DK Travel : Costa Blanca : Sierra de Espuña

Sierra de Espuña

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The verdant, pine-clad mountain range of the Sierra de Espuña erupts magically from the parched Murcian plain. A Regional Park since 1995, it’s criss-crossed with spectacular walking and mountain-biking trails, with some tougher hikes across the peaks. To the east lie the “bad lands”, an unearthly swathe of arid hills and abrupt canyons, which contrast dramatically with the luxuriance of the mountain forests. Scattered across the northern flanks of the Sierra de Espuña are the ancient snow wells, picturesque ruins deep in the pine forest.

View from park entrance
Rarer residents of the forest include the Pseudohadana mariana butterfly.

Top 10 Features

1. Casa Forestal

1. Casa Forestal

This handsomely restored building contains a small but lively exhibition geared toward children, outlining the park’s history and the wildlife to be found within its borders. An information desk has maps and leaflets describing walking trails.
2. Pozos de la Nieve

2. Pozos de la Nieve

These strange, circular brick huts were used to store snow, which was packed into ice, and transported by donkey to the towns to make ice cream. They were used from the 16th century right up until the 1920s.
3. Barrancos de Gebas

Tacked onto the eastern end of the Sierra Espuña is the strange lunar landscape of the Barrancos de Gebas, known as the “bad lands” (tierras malas ), where the lushness of the sierra gives way to a startling succession of arid ravines and gullies.
4. Birds

The park is rich in bird life, particularly raptors, among them golden, booted and Bonelli’s eagles, eagle and tawny owls, peregrine falcon, Dupont’s lark, goshawk and hawk owl.
5. Peaks

Thrusting up through forest, the stony peaks of the Sierra de Espuña are a glorious sight. At 1,583 m (5,194 ft), Espuña is the highest. Pedro López (1,507 m; 4,944 ft) is also magnificent.
6. Flora and Fauna

6. Flora and Fauna

The indigenous forest has been substantially supplemented by pine. You may well see wild sheep, squirrels, bats and wild boars; mountain cats are less common.
7. Drive

The drive through the park is extraordinary; the road twists up through the Collado Bermejo, offering a staggering panorama of jutting crags and plunging valleys, then down again through flower-strewn woodland to the Casa Forestal.
8. Walking Trails

The park is full of excellent walking trails geared toward walkers of all levels. Choose from simple woodland paths suitable for families to tougher hikes across the peaks. The information points provide maps and leaflets on the trails.
9. Miradors

Throughout the park there is a series of miradors (viewing points) which offer staggering views over peaks, forest and riverbeds. The finest views are from Espuña and the Morrón Chico.
10. Alhama de Murcia

Alhama de Murcia is not the most charming town in the area, but it’s the easiest access point for the Sierra Espuña, and a good place to buy picnic supplies or find a hotel.

Practical Information

Fuente del Hielo, an inexpensive café-restaurant near the visitor information centre, serves good grilled local meat and fish (968 43 92 23; closed Mon,Tue and whole of Aug). There are three campsites and, for serious hikers, four mountain refuges in the park (see Camping and Caravanning). The visitor centre has lists of hotels, pensiones and casas rurales in the region. Visitor information centre (Centro Ricardo Cordorniú): Parque Regional Sierra Espuña 968 43 14 30 www.sierraespuna.com Open Sep–Jul: 10am–2pm, 3–6pm Tue–Sun; Aug: 8:30am–3:30pm Tue–Sun Park refuge booking line: 968 22 88 29 Free