Las Loras, a region of Castilla y León that deserves to be a UNESCO Geopark

Las Loras photo
We are lucky to live in a country with a great landscape and geographic wealth that we must preserve. Fortunately, many of our natural spaces are included in protection programs at the national and international level. Of course, there are others who have not yet achieved this type of distinction. This is the case of Las Loras , a region located to the east of the Cantabrian Mountains that next year could become part of the UNESCO World Geoparks Network, which already includes 10 territories in our country.

Today in Vuela Viajes we move to this beautiful place that hides a spectacular geological, natural and cultural heritage. Would you like to join us? We assure you that you will not regret it!

Location

The region of Las Loras is a beautiful territory that is made up of 16 municipalities (11 from Burgos and 5 from Palencia), which has its origin in a seabed created 200 million years ago, during the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. Through the centuries, the place has been shaped due to tectonic folding and erosive agents. The surprising thing is that, despite having been inhabited since prehistoric times, human activity has barely transformed the landscape.

Las Loras photo0

Natural and geological heritage

We could define Las Loras as an extensive mountainous territory bordering Cantabria that represents a spectacular display of the earth’s formative processes. In fact, it is a place with a high landscape and geological value, in which you can find deep valleys, stark moors, caves, waterfalls, mountains and slopes of strata. They are wonders of nature spread over four areas of the Natural Spaces Network : the Hoces del Ebro and Rudrón Natural Park, the Las Tuerces Natural Area, the Covalagua Natural Area and the Humada-Peña Amaya SPA. To discover the territory geosendas have been set up that can be traversed with a guide and support materials. In addition, three routes have been prepared and indicated that allow the comfortable visit of the places of greatest geological interest and a guide has been published with the description of these corners.

Las Loras photo1

Beyond the natural heritage

It is important to bear in mind that, beyond the scenic and scientific interest, this region also hides a rich archaeological heritage, being able to find here Palaeolithic sites, dolmens and Neolithic burial mounds. In addition, in Las Loras you can also discover an important architectural and historical heritage, in which there is no shortage of Romanesque churches. To discover these corners, the best thing is to do the Romanesque Routes, the Route of the Pre-Roman Castros, the Route of the Megalithic Sites and the Route of the Rupestrian Hermitages.

Las Loras photo3

UNESCO Geopark Project

With the aim of being able to conserve the territory for the enjoyment of present and future generations and to promote geotourism and responsible development of the place, the UNESCO Geopark Project was born in 2014, which since 2006 has been managed by the Association for the Geological Reserve of Las Loras, which provides legal and leadership support to the project. Fortunately, the work of all these years has paid off and the region is a candidate to be part of the UNESCO Geoparks network. In a few days, two evaluators from the network will visit the place to decide if it will finally enter this select club, a decision that will not be known until spring 2017. Then we leave you with our gallery , where you will find more images of Las Loras. Do not miss it!