Sunrise In Murcia, Sierra de Espuna, Spain. by Marjolein Zijlstra

Diversity of landscape is a short description that absolutely applies to Sierra Espuna with its ravines, rivers, dense pine forests and a true desert.
Some 40 km southwest of the capital Murcia, this is one of Murcia's most beautiful natural parks. Sierra Espuna was declared a protected nature reserve in 1992. It is named after its highest point of 1538 metres and has an area of 17,804 ha. The river Segura meanders through the park. The landscape is characterised by high mountain ranges, lush dense forests, otherworldly gorges, often rugged rivers and beautiful reservoirs. Many species of pine trees grow on the cool slopes and, with its 25,000 ha of hunting grounds, are the lungs of Murcia
In the park are several viewpoints, called miradors in Spain, from where you can admire the natural beauty. There are several recreational areas at Fuente del Hilo with barbecue facilities and 3 camping sites.
On the edge of Sierra Espuña are the Barrancos de Gebas, a spectacular, otherworldly desert landscape with gorges and ravines. The sunrise over the sparse landscape there is amazing. Because it is an area of extremes, an area of survival, many residents have moved away and old houses are left uninhabited, nature is slowly taking them over and the ravages of time will ensure that the buildings blend back more and more into the landscape until eventually they are just a pile of stones in the lunar landscape.