The La Mancha paradise of the Salobralejo lagoon

* The author is part of the community of readers of La Vanguardia.

Oliver Thansan
Oliver Thansan
04 July 2023 Tuesday 16:49
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The La Mancha paradise of the Salobralejo lagoon

* The author is part of the community of readers of La Vanguardia

With temperatures of 35 degrees, walking next to this wetland on July 3 at 1:00 p.m. (even if it is with the Alvia train) is impressive.

La Mancha is always associated with steppe and dry lands, but surprises with relaxing images like this Salobralejo lagoon. Flamingos and ducks cool off here, in this paradise that is part of the Natura 2000 Network.

This Special Conservation Area is home to nearly 200 species of birds, both from aquatic and terrestrial environments, which use them as breeding and resting areas.

The lagoon is oval, about 600 meters long by 300 meters wide. Its typical wetland vegetation attracts dozens of waterfowl. For example, the azulones, the stilts, the avocets, the seagulls and, especially, the flamingos stand out.

A few kilometers from Higueruela in the direction of El Villar de Chinchilla, at the height of the railway station of the Madrid-Alicante-Valencia line, we find the Laguna del Salobralejo. Shallow, its waters are salty.

The best thing is that it is not unique, since it is part of the eastern endorheic area next to the lagoons of La Higuera, Corral Rubio and Pétrola.