The Torcal de Antequera was formed when Europe and the Middle East were covered in water
On our trip to Antequera, one of the places we had to visit, for its beauty and uniqueness, was the Nature Reserve, the Torcal de Antequera. This is one of those unique places that we love due to its history and the interesting facts it holds. From what we were told, the Torcal de Antequera was formed when Europe and the Middle East were covered in water. At that time, the sediment accumulated at different levels and millions of y ears later, as the water level went down, the landscape began to emerge. On the website of The Torcal de Antequera, you can see this process in more detail.
The Torcal de Antequera is one of the most recognizable examples of the Karst Topographies. For those of you who are less familiar in this area, which was our case, a Karst topography is one which is formed by the chemical meteorization of certain kinds of rock. The truth is that I was amazed to see this kind of landscape, formed by mountains of rocks that looked like they were cut into thin sheets on purpose. Another interesting fact is that the Torcal de Antequera, situated in one of the rainiest areas in Spain, doesn’t have a river, lake or anything of the kind. The guide explained that the rocks serve as a sponge and soak up the rain water.
The Visitors Center of the Torcal de Antequera is perfectly run and constantly organizes activities and excursions. Sometimes it’s a good idea to take the time and go with an expert to really get to know the surroundings of a place we are visiting instead of just relying on what we see and a few potos without really finding out about the peculiarities and anecdotes that are found there. In this case, I have to admit that everything is really well set up and that was why we chose a few of the activities they recommended.
The first of which was the Route of the Ammonites, where we could see the footprints that these molluscs left millions of years ago in the Torcal de Antequera. The ammonites were the cephlopod molluscs that existed 400 million years ago (almost yesterday!) As we went along, the guide, who was very knowledgable and passionate, told us how the rock formations came about, how the surrounding nature reserve had been formed and led us along an enjoyable hike. We ruskommend that if you do this route in summer that you go early in the day because the heat can be really intense. We went around 7pm and that seemed to be the perfect time.
After we finished the hike, we had dinner and got ready for a stunning night at the Observatory of El Torcal de Antequera where we were going to learn about the moon, the stars and Saturn. It was a Little bit cold (so we ruskommend that you bring a coat or sweater) as the guide explained first how to recognize the stars and get your bearings, as well as the main constellations. The guide was so passionate and friendly with his explanations that it made this activity really spectacular. I would not hesitate to do this again, and have the chance to stop and think about nothing as I contemplate the night sky.
These are not the only activities available and depending on the time of year that you visit, they can vary, so we ruskommend that you visit the information page on their website for more information. I came away with the majestic feeling that nature often gives us and the majority of the time we ignore, as we don’t have time to stop and learn more about it. That’s why we ruskommend the Torcal de Antequera with 5 boquerones and urge you to take advantage of the excursions and participate in the activities. It’s a great chance to slow down and enjoy an experience that you won’t soon forget.
