Overview
The park is located north of Andújar and is part of the immense Sierra Morena. The Sierra de Andújar Natural Park is over 70,000ha and is heavily covered by Mediterranean forest and scrubland which is home to many endangered species including the pardel lynx, wolf, black vulture and imperial eagle.
Walking
The visitor centre is called the Centro de Visitantes Las Viñas de Peñallana. There you can find information on the walks and accommodation available within the park.
2 of the well-marked routes are as follows:-
The Sendero Encinarejo takes the visitor on a 3km walk along the Jándula river. The end of walk brings you to the Encinarejo reservoir which is an ideal place to cool down.
The Sendero Sanctuario Nuestra Señora de la Cabeza is a 4km circular walk which leads you through pine forest and provides wonderful views from the Cerro de la Cabeza.
Sightseeing
The Sanctuario Virgen de la Cabeza is a famous a hermitage perched on the top of a granite outcrop, the Cerro de Cabezo. It is particularly important for its romeria (pilgrimage) which is held on the last Sunday in. Due to its location, it provides the visitor with stunning views of the Sierra and the Jándula river valley.
Andújar is another place worth visiting. It has many monuments such as the bridge on the River Guadalquivir.
Animals/Birds
The Natural Park is one of the last two places in Spain where the endangered lynx are found. It is also home to the increasingly rare wolf also inhabits the Sierra. Other rare species include the imperial eagle and black vulture. Other birds of prey include golden eagles, griffon vultures, Egyptian vultures, buzzards and owls. The park is also home to wild boards, roe deer, otters and wild cats among others.
Plants
The vegetation is mixed, but is predominately Mediterranean including cork and holm oak, strawberry trees, lentisc and wild olives. There are also forests of umbrella and Austrian pines. The banks of the Jándula river are home to willows, poplars, oleanders and alder trees.
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