The Most Enchanting Park in Spain
Friday, May 12, 2017 @ 6:53 PM
The burbling of crystalline water, the light filtering through the leaves of the trees, bathing the landscape in a lime green light and the aroma of nature has made this place one of Navarre's most spectacular sights.
The Source of the Urederra river is located north of Estella-Lizarra. It is the natural outlet of the aquifer lying under the karstic massif of Urbasa. Its springs to life at an altitude of 700 metres, on the southern edge of the plateau, with an impressive 100 metre fall that, over millions of years, has modelled a rocky amphitheatre of breathtaking beauty. The summit of the face itself reaches more than 900 metres..jpg)
As the river continues other waterfalls and abundant turquoise-coloured pools are formed as a consequence of the karstic structure, which lets the water repeatedly seep through the cracks in the rocks from the bowels of the earth. The particular hue of these waters probably inspired the name of the river, as "Urederra" means "beautiful water". Apart from the water, there is also a diversity of flora and fauna occupying this natural space, beech, oak, elm, maple, yew and almond trees, stand out among the more significant plants, while Griffon and Egyptian vultures, kites, eagles and ravens represent the animal kingdom. Variety is one of the park's natural hallmarks.
A low-difficulty trail, 5.3 kilometres long, accompanies the river up to it's beautiful source. The route, which is clearly marked, begins on the edge of the car park located at the entrance of the town of Baquedano. After taking the main track and crossing a gate, the trail forks. I recommend going up the left branch of the trail, which runs closer to the river and returning along the eastern path, which runs at a higher elevation.
This mysterious place is part of the Urbasa-Andía Nature Reserve, located in the Amescoa Valley, a land of bioclimatic transition, flanked by the Urbasa plateau and the precipitous Sierra de Loquiz. These lands were declared a Natural Park on the 27th of February 1997. Together they cover an area of 21,408 Hectares mainly covered with beech woods and mountain pastures.
Among other attractions, Amescoa offers numerous nature trails, many megalithic remains and villages that maintain their traditional nature. To top it all off, you can enjoy the excellent local food, based on local products such as beans, lamb, ewe's milk junket, Idiazabal cheese and the famous Patxaran sloe berry liqueur!
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Best time to visit : In Summer or Autumn
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