El Torcal is a truly amazing place and whilst walking amongst the
limestone outcrops you could be on the moon!!
The story of the strange rocks capes - the Sierra del Torcal -
began two hundred million years ago when much of the world was
ocean and, in this small corner of Spain, the landscape began to
change. Violent movements in the earth's crust forced the seabed
upwards into strange plate-like rock formation soaring 1,300 meters
upwards. As winter followed winter, the wind and rain of centuries
chiselled away at these glacial limestone cliffs, carving them into
fabulous shapes, some resembling Gothic castles, other mythological
beasts.
La Sierra del Torcal is the most geographically arresting of all
Spain's national parks, containing within its 17 square kilometres
some of the most stunning natural limestone formations in Europe.
Dusted with snow in winter, the spring and autumn rains provoke an
annual explosion of colourful plant life and the fertile clay soil
is pinpointed with lilies, vivid red peonies and 30 varieties of
orchid intertwined with hawthorn, ivy and wild pink and yellow rose
bushes.
Eagles and griffin vultures circle above El Torcal´s fairytale
pinnacles; badgers, polecats and weasels burrow in the undergrowth;
lizards and snakes bask in the noonday sun on smooth slabs of rock
stacked like dinner plates.
To log this Earthcache as a find post a picture of yourself and
your gps at the posted coords and find the answers to these
questions then mail me the answers.
- In geological terms what is this type of landscape
called?
- There is something special about the roof of the new
information center,what is it?
- From the information on your GPS unit, how high are you in
meters?
- Which year was El Torcal made a national park?