The Ordesa and Monte Perdido National Park
The Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park was declared UNESCO World Heritage SiteThe park has more than 15,500 hectares of natural landscapes of great biological richness, which will give the spectator a comforting feeling of harmony with nature. You can observe dormice, badgers, marmots, chamois, wildcats, foxes, martens, ferrets and wild boar, and even brown bears live in the area. However, we cannot forget to highlight the most striking feature of this park: the large number of different species of birds that inhabit it. You can admire the greatness of the black and royal woodpeckers, the beautiful Tengmalm's owls and even nightjars and nightjars. You can find out about all the endemic species in the park and how you can help to conserve them.
A visit to the National Park of Ordesa and Monte Perdido is an experience of peace thanks to the pleasant sensations your body will feel when in the presence of the more than 1400 endemic species of the area, combined with the purity of the air you will breathe and the tranquillity of the wild nature. You should be active on your visit, as this park will demand a lot from you, but don't worry, as the atmosphere alone invites you to hike for hours on end while enjoying its unique beauty. The smell of the trees will transport you to paradise, with many, many different species of plants to discover. The most outstanding are the hazelnut trees, gall oaks, fir trees or even holm oaks.
If you also enjoy practising sports who require a close link with nature, you should not hesitate to visit the park, as you will be able to make hiking for hours, either on foot or by bike. You can also experience what it's like to go downhill on the Cotatuero pegsa route through the Cirque de Soaso and Cola de Caballo or a walk to the Waterfall of the Cave.
History
If there is one thing that characterises the history of the Altos Valles del Sobrarbe is its isolation until relatively recently. Added to this is a very rugged geography, which has allowed unique landscapes to be preserved intact, with a diversity, traditions and architecture of great value. Man has been part of this enclave since the Upper Palaeolithic period, approximately between 40,000 and 10,000 B.C. It was at the end of the 18th century when the area began to attract the interest of scientists and researchers, leading to the arrival of travellers in search of that romantic idea of wild nature. All this contributed to the creation of "Pyreneanism" and the foundations were laid for the researchers Lucien Briet and Pedro Pidal to achieve the birth, in August 1918, of one of the first existing National Parks, the Ordesa Valley.
It will be in 1966 when it will be declared Ordesa National Park and the Viñamala and Los Circos National Hunting ReservesThis was motivated by the need to ensure the richness of the hunting that existed in the mountain range. In 1977 it was included in the MaB Programme (Man and Biosphere) belonging to Unesco within the "Ordesa-Viñanala" Reserve, which coincides with the Viñamala Hunting Reserve and the Ordesa Valley National Park. The last milestone for the park was in 1982, when the name of the park was extended under the name of Ordesa and Monte Perdido National Park.
Geology and morphology
This park belongs to the physiographic unit of the Monte Perdido massifAt 3,355 metres, it is considered one of the highest limestone mountains in Europe. Its landscape is striking for its succession of needles, ridges, canyons and deep valleys. Furthermore, there is a clear balance between the flattened areas, produced by periglacial erosion processes, and the more abrupt areas, caused by glacial action.
On the other hand, it should be stressed that this massif cannot be broken down in isolation, as it forms an indissoluble whole. Thus, the strong thrusts that were produced from the French Massif Central towards the Spanish plateauThe Hercynian rocks, which had the function of press buffers, caused a displacement of the Hercynian materials. This led to the uplift of the Pyrenean mountain range as we know it today, but also to the fracturing and covering of the remains of the Hercynian massif.
Flora and fauna
The park's enormous wealth of landscapes includes more than 1,300 completely different species, and if we extend this to the Peripheral ProtectionThis figure is now around 2,450 species, or half of all the flora in the world. Aragonese Pyrenees. Among the most representative we can highlight the Calaminhtha grandiflora or Venus's slipper, not forgetting the large number of endemic species, such as the Androsace pyrenaicaThe species is listed as endangered.
In terms of fauna, we can find a very large sample linked to the predominant habitats in the park, alpine and subalpine. We have found 65 nesting birds, 32 mammals, 8 reptiles, 6 amphibians and 2 fish. Among them, we can highlight several pairs of bearded vultures, griffon vultures, golden eagles, as well as trout and Pyrenean newt. In the intermediate areas, you can see marmots, sarrios or bucardos, which are an endemic subspecies of the mountain goat. And finally, in the higher areas, sparrows, alpine lizards and the accentor can be seen.
Ethnography
Humans have always had a presence in this hostile yet splendid nature. Over the centuries, these lands have witnessed rites, traditions and popular festivals that have made possible a cultural and artistic trajectory of great popular wisdom. Customs that, in some cases, have disappeared, but in others have evolved from pre-Christian times to the present day. Of particular note are the rich dances of antiquity, such as the "paloteaos" of the Broto valleythe "cascabillo" of Buerba or the ballroom dances, of French origin. But there are also allegorical characters and figures that have been created in the area, such as the "trangas", "onsos" or the young "madams" who bring the spring.
In addition, this corner offers visitors a wide variety of legends and beliefs of all kinds, from the presence of witches with their covens, very widespread in the Pyrenees, amulets to protect the villages, as well as places in nature considered magical, such as the ancient ash tree of BuerbaIt is highly respected by the neighbours.
Añisclo
This beautiful and narrow valley is crossed by the Bellós river, which runs alongside its imposing rocky walls. If we stand at the top, we can contemplate some truly unforgettable views, as we can clearly see how a strong fracture shears the enormous limestone masses in the midst of soft green pastures.
Escuaín
This valley is very different from its neighbours Ordesa y AñiscloIt is a very special place, with its formidable diaclase that can be seen open in the mountain. Its special physiognomy is due to karstic erosion and Quaternary glacial modelling. This massif is made up of cirques, chasms, ravines and lapiaces in the sunny side of the mountain. The harmony between man and nature has endowed this valley with a unique grandeur, dignity and originality.
Ordesa
We arrived at OrdesaThe valley has been a National Park since 1918. It has a great geological singularity, with different reliefs and its own shapes marked by its calcareous nature, which have forged it with majesty and enormous beauty. It has an open and spacious shape and through it runs the river Arazas until it reaches its confluence point in the Ara. In addition, its erosive activity, influenced by the river courses, offers a glacial origin with a U-shaped profile.
Pineta
It is spectacular to contemplate the Walls of Pineta Over twelve kilometres of the valley, these majestic views offer us, on the shady side, striated walls in which we can see their strata piled up in disorderly fashion, although only in appearance. Meanwhile, on the sunny side, its peaceful meadows and lush, beautiful forests stand out. Moreover, its life is intensified in the Marboré plateauThe glacier and moraines below the massif, with its glacier and moraines, fill the Cinca river.
Monte Perdido
Its history and majesty are imprinted on the massif itself. With its central Pyrenean position and its altitude, it clearly illustrates the most important episodes of Pyrenean orogenesis. It is also the point of important climatic changes that have conditioned the different biological environments, which are unique to this massif and an explanation of its biodiversity.
Bujaruelo Valley
This uninhabited valley, located at the source of the Ara river and to the northeast of Ordesa, offers a landscape of enormous natural and scenic value. You can get there from the village of Torla, on the existing detour along the Bridge of Los Navarros, until you reach this enclave surrounded by immense walls carved into the stone. From the later meadow of San Nicolás de Bujarueloyou will be able to start numerous routes through the massifs of Tendeñera, Monte Perdido o Vignemale.
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