Sierra de Gador

 Berja occupies the Western part of this huge mass of limestone which extends east to reach the capital city of Almería. Its impressive figure, with the peaks covered in snow for the majority of the year, dominates the landscape in the west of the province and the eastern Alpujarras.
Berja is privileged to be located so close to such an important natural area, declared at European level as a Special protection Area for Birds, primarily for its abundance of small prey. The Golden Eagle is well known as ‘The Lady’ of the summits while owls and smaller eagles compete amongst the foothills. In the dense pine forests it is easy to hear the cries of the sparrow hawk and the goshawk, not as easy to actually see them in action, but patience always prevails! These pine forests also provide refuge for the typical mammals such as wild boar, wild cats and squirrels. The Sierra also has a large population of mountain goats, easy to see on some of the organised trips available to tourists. 
The pines, left from the reforestation days now occupy an area once covered by millions of oaks, most of which were felled and used as fuel in iron ore smelters. The remains of this mining era can still be seen in the Sierra, conserved and forming an important part of the history and culture of the town.
In addition to the cultural values, the Sierra offers important natural values, not least the numerous species of plants and insects (including some butterflies) that are endemic to the summits, that is to say that they do not live anywhere else the world.
However, the biggest gift that the nature of the Sierra de Gádor offers to the human race, the key to life – Water. Water from rain and snow gradually filters into the limestone and ‘flows’ underground, unseen in a journey that may take many years. The Sierra acts as a sponge, soaking up the water, naturally storing and purifying it and leaving it to escape slowly and continuously in the springs and fountains in Berja, at the foot of the mountains.

Photo. Sight of one of the hillsides of ' Sierra de Gádor' [To extend]

Some of the significant current uses of the area are that of livestock grazing, hunting (in designated areas only) and recreational tourism. The latter as the area has many of the features that make it ideal for sports activities related to the environment, for example; hiking, climbing and paragliding.
Access to the Sierra itself and to some of these outdoor sports is mainly through the ‘Parque Periurbana de Castala’ (Castala Recreation Park), next to the small settlement of Castala, roughly 8km from the centre of Berja off the main road that passes through the town.

Castala Recreation Park

 This area was once an extensive nursery used to grow trees and plants for the reforestation of the Province. Once this work was no longer undertaken the existing facilities and infrastructure on the site were transformed to create a green space exclusive for recreation. This, plus its enviable location in the foothills of the Sierra de Gádor, the comprehensive facilities available to the public and the fact that it covers an area of ground of approximately 14hectares (almost 24acres) resulted in the granting of the name ‘Complejo Recreativo’ (Recreation Complex), a pioneering idea within the Province.
On the 31st May 2000 The Environment Ministry declared that the area should be reclassified as a protected natural space for recreational uses and as such was renamed the ‘Parque Periurbano de Castala’ (Castala Periurban Park).
Every year, more and more visitors come to enjoy the park and the improvements that have taken place fully justify its protected status. Positive comments on the area and its facilities are abundant and improvements have been undertaken, such as access roads and internal tracks. Others also being enjoyed are a new summer swimming pool with changing rooms and toilets, the restoration of the BBQ and catering areas with new picnic tables and benches, the construction and remodelling of the sports areas and the children’s play areas and equipment, the installation of natural wood handrails along many of the walkways, a camping site and the general cleanliness and improvement of the site as a whole.
This relationship between nature and recreation, buoyed by the natural and man made facilities allows everyone looking to pass the day outdoors, in a pleasant environment, exactly what they are looking for. Not forgetting those more adventurous types who may also take part in the more strenuous activities such as hiking, cycling and paragliding.

Photo. Castala Recreation Park [To extend]

For those looking for pure nature, their needs are also catered for. There are two routes / paths that may be followed from which an amazing panoramic view of the province can be achieved, coupled with multitudes of vegetation typical to a Mediterranean forest, emphasising the real exclusivity of this area in the ´Sierra de Gádor’.