This wood of holly bushes and trees lies in the heart of the northern Central Sierra, in the Montes Claros mountain range in the municipality of Arévalo de la Sierra (province of Soria). It is an extremely dense forest mass, made up almost entirely of holly trees (Ilex aquifolium), a protected species.

Autumn brings a riot of colour to this area ’ shades of red, ochre, yellow and orange interspersed between the shiny green leaves of the holly tree that stands out from other species of trees and bushes.

The area provides shelter for a number of important species, and in recent years the wildlife in this region has thrived and includes amphibians, reptiles, mammals and birds. The terrain dates back to the Jurassic period, and in most areas visitors will find layers of quartz sandstone interspersed with fine layers of limestone. Large numbers of livestock graze on this land, which impacts on the hillside vegetation. Indeed, the area is rich in natural resources, including pastureland, wood and coal.

Declared

Category: Natural Reserve (406 ha.)

Municipalities in the province of Soria:
  • Arévalo de la Sierra

Visitor Centre

Park House of the Acebal de Garagüeta

The Casa del Acebal Visitor Centre occupies the former schoolmaster’s home in Arévalo de la Sierra. It was designed to highlight the importance of the holly bush in this mountainous area, home to the largest forest mass in the Central System, highlights of which include the Acebal de Garagueta Nature Reserve itself and the Oncala grasslands.

Address: Calle Bajera 3 y 5. Arévalo de la Sierra. 42161 Soria.

Telephone: 650 979 358

Email: cp.acebalgaragueta@patrimonionatural.org

Website: https://patrimonionatural.org/casas-del-parque/casas-del-parque/casa-del-parque-del-acebal-de-garagueta

Show morePark House of the Acebal de Garagüeta

Enviromental Areas

Fauna:
Common frog, San Antonio¿s frog, marbled newt, green lizard, slow worm, lizards and snakes, fox, deer, roe deer, wild boar, rabbit and hare, shrew, partridge, skylark and eagle.
Relief:
The land where the mountain is located belong to the Jurassic period, with alternation of strata of cuarzoareniscas with limestones of low thickness. There are also some rocky or quarries remains of periglacial erosion.
Vegetation:
Holly, elderberry, maples, whitebeams, hawthorns, blackthorns, honeysuckle, ivy.

Route