A place of great natural value, protected as a Natural Park, are the Sabinares del Arlanza, the largest and best preserved expanses of junipers on the planet. In addition to the tree that gives its name to the Park, sabina albar, you will be able to see rebollos, holm oaks and riverside forest, since the Arlanza river crosses the Park on its way to Lerma.
The junipers are accompanied by vultures and birds of prey that fly over and nest on the limestone walls, in large cliffs like gorges.
The protection as a Natural Park affects the La Yecla gorge, the middle valley of Arlanza, the Peñas de Cervera, the Matavicias canyon, the Carazo plateau, Mount Gayubar and the Sierra de Las Mamblas.
The values that justify its declaration as a Natural Park:
The main natural resources of the area are the geomorphology (the limestone canyons and escarpments), the vegetation (the juniper forest and the holm oak) and the fauna (the griffon vulture colonies) that form a closely related landscape. Along with them, two cultural centers of the first order cannot be forgotten, since Castile and the Castilian language were born there: Covarrubias and Santo Domingo de Silos.
Routes
. Mataviejas Gorge
It is a 6 km route (round trip) and very affordable, for the whole family. It leaves from Ura and arrives at Castroceniza. ´It can be done all year round, both on foot and by mountain bike.
You will go through the rocky gorge of the Mataviejas River.
More information: Trino Project
.El Destierro BTT Route (stage 3)
Route to do with BTT, being a stage of the Camino del Cid. They are 61 km, in linear format. You leave Santo Domingo de Silos and arrive at Langa de Duero. In just over 5 hours you will complete this low difficulty journey.
Download the guide here: PDF GUIDE
I leave you the Camino del Cid website for all the information you may need CAMINO DEL CID Stage 3
Fauna
Vultures, hawks, partridges, eagles, wild cats, roe deer, wild boars, wolves... are some of the animals that inhabit the Natural Park.
Location
In Burgos, the entire geographical area close to Barbadillo del Mercado, but which also includes the municipalities of Arauzo de Miel, Carazo, Cascajares de la Sierra, Ciruelos de Cervera, Contreras, Covarrubias, Cuevas de San Clemente, Espinosa de Cervera, Hortigüela, Mambrillas de Lara, Mamolar, Mecerreyes, Pinilla de los Barruecos, Quintanilla del Coco, Retuerta, La Revilla, Santibáñez del Val, Santo Domingo de Silos, Tejada, Villanueva de Carazo.
More information on the Natural Heritage website of the Junta de Castilla y León
