Valderejo Natural Park

Birdwatching in Valderejo Experience the griffon vulture in its natural habitat.

The imposing limestone cliffs that surround it are home to the largest colony of griffon vulture in the Basque Country, as well as other rock birds such as red-billed and yellow-billed choughs Egyptian vultures, peregrine falcons and golden eagles. These birds often seek their food in the wide grasslands and heathlands of the Sierra de Árcena, which is also home to species such as the Dartford warbler and the rock bunting.

Forests of holm oaks, gall oaks, beech trees and, above all, large masses of wild pine cover the mountain slopes, where various forest birds of prey such as the short-toed snake eagle, the goshawk and the European honey buzzard nest. The countryside that occupies the bottom of the valley is home to a diverse community of passerines. The river Purón flows through it, and on its way out of the valley towards the lands of Burgos it flows into a picturesque gorge, the habitat of the white-throated Dipper.

There is a free binoculars lending service at the park house.

There are several ornithological routes ideal for birdwatching:

Hiking A hiking paradise.

The Natural Park of Valderejo, although small in size - barely 3500 hectares - is home to an important variety of environments and landscapes.

A network of nine paths allows visitors to discover the beautiful landscapes of this protected area, observe its flora and fauna, and appreciate the traditions and culture of the people who lived and live in this territory. Most of them are short routes, although their layout allows you to link several of them and go on 'long walks' When planning your tour keep in mind that the only place with a fountain is the village of Lalastra.

There are several routes that guide visitors to the highest areas of the Park such as:

All of them offer splendid panoramic views, both of Valderejo and the surrounding valleys. The ancient inhabitants left their mark on these peaks. A good example of these are the grave fields in San Lorenzo and the Menhir de Lerón. Most of the trails start from one of the four villages, either those that are in ruins (Villamardones and Ribera) or those that still remain “alive” (Lahoz and Lalastra).

Bike Pedal and discover the boundaries of the park.

The seven trails that start from the Valderejo-Añana mountain bike centre located in the Angosto campsite, with more than 120 km of trails, are characterized by their unique terrain, made up of different, individual valleys with well differentiated landscape areas with their own character.

In the western valleys, the traces of history have been carved into the limestone rock, art is hidden in tiny hermitages and roots cling to the earth, within an exceptional natural setting.

The Valderejo-Añana Mountain Bike Centre, located in the Angosto campsite, is the starting and information point for many of the trails. It has interesting services for the bike lover such as a bar-restaurant and of course a place to spend the night. Of the whole network of routes, we highlight three: