Spain's Sierra de Guara - Land of the Lammergeier

On an autumn reconnaissance visit to this little-known sierra in the foothills of the central Pyrenees, we initially explored by car for a full day, almost circuiting the Guara using the back roads between the villages of Alquézar and Bara. During over 12 hours on these roads we encountered not a single other vehicle — an astonishing achievement in today’s age, especially within Europe! However, as any map of Spain will indicate, the Sierra de Guara, protected as a parque natural since 1990, is one of Spain’s quieter regions and, although it does become a haven for canyoning and climbing enthusiasts during the summer months, we hope to find plenty of peace and quiet, and an abundance of birds and plants, as we explore its valleys, gorges and upland mountainsides during the course of this exciting holiday.

The Sierra de Guara is not a high range — Tozal de Guara, at 2,077 metres, being its highest summit — but, being protected by the high Pyrenees just to the north, its southern slopes, in particular, receive little precipitation and are consequently very dry. At lower altitudes it offers a pretty patchwork of rolling oak woods, almond orchards, olive groves and small, irregular wheat fields, traditionally farmed. Attractive limestone villages and their splendid churches ride the flanks of the sierra; their populations, like virtually all in rural Spain, are dwindling today and allowing nature back in. Above them lies a rugged land, clothed in stunted oak forest and maquis scrub and characterised by numerous spectacular gorges, canyons, cliffs and pinnacles fashioned from limestone and conglomerate. This is a land beloved of birds of prey. Griffon Vultures are numerous, whilst other resident breeding birds include Lammergeier, Golden Eagle, Bonelli’s Eagle, Red Kite and Peregrine, and these are joined in summer by Egyptian Vulture, Short-toed and Booted Eagles, Honey Buzzard and Hobby.

On this 2-centre holiday, we will explore the region on a series of gentle walks, breaking each day with a traditional Naturetrek picnic lunch! It is the southern slopes of the sierra that we will focus on during the first part of this holiday, and during it we will be based in the magical fortress town of Alquézar, built around a spectacular 8th century Moorish citadel which sits on a pinnacle above the gorge of the Río Vero. This quaint and ancient town, with its narrow streets, sits like an eagle’s eyrie on a shoulder of the sierra and is a perfect centre from which to explore on foot the surrounding valleys, gorges and higher slopes … and from which to watch for passing birds of prey. The fortifications at Alquézar are typical of many forts built in this area, to the south of the Pyrenees, by the Moors or Christians as they wrestled for control over these northern limits of Muslim Spain throughout the Middle Ages. Today, like many of the deserted villages, they now provide a home for Hoopoes, Black Redstarts, Spotless Starlings and Rock Sparrows.

The maquis-like vegetation of the southern slopes is dominated by dense, low, evergreen oak scrub, mixed with junipers, pines, Strawberry Trees and Rosemary. It is a habitat favoured by such birds as Blue Rock Thrush, Red-backed and Woodchat Shrikes, Melodious, Subalpine and Bonelli’s Warblers, and Cirl, Ortolan and Rock Buntings. Overhead, Alpine Swift, Crag Martins and abundant birds of prey are to be seen whilst, lower down, gorges and rivers lined with poplars support breeding Bee-eaters and Golden Orioles, and little fields hold Crested Larks, Thekla Larks and Tawny Pipits.

The northern slopes of the Sierra de Guara are very much damper, sustaining heavy winter snowfall. Consequently the vegetation they support is quite different from that of the arid southern slopes. The extensive oak forest and scrub here is largely deciduous, containing also Beech and maple, whilst the higher slopes are awash with rose and bramble cover. To explore this area during the second phase of our holiday, we will base ourselves in the village of Nocito. This remote and isolated village, situated towards the end of a long track, boasts fewer than 10 inhabitants and is an hour’s drive from the nearest shops! From it, we will explore almost entirely on foot, though we may include a night drive to look for the Wild Boar, Polecat and Pine Marten that may sometimes be seen on the road after dark. We will also enjoy a peace, solitude and magnificent night sky that is not easily found elsewhere in Europe.