Places in Spain - El Torcal mountain
range, Andalucia
Just 13km away from the town of Antequera, in the north of the province of Malaga, lies the sierra of El Torcal which is an extensive area covering more than 20km square of rocks, carved into unusual shapes by the natural winds. When you arrive, visit the information centre where you can see an explanation on how the rocks were shaped. |
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The winds of thousands of millions of years have left their mark on the limestone rocks giving rise to natural sculptures that have inspired artists for generations. The area has also been the backdrop for many famous films. |
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| Probably due to its eerie atmosphere, El Torcal is known to be popular with UFO spotting although there are no confirmed reports to back this up. The natural beauty and rarity of the area resulted in el Torcal being declared a national park in 1979 in order to protect it forever. |
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| More than 100,000 people visit El Torcal every year and this prompted to building of the new visitors centre. There are cafes, toilets and a campsite. There are well organised walks around El Torcal or you can make your own way round on the well marked footpaths. |
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Which ever way you get to see El Torcal, you will definately see a selection of wild birds. Birds of prey have been deliberately released in the area in order to breed. It's said that more than 20 species of mammals reside here including a helathy population of the Spanish Ibex. More than 600 varieties of fauna have been counted here including 30 varieties of wild orchids, 6 of which are exclusive to el Torcal.
Not only are the walks popular but there's a great opportunity for rock-climbing. |
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