Rich in flora and fauna, Mount Santiago, rising up in the far northeast of the province of Burgos, boasts a stunning natural landscape of leafy, shady beech trees that accompany visitors as they make their way along the trail and stretch down to the edge of a rocky amphitheatre formed by the limestone crests and summits of the Salvada mountain range.

Yet the most spectacular sight of all is Nervión Falls. Nestling in a deep, sheltered cranny in the shape of a horse’s tail, the fall rushes down from a height of 300 metres, making this one of the most spectacular falls in western Europe and a sight not to be missed.

The shady beech trees that clad most of Mount Santiago are, together with Nervión Falls, the most outstanding feature of one of the most unique and spectacular landscapes in the Cantabrian Mountains. From the viewpoint at Nervión Falls, next to the site of a former wolves’ den, visitors can admire numerous species of birds of prey in full flight.

Declared

Category: Natural Monument (2,537 ha.)

Municipalities in the province of Burgos:
  • Berberana,
  • Junta de Villalba de Losa

Visitor Centre

Park House 'Monte Santiago'

A series of posters explain the evolution of this area from prehistoric times to the 20th century. Visitors can make their way through a 'beech wood' to a viewpoint offering superb views of the Fuente Santiago sinkhole.

Address: Ctra. BU-556 PK 341,6 a 3 Km. por la pista forestal. Berberana. 09511 Burgos.

Telephone: 947 351 622

Email: cp.montesantiago@patrimonionatural.org

Website: http://www.patrimonionatural.org/casas.php?id_casa=3

Show morePark House 'Monte Santiago'

Enviromental Areas

Fauna:
Abundant copies of griffon vulture, golden eagle, short-toed eagle, peregrine falcon, egyptian vulture, wolf, roe deer, wild boar, squirrel, otter and wildcat. Area of migratory birds.
Relief:
Impressive rocky amphitheatre formed by the limestone crests of Sierra Salvada and from that rush, a cascade of 300 meters, the river Nervión.
Vegetation:
Predominant forest of beech trees. Also grows the Quercus pyrenaica (rebollo), holm oak, yew and hawthorn.

Route