are various endemic botanical species. Highlights
of this area's fauna include several bird of prey species and
the almost certain presence of the Iberian Lynx.
As well as giving its name to the whole natural space, the town
of Candelario also preserves the region's most interesting collection
of popular architecture, including escalated façades and
large wooden sun terraces.
Set in an indescribable mountain region and surrounded by thick
chestnut trees and oak woods, one of the region's principal monuments
is the Renaissance church of Asunción. One of Candelario's
traditional products deserves a special mention: the exquisite
"chorizo cular", cured by the cold, dry air of the nearby
sierra.
El Rebollar
The Sierra de Gata is the last massif of the Sistema Central located
within Spain. The lythic materials of these mountains of medium
height - the highest peak is Peña Canchera at an altitude
of 1,592 metres - are predominantly slate and small granite outcrops.
Large woods of Pyrenean oak - the most extensive forests of this
species in the Iberian peninsula - cover a large area of the slopes
of the Sierra de Gata and also give their name to this protected
space: el Rebollar. The Iberian lynx finds refuge in these woods.
Las Quilamas
Location: THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE PROVINCE OF SALAMANCA.
Mountainous region containing various sierras (quilama, tamames
and valero) in the upper basin of the river alagón. Contrast
between the coarse and sharp landscape of the sierras and the
terraced slopes for crop cultivation. The river alagon meanders
from riomalo onwards.
Salamanca guide