Oligocene gypsums and the Barbastro Anticline. Barbastro
The proposed route starts with a short car journey from the Alcampo supermarket to the south of the town of Barbastro. We take the road signposted to Fornillos (A-1226). At kilometre 3.5 of the road, we make a stop in the left-hand layby to take a look at one of Aragon’s monumental trees, a combination of European nettle tree and juniper. If we continue south along this same road, we cross over the Huesca-Lerida motorway and at the next roundabout we see folds of gypsum formations to one side. Continuing on towards Fornillos to km 5.1, we take the turning east and park the car in order to continue the route on foot.
This is a 4.3-kilometre circular walk along tracks and footpaths.
This is a 4.3-kilometre circular walk along tracks and footpaths.
The walk takes us through an area of great geological complexity - a northwest to southeast range known as the Barbastro Anticline. It is principally made up of gypsums from the Oligocene period interspersed with marl and sandstone.
These rocky outcrops dictate the type of flora to be found which is mainly dominated by a mosaic of agricultural crops and gypsophilous scrubs (Ononis tridentata, Gypsophila hispanica, Heliantemun squamatum).
In addition there is also a predominance of thermomediterranean shrubs, such as Rosemary and Kermes Oak, Holm Oak and Juniper.
The walk takes us through an area of great geological complexity - a northwest to southeast range known as the Barbastro Anticline. It is principally made up of gypsums from the Oligocene period interspersed with marl and sandstone.
These rocky outcrops dictate the type of flora to be found which is mainly dominated by a mosaic of agricultural crops and gypsophilous scrubs (Ononis tridentata, Gypsophila hispanica, Heliantemun squamatum).
In addition there is also a predominance of thermomediterranean shrubs, such as Rosemary and Kermes Oak, Holm Oak and Juniper.
