FLORA
The rural landscape is dominated by Aleppo pine forests (fruit trees due to the various reforestation campaigns), arborescent scrub, areas of grasses, thyme groves and the season’s aromatic summer plants, wall vegetation on rocky slopes as well as garden plants. We can find protected species of flora of special interest, such as buckthorn and labiérnago (false olive), juniper, holm oak, hackberry, and elm. There are also invasive species such as the common pitera, the Moorish tobacco and the prickly pear.

FAUNA
we can find a great variety of cataloged and protected species who live in this environment. Some of the fauna use the area during their reproductive period whilst others use it only as feeding grounds, for migration or for hibernation, highlighting the long-tailed lizard and Iberian lizard, snake owl, swift, hoopoe, kestrel, shrike, capuchin tit, great tit, lark, swallow, flycatcher, robin, crossbill, bat etc.

What’s so special about it?:
The Yecla Valora Blue Trail runs along the southeast slope of ‘Cerro del Castillo’ (castle hill), entering an urban park of special environmental and landscape interest called ‘La Molineta’ (the little windmill) where up to 26 species of fauna can be found as well as a great variety of flora, highlighting the Aleppo pine, shrubbery, thymes, protected species such as ‘Rhamnus alaternus’ and ‘Phillyrea angustifolia’, as well as gardening plants.
Access to the Blue Trail is via nine wooden boardwalks that lead to different routes along roads covered with wooden planks, accumulating to a total of 3,825 linear meters of boardwalk, which lead to the ‘Mirador de la Molineta’ (observation point of the Little Windmill) from where a spectacular 360° panoramic view of the urban, industrial, and rural landscape of Yecla can be seen.
The Yecla Valora Blue Trail begins at the Old Church, an asset of national and cultural interest, with its bell tower with friezes of heads carved in stone representing the ages and social classes. On the opposite side of the path, about 200 meters from Gate No. 4, from the top of ‘Cerro del Castillo’ the remains of a medieval Islamic fortress, known in the mid-12th century as ‘Hisn Yakka’ can be seen. Next to this is the ‘Santuario del Castillo’ (Sanctuary of the Castle) built in the second half of the 13th century and the Museum Mariano in honor of ‘La Inmaculada’ (The Immaculate), Patron Saint of Yecla. The trail also runs through to the Bioclimatic Building, a place for cultural activities and training which is run by ‘Espacio Joven’ (Youth Space). Also, close to the Yecla Valora Blue Trail we find the sports facilities of ‘Las Pozas’ (The pools).
The trail has a main route located in the central area, along this you will find different variants that will lead you to different wooden boardwalks:
‘Mirador de La Molineta’ – The Little Windmill Observation point
‘Calle La Molineta’ The Little Windmill Street
Plaza Filósofo Soriano García – Philosopher Soriano García’s Square
‘Calle Justina’ – Justina Street
Castle Sanctuary Hermitage
Hisn Yakka – Islamic Site of “Cerro del Castillo” (Castle Hill)
North Zone Trail Access
Ecclesiastical Cemetery
Bioclimatic Building