The beech kingdom

The Sierras of Urbasa and Andía constitute an impressive karstic massif situated at the edge of the province of Álava, to the west of Navarre. It is here that the majority of the rivers and streams that flow through the land of Navarre rise.

The beech grove constitutes the largest area of forest in the park, given that it occupies the great plains of the sierras and the north-facing slopes. For its part, the gall oak grove occupies the southern slopes of Andía, and at the headwaters of the River Urederra oaks, beeches, limes and varied vegetation abounds. The numerous pools and ponds are an ideal place for amphibians such as the salamander, the marbled newt, the natterjack toad and the grass frog. As for the birds, the white-backed woodpecker, the black woodpecker and the short-toed treecreeper stand out. The golden eagle, the vulture, the Eurasian eagle owl, the Egyptian vulture, the peregrine falcon, the yellow-billed chough and the alpine swift nest in the abrupt walls. As for the mammals in the sierras, the wild boar, the genet, the wildcat, the badger and the grey dormouse.