|
 |
|
One of the great attractions
of this Park is its dense forests. This 3500-ha forest of
Pyrenean oak is the largest in Europe and is situated on the
sandy soils of the Izki river basin. It is the home of large
mammals such as wild boars, roebuck and wild cats, as well
as its population of woodpeckers. Izki also contains a number
of gigantic yew trees, the "Aginal", near Apellániz.
This valley is edged by limestone mountains with massive rock
faces such as La Muela, Soila and Arlucea, forming a huge
amphitheatre at the head of the valley. In these mountains,
the nature of the forests changes and the Pyrenean oak is
replaced by the gall-oak on the terraces and by beech woods
in high, shaded areas. Another of the characteristic uses
of Izki is livestock breeding. There are extensive pastures
between the peaks of San Cristóbal and San Justo, where horses
and cows graze all year round.
The only village within the Park is Corres, where there is
an Information Centre. This village conserves most of its
medieval structure and is situated on high ground overlooking
a spectacular ravine. |
|
