Los Alcornocales Natural Park stretches from the east of the province of Cadiz to the west of Malaga province. It includes a series of mountain ranges that are home to the largest cork oak grove on the Iberian Pensinula and one of the most important in the world. This forest is perfectly conserved and is one of the most exemplary examples of our Mediterranean forests.

It was declared a Natural Park and Special Protection Zone for Birds (ZEPA) in 1989. Its Aljibe and Pilita de la Reina peaks rise up to 1,902 m above sea level.

On the southern slope of the Natural Park , the gently rolling terrain becomes higher further inland as it rises to the area of the Sierra del Aljibe, where the landscape is more rugged, steeper and with ravines and gullies.

One of the outstanding features in this park are the so-called � canutos �, a series of narrow river valleys in the southern tip of the Park. These �canutos� are true subtropical forests, which can nowadays only be found in Turkey and Spain in continental Europe.

Alcornocales Natural Park is home to many different species of fauna due to the diversity of its ecosystems and its geographical location close to the Straits of Gibraltar.

Special mention should be made of the birds of prey to be found there in the summer, such as the booted eagle and the short-toed eagle , together with the resident Bonelli's eagle, as well as the sparrow hawk, goshawk, buzzard, kestrel, Egyptian vulture, peregrine falcon and the griffon vulture . The heart-rendering cries of the little owl or the piercing calls of the eagle owl and the tawny owl can be heard at night. Other birds include wood pigeons, blue tit and great tit.

The rivers of this unique Natural Park are home to barbell, bogue and eels.

The mammals include roe deer, red deer , foxes, mongooses, genets, weasels, beavers and not forgetting bats, which live in the limestone caves.

Alcornocales Natural Park is one with the greatest cultural wealth, historical legacy and artistic resources in the province of Cadiz , mainly due to the large number of municipal districts in the park.

Since time immemorial, this region has seen different civilisation pass through it and leave their makr. It has an outstanding cultural legacy, which includes the prehistoric paintings and tools preserved in Laja Alta, Bacinete or El Tajo de las Figuras. Interesting archaeological sites include the dolmens at Tarifa, the Algarbes burial site at Valdevaqueros and Los Santos Nuevos in Alcalá de los Gazules.

The Romans founded cities such as Oboa (Jimena de la Frontera), Lascuta (Alcalá de los Gazules) and the well-known Baelo Claudia (Tarifa).

The towns within the Natural Park have a wide variety of artistic-historical resources. Alcalá de los Gazules's historical centre has been declared to be an artistic-historical monument, which includes old mills, small homesteads and country houses, together with its castle and walls.

Special mention should be made of the cultural heritage of Jerez de la Frontera' s historical centre, its walled enclosure, its Citadel, Charterhouse, Cathedral and churches. In Arcos , its churches and the five towers of the castle, likewise declared to be of cultural interest, are a must for any visitor.

The Palmones and Montelatorre Towers in Los Barrios recall its role as a frontier town, while the Benaocaz's castle and walls are worth exploring. The main places of interest at Benalup-Casas Viejas include its Mudejar castle, the Church of Our Lady of El Socorro and El Tajo de las Figuras, a cave with cave paintings have been declared to be an Asset of Cultural Interest.

Impressive castles loom up in Castellar de la Frontera and in Jimena de la Frontera . Jimena is also home the channel and the remains of the Royal Artillery Factory dating back to the 18th century. Another of the many castles in the Natural Park is in Medina Sidonia , a town with a walled enclosure and a Roman archaeological site. A visit to the town's magnificent Carmelite Monastery of San José del Cuervo is highly recommended.

Cárdela, Fátima and Aznalmara castles are close to Ubrique , while Tarifa is noted for the Guzman el Bueno Castle and the Roman town of Baelo Claudia.

El Bosque is noted for its Ducal Palace and bullring, then there is the medieval Gigonza Castle and the Tempul aqueduct in San José del Valle , and the Posito de Labradores (granary) is worth visiting in Prado del Rey.

The traditional source of income in the towns within Los Alcornocales Natural Park , as its name indicates, is harvesting the cork from the cork oak trees, a technique that has been passed down through the generations and remains barely unchanged today. This material is used to make tables, benches, cupboards, etc. The craftwork includes harnessing making and items worked out of palm and wood.

The cuisine is closely linked to the exquisite local fare and typical ingredients in its dishes include golden thistles, various types of snails, venison, boar and partridge, which are seasoned using the local herbs: bay, oregano, mint, etc. Desserts include the alfajores pastries from Medina Sidonia, yemas de cantullio (sweets made out of honey, almonds and egg yolks), amarguillos (almond biscuits), tortas pardas (sponge cakes filled with citron jam) and piñonates (pine nut cakes).

Festivities of National Tourist Interest are the Holy Week celebrations at Arcos and Jerez . Jerez 's Horse Fair is also of International Tourist Interest. Special mention should be made of the summer festivities and fair, the running of the Toro del Aleluya bull in some of the park's towns and the pilgrimages in towns such as Castellar, Jimena, Prado del Rey, Tarifa or Medina Sidonia.

Alcornocales Natural Park offers an unrivalled setting for outdoor leisure activities, such as mountain biking, hiking and climbing in recreational areas, such as "El Picacho" (Alcalá de los Gazules), canoeing on the reservoirs in the park or horse trekking along beautiful routes through Los Alcornocales ROUTES AND PATHS Route Tarifa a Jimena de la Frontera.   Route Corredor 2 Bahías   Route Sendero del Picacho   Route Puerto Cáliz-El Valle Organizing Companies of Activities of Adventure and Nature.

ALCORNOCALES NATURAL PARK NATURE AND ADVENTURE ACTIVITIES | SPECIALITY | PLACE | PHOTO | Mountain Biking | Área Recreativa El Picacho | (Alcalá de los Gazules) | Rutas en todo el Parque Natural | Climbing | Área Recreativa El Picacho; Benaocaz | San Bartolo (Bolonia) | Moheda Escobar | (Alcalá de los Gazules) | Castellar de la Fra   | Caving | Cueva del Gurú (Benaocaz).   | Multi-Adventure | Área Recreativa El Picacho; Los | Canutos; Barranco Pasada Blanca   | Canoeing | Sierra de Las Momias | Sierra de Las Cabras | Embalse del Barbate; Embalse Charco | Redondo (Alcalá de los Gazules)   | Horse Trekking | Lomas del Judío-Moheda- Escobar | Dehesa de la Yegua; Rutas en todo el | Parque Natural   | Hiking | Río de la Miel (Los Barrios) | Área Recreativa El Picacho;Vía Verde | (Alcalá de los Gazules); El Pinsapar | Sierra del Aljibe; Ruta de Los Molinos | Los Canutos;Ruta de los Bandoleros | Laja Alta; Barranco Pasada Blanca

ALCORNOCALES NATURAL PARK OFFICE Address: Plaza de San Jorge, 1. Casa del Cabildo Town: Alcalá de los Gazules Telephone:956 413 307 / 956 413 305 Fax: 956 413 288 E-mail:pn.alcornocales.cma@juntadeandalucia.es  CENTER OF RECEPTION AND INTERPRETATION OF THE NATURE Address: Iglesia de la Misericordia s/n Town: Jimena de la Fra. Telephone: 956 640 569 E-mail:misericordiaweb@mixmail.com �HUERTA GRANDE� VISITORS' CENTRE Address: Ctra. N-340, km 96. Towns: Algeciras Telephone: 956 679 161 Fax: 956 679 161 ALCORNOCALES NATURAL PARK INFORMATION OFFICE Address: C/Paterna, 4 Town: Benalup Casas Viejas Telephone: 956 424 247 Fax: 956 424 407 ALCORNOCALES NATURAL PARK INFORMATION OFFICE Address: Castillo de Castellar Viejo Town: Castellar de la Fra. Telephone: 956 236 887 Fax: 956 236 624