WHAT TO SEE
Mother Earth offers us her wealth in every corner of Navarre. But it’s not always easy to interpret what she is telling us. For this reason, we would recommend these magnificent Nature Interpretation Centres available in this Community. They are to be found in Roncal, Ocahgavía, Bértiz and Lumbier. They will all help you understand your natural environment. Using photos, interactive games, audio-visual productions, models, actual material (bark from trees, for example), guided excursions, workshops and information panels, you are shown the relationship that exists between the various ecosystems. The objective is clear: to promote a protective attitude towards the environment in the many school children and visitors who go there.
Without going any further, the centre at Bértiz in 1999 received more than 78,000 visitors. Located in the Tenientetxea country house, right in the middle of the estate, this centre carries out activities related to the woods at Bértiz, its fauna and vegetation. It has a very interesting multimedia show. The telephone is 948 59 24 21.
Roncal and Ochagavía, offer coach excursions to the Yesa reservoir, the Gorge at Burgui, the Arbayún Gorge, the Hermitage of Our Lady of Muskilda in Ochagavía or the Fire Station at Navascués. Explanations will be given about the flora and fauna surrounding us, the climate, the scenery and living nature. The opening times vary with the season. It is therefore advisable to phone before hand as follows: Roncal 948 47 53 17 or 948 21 26 86 and Ochagavía 948 89 06 80 or 948 21 26 86.
The most recent Interpretation Centre opened its doors on 15th August 2000 and offers us an excellent opportunity for studying the ecosystem at the Lumber Gorge. Located in the old schools of Lumbier, there are some surprisingly beautiful photos of the Gorge, the surrounding scenery and the birds living there. The phone is 948 88 08 74.
Observatories
Without doubt, one of the greatest ambitions of humanity has been to fly. Even though man has achieved this, we still marvel at how the birds ride the winds. In Navarre, both at the Laguna de Pitillas as well as Viana, we can observe the birds closely through telescopes and binoculars.
The Observatory at the Laguna de Pitillas offers a guided visit and a brief itinerary through the Lagoon. The extensive bird life at Pitillas includes Shovelers, Grebes, Teals, Pochards, Bitterns, Storks, Large Geese, Marsh harriers, bee eaters...
In spring the lagoon is full of chirping, singing and breeding rites. Moreover, if you are attentive, you will come across incredibly complex nests, in an attempt to hide them from the other species searching for eggs as a tasty morsel.
The contact phone is 619 46 34 50.
The Embalse de las Cañas o Embalse del Salobre reservoir at Viana is just 3 kilometres from Logroño.
It was declared a place of International Importance due to its colonies of Night herons, Purple herons, Bitterns and other species. Moreover if is a Special Protection Zone for Birds.
This Nature reserve occupies 100 hectares and is 6 metres deep. Surrounded by lovely flora, willows, reeds, bulrushes, poplars.. it is the most important wetland in terms of the number of nesting birds and the second with regard to the population density.
The observatory of El Bordón lives alongside its birds, the over-wintering species (Coot, Grey heron, Pochards, Shags, Shovelers, Mallards) and the nesting birds (Red crested pochard, Grebes, Little bitterns, Night heron, Egret and Purple Herons).
In winter immense colonies of starlings arrive, as many as one hundred thousand birds.
The phones for Viana are: 948 22 03 66 or 689 70 64 06.
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