de la tinença de benifassà

English version Parc Natural de la Tinença de Benifassà [email protected]

Tel. 977 72 91 87 / 650 412 497

http://parquesnaturales.gva.es

Assistance from: Layout: Benjamín Albiach Galán Kun.Xusa Beltrán

Photography: Benjamín Albiach Galán Natural Park Technicians Alvar Sabater Armengol Laura Belliure Daniel Montesinos Maite Pastor

Map Design: Pau Pérez Puigcerver source: ICV (Cartographic Institute of Valencia) Printing this material has been possible thanks to the Cooperation Agreement signed on 21st April 2006 by the Caja de Ahorros y Pensiones de Barcelona, "la Caixa" Texts: Mara Tirado and Natural Park Technicians and the Generalitat Valenciana (Autonomous Community Authority) for Undertaking Printed: Centro Especial de Empleo, IVADIS the Integral Management Plan for Conservation of the Natural Systems of the Legal Deposit: ’s Network of Nature Reserves. Date of approval of PORN: (Plan for Organization of Natural Resources) 28th April 2006

Date declared a Nature Reserve: 19th May 2006

La Tinença de Benifassà nature reserve covers 4,967.548 hectares, including the 25,814 affec- ted by the Plan for Organization of Natural Resources which lie inside the historical county with the same name and Vallibona. This terrain is crossed by rivers Sénia and Servol (also known as Les Corses river), which cut through the last outcrops of the Iberian system, and takes in the towns and villages of La Pobla de Benifassà, Coratxà, El Boixar, Fredes, El Ballestar Minor Local Community (all in the municipal area of Pobla de Benifassà), Bel (Rossell), Vallibona and Castell de Cabres.

La Tinença forms part of the great Puertos del Beceite massif, covering parts of , and the Valencian Community. This massif is the geographical point of encounter of the mountain systems in the Catalan Coastal Range and the Iberian System, resulting in a series of rugged ranges going from 400 to 1300 metres in altitude. The geological substrate has contributed to the way this was formed, con- sisting of limestones and dolomites arranged in layers in which the former have undergone ero- sion processes while the second have remained more unchanged. Laura Belliure El Boixar this, theconventof of thePoblet Monasterydomain.Dependenton power until1232-33,thenstartingtoformpart Catalan-Aragonese crown,andremainedintheir for thesecounties,whichwereconqueredbythe of greatesteconomic,socialandculturalsuccess The Christiandominationgotunderwaytheage left standingtoday. Hasan, onlyafewstructuresofwhichhavebeen turies), originallyknownasBeni-hazàorBeni- and defendedbyBenifassàcastle(10 an areaunderthesphereofinfluenceMorella founded formilitarypurposes,musthaveformed located atthetopsofmountains,probably nated thearea.Thewholevalleyandtowns From roughly714to1208,theMoslemsdomi- went onintheIberian-Roman era. stockbreeding stageintheBronzeage,which assumed tohavedevelopedintoafarmingand dels Rossegadors Levante artcavepaintingsin Iberian era.Oneshouldalsostresstheseriesof enabling thesetobedatedtheBronzeAgeand ous siteshavebeenfoundwithceramicremains place untilthe2ndMillenniumB.C.,sincenumer- first majorcolonisationofLaTinençadidnottake (3rd MillenniumB.C.)butitisestimatedthatthe area havebeenattributedtotheEneolithicage, The mostancientarchaeologicalremainsinthis History ( Pobla deBenifassà Santa MaríadeBenifasar Cova delPolvorí ). LaTinençais th -12 th cen- was or leaving itstracesonthelandscape. leading tosheep-farmingbeing developedand major boom,mainlyduetothedemand forwool, economy underwenta Later onthecounty’s men andpeasantsbecameestablished. bourgeoisie thenflourishedandguildsofcrafts- Morella). Thecommercialandstockbreeding the TinençadeBenifassà(untilitbecamepartof influence formanyyears,Vallibona formedpartof lay underitsadministrative,socialandeconomic constitution ofMorellaasamajortown which governedthezoneforcenturies.From the set up,itsbuildingbeingcompletedin1250,and La barracadelgranadí(Bel) La Tinença

Laura Belliure

Daniel Montesinos interesting pasturelandplantcommunities. which hasallowedthedevelopment ofsomevery ended upresultinginagreaterdiversity ofsettings structural simplificationofthe woods, thishas ( converted inrelativelyrecenttimesintopastureland masses. Inspiteofsomeholmoakgrovesbeing bined toensuretheenduranceoftheselargetree density traditionallyfoundinthiszonehaveallcom- farming andstockbreedingthelowpopulation rugged relief, thelowproductivityoflandfor extension inthewholeValencian territory. The biggest holmoakgrovesasregardsstructureand in itsnearbysurroundings,therearesomeofthe In Vegetation bovalares La Tinença deBenifassà ) orforestryexploitations,leading toa Arenaria conimbricensisviridis nature reserve,aswell oibiessAntirrhinumpertegasii conimbricensis (butterwort), the these speciesarethe good stateofpreservation.Someexamples Vallibona), whichhasmeantthattheseareina (in Coratxà)andtheFontdeLesRoques spring(in del Salt crops ordeepravines,asisthecaseof in areaswithdifficultaccesssuchasrockyout- zone. Mostoftheserarespeciesareconcentrated inthenaturereserve rent floraMicro-reserves nature whichhaveledtothedeclarationofdiffe- species ofparticularinterestorwithendemic It isfinallyofinteresttostressthelargenumber cutlery wastraditionallymade. rable extensionsofboxtreesfromwhosewood One shouldalsostressthepresenceofconside- Valencian territory. form oneofthemostexuberantlandscapesin the Valencian Community. Thesecorkoakenclaves some ofthebestconservedmassescorkoaksin mate andthecharacteristicsofsoil,thereare groves dependingonsmalllocalvariationsinthecli- Furthermore, sharingtheterritorywithholmoak ravine (inFredes), the Biscutella fonqueri Pine of12arms Pinguicula dertosensis Mola deMitjavila (snapdragon). (Coratxà) , Arenaria Barranc hill

B. Albiach Galán

Maite pastor farming uses,etc.)whichhasinsome casesmeant secondly, humanactivityoverthe years(hunting, groves, kermesoaks,narrowravines etc);and areas withaprevalenceofundergrowth, pine existence ofdifferentenvironmentalunits(sunny teristics ofthezone,whichhavegivenriseto firstly thephysicalandgeomorphologicalcharac- ducing thissituationmaybeconsideredto a verygeneralstandpoint,themainfactorspro- tude Mediterraneanmountainecosystems.From an excellentrelictualexampleofthemedium-alti- number ofspecies,whichiswhythisconstitutes The faunaintheparkisveryplentiful,withalarge Fauna Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetus) (Aquila

B. Albiach Galán curvirrostra, Emberizahortulana). collybita, Regulusignicapillus,Sitta europaea,Loxia laris, Monticolasaxatilis,Sylviaborin, Phylloscopus passeriformes ( ( ( presence ofriverbankbirds,suchastheKingfisher As forothergroupsofbirdsweshouldstressthe tures ( falcons ( short-toed eagles( numbers ofgoldeneagles( should bestressed.Thereareabovealllarge the largegroupofbirdspreynestinginarea Valencian Communityisthatofbirds.Firstall giving The mostdiversegroupofvertebrates,theone ers typicalofregionslyingfurthertothesouth. northerly environmentsatthesametimeasoth- characterised byincludingspeciespropertomore has meantthatthevertebratefaunainthiszoneis glaciations toboththesouthandnorth.This several migratorychannelsusedoverthelast graphical situation, respectively. Finally, duetotheparticulargeo- such asthefarmfieldsandpastureland( the expansionofspeciesbycreatingnewareas certain species,butinothercaseshasfacilitated a reductioninthepresenceordisappearanceof Cinclus cinclus Alcedo atthis Gyps fulvus La Tinença Falco peregrinus ) andthewhite-throateddipper ), andhigh-mountaindistribution Anthus campestris,Prunella modu- ). La Tinença Circaetus gallicus the greatestvaluein ) andaboveallgriffonvul- Aquila chrysaetos Aquila is aconfluencefor ), peregrine bovalares) ) and the Spanishterrapin( The onlychelonidoniumwithconfirmedpresenceis distribution andwhichhaverelictualpopulationshere. snake ( wall lizard( There isagreatervarietyofreptiles,whichincludethe ribbed newt( also remarkablethepresenceofrareIberian of boar( plentiful mountaingoatstherearealsomanyspecimens lent communityofgameungulates,sinceapartfromthe mountain catandstonemarten)aboveallanexcel- triacus, such as of batsassociatedwithforestandmountainhabitats One shouldalsounderlinethepresenceofsomespecies the Valencian Communityhere. (Capra pyrenaica species intheparkisSpanishwildgoatoribex creatures inthearea,mostrepresentativeanimal Although thebirdsaremostsignificantgroupof specimens ofHermann’s tortoise( the neighbouringCatalancounty ofMontsiàthereare ( habitat forawiderangeofamphibians.Commontoad as theSéniaandServolrivers,constituteanoptimal presented. Smallspringsanddrinkingtroughs,aswell nase ( scanty presenceofbarbel( water habitats,throughweshouldstressthevery There isnotagreatrangeoffishduetothelack by the from Teruel andthankstothespecimensreintroduced capreolus Bufo bufo Chondrostoma miegii Generalitat Valenciana. Coronella austriaca as wellawiderangeofcarnivores(genet, Myotis emarginatus,Hypsugosavii,Plecotusaus- ) hasrecentlybeenadded,bothbyexpansion Sus scrofa ) canalsobefoundfarofwaterspots.Itis Podarcis muralis Pleurodeles waltl ) sinceithasthelargestpopulationin ), towhichtheroedeer( Mauremys leprosa ), bothwithhigh-mountain ). Amphibiansarewellre- Barbus haasi ) andEuropeansmooth ). Wildcat ( Testudo hermanni ), althoughin ) andFrench Felis silvestris Capreolus ). )

B. Albiach Galán Negrell Tossal dels Tres Reis 1356 E: 1/100.000 1356 Tossal d’en Cervera 0 1.000 2.000 4.000 m 1347

Serra Pelada

Salt de Robert Fredes Punta del Mola de Mitja-Vila Solà d’en Brull

Portell de l’Infern

Pico Fredes Serra de Fredes Coratxà Mola de Mangroner 1239 Ulldecona el Boixar Reservoir

Convent de Sta.

GR-7 Maria Benifassá CV-105

Ballestar Ombries de CV-105 Castell de Benifassà Cabres Pobla de Benifassà

Mas de Boix

Serra de la Creu

CV-104 CV-100

Bel

Rossell CV-100

Penya de Bel

Vallibona Riu Servol

road geodesic vertex cave Route 1: Around the reservoir

administrative boundary peak spring water Route 2: Portell de l'Infern (hell's door) and Salt de Robert (waterfall) town, buildings hermitage Route 3: Mas del Boix forests 1 o 1 1 and ForndelVidreFaunaRecovery Centre. bridge byanoldforestryhouse andthenursery The backofthereservoiriscrossed byacement metres fromthebanktoback ofthedam. water. Thepath,headingwest,leads alongafew having arestwithpleasantviewacrossthe from whichyoucangotothereservoir, idealfor leisure area Departure: Level: Total ascent: Time: Distance: Ulldecona reservoirdam Ombries delBenifassàleisurearea- Route 1: la Solanadelforn Ombries deBenifassà CV-105 1 h15min Easy del Vidre Around thereservoir

4 km nco del Ferré Barra Mola Rossa , aneasilyaccessiblespotwithtables 70 m From 2 Ombries deBenifassà 841 801 o

Ulldecona

Reservoir

477 m 3

Maite Pastor 3 2 Arrival: up withthereservoirby forming partoftheSerradelaCreu whichconnects which leadstoaspectacularpassbetween therocks be enjoyed.Uptheravinethereisanotherpath vegetation associatedwiththesewatercoursescan the dam,leadsalongaravineinwhichtypical voir anditsdam.Thepath,whichgoesontowards ic view From anabandonedstockyardthereisa emblematic wildgoat,veryplentifulinthisarea. ilex pines ( natural beach After leavingthepathwhichleadstoa ), whereyouwilleasilyobservetracesofthe Pinus halepensis of at the Barranc delaFou dam ofthereservoir , goonalongapathbetween ) andholmoaks( , aswellofthereser- Barranc delFerri. . panoram- Reservoir Quercus small GR-7

Route 2: Portell de l'Infern (hell's door) and Salt de Robert (waterfall) 6 "Fredes-Portell de l'Infern-Pi Pastor-Salt de Salt de Robert Robert-Fredes" Fredes 1093 Punta del 5 o Solà d’en Brull Distance: 11 km (short variant: 7.8 km) 1 Font del Teix Time: 5 h 30 min (short variant: 3 h 15 min) 4 Total ascent: 600 m Mas de Pixón 3 Portell de l’Infern Level: Average - high 2 o Departure: From Fredes, which is the northern- most town in the Valencian Community.

1 Font del Teix, a permanent spring which is at Serra de Fredes present used for animal drinking trough. The path goes gently up through a black pine grove (Pinus nigra). The vegetation on this route is of great ecological importance, as is vouched for by the different Flora Micro-reserves to be found by the way.

2 Mas de Pixón. A traditional building with a thresh- ing floor in good condition. From this country house you can enjoy some stunning views of the 5 Punta del Solà d’en Brull. From the Pi Pastor county. you can see the striking Morral Desplegat and Pont Foradat, characteristic structures of 3 A rock forming a vantage point with wonderful Tinença de Benifassà. Before reaching Salt de views towards the Ombries del Salt. A beauty spot Robert, you can enjoy a pleasant rest at La where one can see birds of prey such as the griffon Tenalla Forestry House. vulture (Gyps fulvus), the golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), or the common buzzard (Buteo buteo). 6 Point 6: Salt de Robert. This waterfall creates a A few metres from this vantage point a path starts habitat of special botanical and zoological interest, to the left which will let you take the short alterna- with endemic species protected through a Flora tive for the route, leading to the Salt de Robert. Micro-reserve and a Fauna Reserve. 4 Portell de l’Infern. An impressive natural pass through a rock wall. You can see “gamellons” (tra- Arrival: Fredes. ditional drinking troughs built in hollow trunks where the water filters through from La Balma del Portell accumulates). The path goes on among some impressive specimens of black pine. caseta Avenc de la 2 1177 o 1 Font delNoto with Vallibona by path linkingup with theGR-7 andcommunicating Mas deCardona stockbreeding inthezone. cows canbeseeninthesehillsdue totheextensive tion inthiszonearetheholm oak groves.Today valley and Departure: Level: Total ascent: Time: Distance: Cabres Access tothestartofroute: Noto -MasdelBoix Mas delBoix-deCardonaFont Route 3: 3 by foresttrackandfromVallibona bytheGR-7. 2 h15min Average Mas delBoixforests La Gatellera La Gatellera 5 km Mas deBoix 200 m 1138 Mas deBoix(oRoch) La Gatellera . From thispointonecantakea o ravine. Thedominantvegeta- . Wonderful viewsofthe ravine. from Castell de 1 Cardona Mas de

Alvar Sabater Armengol 2 3 (6.7 Km.)andthelatterwithVallibona (14.5Km). Nature Reserve, connectingFredes withBoixar GR-7, along-distancepath,goesthroughthe Lastly, oneshouldnotforgetthatpartofthe Arrival: ravine whereasplendidoldholmoakcanbeseen. different oldfarmsteads.Thepathgoesonalongthe for puttingoutforestfires.Viewofthevalleyand Font delNoto ten minutesfromthetrack. Cabres up theslopetoreachtrackfrom The routecontinuesalongapathcrossinghalfway to Vallibona. Mas deBoix . Adrinkingtroughforcowsandtank L’Avenc delaCaseta . Leisurearea. Ibex (Capra pyrenaica Castell de is justat ) scenery. Someoftheseare: of interest,eitherhistoricalornaturalforthe own right,buttherearealsoalargenumberofsites charm ofitsownmakingitwellworthavisitin Any ofthevillagesinthisoldhistoricalcountyhasa Visits ofinterest the nature. opportunity to enjoy ofamagicalwalkinto structions, alladornedbymosaic, givesthe lorist sculpturesands tic creationintothelandscape. Byusingco- Peter's Garden,integratesPeter Busch'sartis- paintings andsculpturesinhermuseum-house. ration placeforartists.Renate Steen showsher La Pobla deBenifassàisaretirementandinspi- ing examplesofreligiousarchitecture Other villagesintheareaalsopossessinterest- arms intheceilingdonebyaMudejarartist. 1791, andaninterestingdecorationofcoats an extremelyvaluableorgandatingbackto declared SiteofCulturalInterest(BIC).Ithas The Parish churchofVallibona wasofficially Thursdays. and church)canonlybevisitedatmiddayon Romanic andGothicstyles.Thearea(entrance century inwhichonecanseeitemsoflate different agesgoingfromthe13thto16th This wasawalledareawithsetofbuildings Santa MaríadeBenifassarCartuja provides somewonderfulviews. Teruel, Tarragona andCastellónmeetwhich Tossal delsTres Reis , apeakwheretheprovincesof mall pondsandcon- Monastery.

Daniel Montesinos modern facetsof itscooking. and mushrooms, whichisseeninthetraditional and that twoofthenaturalassets in theareaaregame for theircustomers’delight.One shouldnotforget many recipesthatcaterersinthe areahavebroughtin Apart fromthisfinetypicalcooking therearealso almond sweet,honey, almonds or getting thetypicaldessertssuchascurds, recapte The typicaldishesofthisareaareamongstothersits Cuisine sing, campsitesandhostels. around thepark,includingruralhotels,rentedhou- There isawiderangeofaccommodationinthetowns Accommodation pie andlambcutletswithpotatoes,notfor- Salt deRobert(Fredes) crespell pastries. carquinyols Morella get to N-232 towards way through Another possibilitystartsfromtheN-340onits the CV-105, takingyoutoP into thistownby you shouldcontinuetowards towards turn offafterafewmetresalongtheCV-11 A-7, takingexit42towards Ballestar Sénia Vallibona orto towards have twooptions.Thefirstistocontinue nue untilcomingtotheN-232,whereyou Mateu Castellón A thirdpossibilityistotaketheCV-10 in Castell deCabres. You cangetto How togethere Río take theroadthatheadstowards Vinaroz involves takingthesameN-232buttowards , fromwhichyoucangetto road, whichleadsto . Whenyougettothislasttownconti- Vallibona , near as far , San RafaeldelRío Morella Fredes towards Vinaroz Torre Miró taking theCV-111. Oncepassed Morella , etc. La Tinença deBenifassà Castell deCabres until youreachtheturnoffto La SèniaNorte Traiguera , whereyoushouldtakethe Borriol . Before , takeCV-105 toget El Pont Foradat (Ballestar) . Onceyougetthere , Pobla deBenifassà,el , whereyoushould obla deBenifassà Vinaroz Cabanes La Sénia, Morella , untilyoureach Rossell . Thesecond San Rafaeldel (N-238) to , youcan and or to heading by the San . La

EEA del Parc Natural del

Maite Pastor In theeventofany emergency, Recommendations enjoy silence get closertonatureand Park yourcarandwalk, in thetrashbins Leave yourgarbageonly flowers orotherparts harming them;donotcollect Observe theplantswithout the culturalheritage constructions, respect Take careoftraditional not takeshortcuts Respect thetrails,do call 112. leash Keep yourdogona the soundsofforest Remain silentandenjoy breathe pureair Park. Donotsmoke, Never lightfireinthe only inauthorizedareas Camping ispermitted lect fauna Do notbotherorcol- clean springs, keepthem Respect mountain Peter’s Garden

Daniel Montesinos