Road access:
There is no single access defined. The vast plain forming this area can be visited from different points. The best thing is to take road RM-426 Yecla – Almansa and at kilometre 6 turn off right or left through any path.
The best time of year to visit:
In autumn and winter.
The main points of interest are:
La Casa del Nene, La Fianza, Casa de las Cebollas, Venga de Gloria, Derramadores, La Ceja (viewpoint) and El Pulpillo.
Visit conditions:
There aren’t any visiting conditions required, provided that the visitor walks through public paths and places and doesn’t cause any inconvenience to private properties.
Location:
Northern part of the town of Yecla.
An area of approximate:
4,000 hectares.
Altitude:
620 – 800 metres above sea level.
Protection regime:
It is catalogued as a Special Protection Area for birds (SPA).
Administrative authority:
Almost the entire natural area is a private property.
Topography:
Vast grain-producing plain.
Vegetation:
Cereal crops, vineyards, almond trees, abundant uncultivated lands. Some pine and oak-cork forests.
Fauna:
Among the vertebrates, the most important group is the bird species. Great bustard, little bustard, black-bellied sand grouse, stone curlew, common kestrel, little owl, greater short-toed lark and chalk-browed mockingbird stand out.
What’s so special about it?:
It’s an extension of flat surfaces serving as shelter for threatened bird species in the European continent.
The area is designated for the extensive cultivation of cereals. Some plots of land have been abandoned and later occupied by uncultivated lands and thyme bushes for livestock. Vineyards, almond trees olive trees and numerous farmhouses complete the landscape.
From time to time we can see pine forests, holm oaks and esparto fields.
There are different reptiles and mammals, but bird species are doubtlessly the most interesting group. Some steppe species are: great bustard, little bustard, black-bellied sand grouse and in winter, flock of larks are easy to spot: calandra larks, greater short-toed larks and woodlarks, reaching groups of thousands of individuals, greater short-toed larks and crested larks forming groups of thousands of individuals.
