Trail 1: Alquézar
In order to observe all the habitats in this environment, here are two short excursions. One of them goes through the bottom of the River Vero Canyon to observe both the riverbank species and the rupicolous species found amidst the vertical rocks; the other climbs to the highest part of the town of Alquézar, to watch large birds of prey as they take flight.
Circular trail through the walkways: through the canyon of the River Vero, paying particular attention to the geological formations of limestone and sandstone and the species of flora associated with each of them along the route.
Trail to Balsas de Basacol or continuing onwards to Chimiachas Ravine: the trail begins in the town of Alquézar, climbing to Balsas de Basacol, from where a path will lead you over the ridges parallel to the canyon of the River Vero, all the way to Chimiachas Ravine, where you will descend towards Abrigo de Quizáns—the end point of the trail. On the way back, from Balsas de Basacol, you can return to Alquézar by following Payuala Ravine on its right side.
The municipal district of Alquézar is found in the region of Somontano de Barbastro, in the province of Huesca.
The town of Alquézar is located south-west of Sierra de Guara, on the right bank of the River Vero, in its last canyon, at the foot of Sierra de Balced and Sierra de Olsón.
RELEVANT BIRD SPECIES
- Permanent residents: red kite, bearded vulture, griffon vulture, Eurasian sparrowhawk, common buzzard, common kestrel, peregrine falcon, golden eagle, little owl, long-eared owl, European green woodpecker, great spotted woodpecker, Eurasian crag martin, etc.
- Summer residents: black kite, Egyptian vulture, short-toed snake eagle, booted eagle, red-necked nightjar, common swift, Alpine swift, European bee-eater, barn swallow, red-rumped swallow, common house martin, Eurasian golden oriole, woodchat shrike, etc.
- Wintering species: Wallcreeper, northern goshawk, merlin, Alpine accentor, fieldfare, song thrush, Eurasian blackcap, common chiffchaff, goldcrest, etc.
- Migratory stopover: European honey buzzard, harriers, common crane, willow warbler, garden warbler, common whitethroat, European pied flycatcher, etc.
RELEVANT PLANT SPECIES
Alquézar is located in an intersection area between the Alpine and Mediterranean biogeographical regions, making it the southern boundary for Mediterranean plants (holm oak and oak) and Pyrenean (Scots pine) plants, including Alpine and Euro-Iberian communities (beech and silver fir). The dominant endemic feature in flora, particularly associated with ledges and gleras (places with a lot of stone chips), with endemic species in reduced or localised areas, can clearly be seen.
Noteworthy among the rupicolous flora are: Petrocoptis guarensis, Jasonia glutinosa, Sedum sediforme, Silene saxifraga, Ramonda miconi, Saxifraga longifolia, etc.
In the outskirts of town, between April and May, you can see the following orchids: Ophrys incubacea, Ophrys lupercalis, Ophrys subinsectifera, Orchis purpurea, etc.
The town of Alquézar, located on the right bank of the canyon formed by the River Vero, is located in the southern part of Sierra de Guara, formed by a calcareous massif that is part of the group of outer mountain ranges that comprise the mountain system of the Central Pre-Pyrenees. This territory, consisting of limestone with large masses of puddingstone and conglomerates (mallos), mainly presents karst landforms, with deep canyons (foces) as a result of the narrowing of the rivers that cross the mountain range from north to south, as in the case of the River Vero, right at the foot of the town of Alquézar.
The town of Alquézar, located on the right bank of the canyon formed by the River Vero, is located in the southern part of Sierra de Guara, formed by a calcareous massif that is part of the group of outer mountain ranges that comprise the mountain system of the Central Pre-Pyrenees. This territory, consisting of limestone with large masses of puddingstone and conglomerates (mallos), mainly presents karst landforms, with deep canyons (foces) as a result of the narrowing of the rivers that cross the mountain range from north to south, as in the case of the River Vero, right at the foot of the town of Alquézar.
RELEVANT BIRD SPECIES
- Permanent residents: red kite, bearded vulture, griffon vulture, Eurasian sparrowhawk, common buzzard, common kestrel, peregrine falcon, golden eagle, little owl, long-eared owl, European green woodpecker, great spotted woodpecker, Eurasian crag martin, etc.
- Summer residents: black kite, Egyptian vulture, short-toed snake eagle, booted eagle, red-necked nightjar, common swift, Alpine swift, European bee-eater, barn swallow, red-rumped swallow, common house martin, Eurasian golden oriole, woodchat shrike, etc.
- Wintering species: Wallcreeper, northern goshawk, merlin, Alpine accentor, fieldfare, song thrush, Eurasian blackcap, common chiffchaff, goldcrest, etc.
- Migratory stopover: European honey buzzard, harriers, common crane, willow warbler, garden warbler, common whitethroat, European pied flycatcher, etc.
RELEVANT PLANT SPECIES
Alquézar is located in an intersection area between the Alpine and Mediterranean biogeographical regions, making it the southern boundary for Mediterranean plants (holm oak and oak) and Pyrenean (Scots pine) plants, including Alpine and Euro-Iberian communities (beech and silver fir). The dominant endemic feature in flora, particularly associated with ledges and gleras (places with a lot of stone chips), with endemic species in reduced or localised areas, can clearly be seen.
Noteworthy among the rupicolous flora are: Petrocoptis guarensis, Jasonia glutinosa, Sedum sediforme, Silene saxifraga, Ramonda miconi, Saxifraga longifolia, etc.
In the outskirts of town, between April and May, you can see the following orchids: Ophrys incubacea, Ophrys lupercalis, Ophrys subinsectifera, Orchis purpurea, etc.
