Garraf Natural Park near Barcelona - Wed 02nd December 2009
The Garraf Natural Park lies just 30km to the south-west of Barcelona, but despite this proximity, it is remarkable how bleak and wild the landscape feels. A combination of limestone bedrock and human activities has created this classic Karst Mediterranean landscape with an absence of surface water. Although the park’s north-eastern fringes are cloaked in dense pinewoods, most of the massif is covered by a low garrigue, which has taken hold as fire and overgrazing over the centuries reduced the ancient forests. The area was declared a Natural Park in 1986, forming part of a green belt that surrounds the strongest urbanized sector in Spain. Although a sense of emptiness envelopes one as one walks or drives through the park today, there was once a large human population, and the massif was intensively farmed until the late nineteenth century, when the outbreak of Phylloxera almost entirely ruined the vineyards that occupied the hill slopes. This led to the rapid abandonment of the area, with many of the impoverished farmers heading for the slums of nearby Barcelona. In the village of La Plana Novella the area has seen a recent growth in second homes and tourism is growing in importance. Birdlife The dry conditions make the park a great site for typical Mediterranean species. Breeding birds include: thekla lark, tawny pipit, black eared wheatear, rock thrush, Dartford warbler, Sardinian warbler, southern grey shrike, ortolan bunting, peregrine, pallid swift, red-rumped swallow and crag martin. Star of the show though goes to the pair of bonelli’s eagle. The massif is also a good spot for observation of migratory raptors and storks, as they head down the coastline on their way to Africa. Reptiles and Mammals The high level of sunshine and the lack of surface water means the park does not have a rich mammal life, though wild boar, fox, genet and beech marten are all present. Reptiles include typical Mediterranean species horseshoe whipsnake and snub-nosed viper. Walks Routes are properly marked, usually circular, transiting through different parts of the park naturally designed to show the richness of its natural heritage and/or cultural. Some of them have a leaflet explaining the route that allows self-guided walks. Much of the Garraf massif is crossed by caves, potholes and channels formed by the dissolving of limestone after contact with air and water. Some potholes can be hundreds of meters deep so we recommend extreme caution if you leave the marked trails and paths. Park Office Tel. 935 971 819 p.garraf@diba.es Monday-Friday: 8 to 15:00
SB