Fuente de piedra
Trail photos
Author
Trail stats
- Distance
- 11.41 mi
- Elevation gain
- 236 ft
- Technical difficulty
- Easy
- Elevation loss
- 253 ft
- Max elevation
- 1,444 ft
- TrailRank
- 32
- Min elevation
- 1,319 ft
- Trail type
- Loop
- Coordinates
- 100
- Uploaded
- February 28, 2011
near Fuente de Piedra, Andalucía (España)
Viewed 2320 times, downloaded 63 times
Trail photos
Itinerary description
It is located 19km from Antequera in the north of Malaga province and covers 8,543ha. In 1988 it was declared a zone of special interest for birds (ZEPA). It is a famous beautiful lagoon. The largest natural lake in the Iberian Peninsula at 2.5km wide and 6.5km long, it is a haven for birds with over 170 different species recorded here.
Apart from its abundant aquatic birds, it is well known for its flamingo population, the second largest colony of these birds in Europe after the French Camargue region and the only inland site on the continent where they breed. In spring flamingos flock here in their thousands to reproduce, attracted by the water's high salt content and the fact that it is shallow.
During Roman times, salt was extracted here and flamingos were hunted for their tongues, considered to be a delicacy. In the early 19th century people believed that the lake water had medicinal qualities, so the Laguna de Fuente de Piedra was not allowed to dry out completely, unlike other wetland areas in Spain. In the 1930s a salt company that owned the lake undertook a campaign to reduce the flamingo population, which was threatening their salt production. Luckily, the lake's ecological value was publicised and it became a magnet for birdwatchers and naturalists.
Apart from its abundant aquatic birds, it is well known for its flamingo population, the second largest colony of these birds in Europe after the French Camargue region and the only inland site on the continent where they breed. In spring flamingos flock here in their thousands to reproduce, attracted by the water's high salt content and the fact that it is shallow.
During Roman times, salt was extracted here and flamingos were hunted for their tongues, considered to be a delicacy. In the early 19th century people believed that the lake water had medicinal qualities, so the Laguna de Fuente de Piedra was not allowed to dry out completely, unlike other wetland areas in Spain. In the 1930s a salt company that owned the lake undertook a campaign to reduce the flamingo population, which was threatening their salt production. Luckily, the lake's ecological value was publicised and it became a magnet for birdwatchers and naturalists.
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