Sierra de Hornachuelos Natural Park opens a room about the skies of Sierra Morena
The Huerta del Rey visitor centre will soon open 'La Noche: Cielos de Sierra Morena', a space that will recreate the park's night skies. The site, covering almost 60,000 hectares, is home to 92 pairs of black vultures and the so-called 'fiordos de Andalucía'.
FJCG ·
The Sierra de Hornachuelos Natural Park (Córdoba) will soon have a new room in the 'Huerta del Rey' visitor centre. Under the name 'La Noche: Cielos de Sierra Morena', the space will recreate the night skies that can be seen in this area, declared a Starlight Reserve along with the rest of Sierra Morena.
What can be seen
The park, covering almost 60,000 hectares, is spread across the municipalities of Hornachuelos, Villaviciosa de Córdoba, Almodóvar del Río, Posadas and Córdoba. It is home to the second largest population of black vultures in Andalucía: 92 pairs according to the latest available census, from 2020. Along with this species, griffon vultures, golden eagles, Spanish imperial eagles and Bonelli's eagles can be spotted, as well as black storks.
The terrain combines Mediterranean and riverside forest. Shrub formations cover around 54% of the surface and dehesas around 27%, while only 1.8% is devoted to agricultural uses. Three river basins --Guadiato, Bembézar and Retortillo-- have carved canyons and ravines that have given rise to what are known as the 'fiords of Andalucía'.
Trails and activities
The park has six public trails: Águila, Botánico, Guadalora, Orquídeas de las Herrerías, La Rabilarga and Los Ángeles. They can be walked freely or through guided tours by active tourism companies. On the Orquídeas de las Herrerías trail, almost 20 different species have been identified and work is underway on signposting to launch interpretive routes between January and June.
Usual activities include the solar boat trip on the Bembézar reservoir, canoe or kayak routes on the La Breña and Hornachuelos reservoirs, and proposals such as mushroom days, full moon observation or the deer rut. The 'Huerta del Rey' visitor centre is the starting point for several trails and has a kiosk-restaurant.
A bridge over the Bembézar
As detailed by the Consejería de Sostenibilidad y Medio Ambiente, a project is being developed, together with other public administrations, to link two trails on the banks of the Bembézar river by means of a 'Tibetan bridge' over the waters of the Hornachuelos reservoir.
The park's director-conservator, Jorge Paniagua, notes that the area has «the best-preserved alder grove in Andalucía» and highlights its «ecological value». The park is part of the Dehesas de Sierra Morena Biosphere Reserve and is included as a Special Protection Area for Birds (ZEPA).
