Torcal de Antequera
El Torcal ( Paraje Natural Torcal de Antequera ) is a 1,171 -acre nature reserve in Andalusia, Spain, about 14 km from the provincial town of Antequera ( Málaga province ).
With its unusual karst formations, the park is one of the most impressive landscapes of Spain. In addition to tourists, he also attracts geologists and botanists.
For the first time reported as " nature reserve of national interest " El Torcal 1929. In 1978 the area was declared a Natural Park in 1989 finally to the " natural area " ( Paraje Natural).
Formation
100 million years ago the area was still completely covered by the sea of Tethys, of which only the Mediterranean remains. Due to the deposition of sediments formed layers of limestone. As a result of alpidischen orogeny, that is, by the collision of the African and Eurasian tectonic plates, it came to raising and folding of these layers to hills and mountains. This strain also chasms that have been enhanced by the penetration of water emerged. This particular played the typical karst areas carbonic acid weathering an important shaping role through which today's wild, rugged rock landscape was created with fantastic stone formations. Add to that the different resistiveness the originally deposited horizontally sedimentary rocks. Depending on the strength was a rock layer and is removed more or less material, which can explain the horizontal pattern.
Landscape description
El Torcal is a spur of the arcuate Sierra SUBBETICA and lies at an altitude 1100-1400 m. Rugged cliffs and gorges in always new shape from each other. High pillars of stone slabs of different sizes look as if they had been stacked one artificial. Quite suddenly sees rinsed pool in flat slabs of rock.
Agriculture, vegetation and wildlife
Due to the barren soil and grazing by sheep is found only sparse ground vegetation, which is interspersed with shrubs and scattered trees. Especially shine in spring and smell the blooming meadows. In the park 116 species of vertebrates were counted. These include an amphibian, eleven reptiles, 82 birds and 22 species of mammals. Particularly noteworthy is a group of Iberiensteinböcken. There are also a variety of other animals, especially insects, which are the basis of life of vertebrates.
The flora includes more than 600 plant species, including 30 species of wild orchids, six of which are found exclusively in El Torcal. There are numerous flowering plants such as the rare navel of Venus ( Umbilicus rupestris ).
Tourism
As a publicly accessible nature reserve El Torcal is an interesting attraction for hikers and nature lovers. It counts more than 100.000 visitors. From Antequera it can be reached via the small country road A 7075 towards Villanueva de la Concepción and follow the signs to the parking lot.
Also the bus from Antequera leads past the access road to the park to Villanueva de la Concepción. From Málaga is on the curvy A 7075 about 55 km. You can also drive to the A7 and A45 to the exit Antequera Antequera, from there on narrow streets (MA 3404, A 7075 ) direction Villanueva and continue towards Antequera (from Antequera still 20 km).
At the car park there is an information center with a small museum, are shown in the the park geology, flora and fauna.
Two marked hiking trails lead through the park. Since one can easily get lost in the bizarre rock maze, it is advised to follow the trails.
- The green route is the shortest and lightest of 1.5 km in length, takes about 45 minutes and results in the basin ( Torca de La Maceta ).
- The yellow route is 2.5 km long and leads to " Las Ventanillas " in 1200 m height with a panoramic view of the valley of Málaga. Since El Torcal rises significantly above the surrounding land, you have a wonderful panoramic view here. One sees Villanueva de la Concepción and on a clear day the mountains of Malaga or even the Mediterranean.