Javea Natural Parks Costa Blanca Javea Spain

Javea Natural Parks

Javea

The Montgó Natural Park

Montgó rises above the towns of Javea and Denia. This imposing promontory, which lies almost parallel to the coast, has a highest point of 753 metres and is only a few hundred metres from the coastline with which it is connected by a plain known as "Les Planes", sloping gently down to the Cape of Sant Antoni. It covers 825 hectares.

REPRESENTITIVE ECOSYSTEMS. Biocenosis. The reasons which justified the declaration of Montgó as a Natural Park are not human and physical, but rather basic and fundamentally, environmental and botanical causes. This is a natural area which harbours a great wealth of flora. Over 600 species, among which some unique in their genus, complete the floral catalogue.

The diversity that characterises the environmental factors present in the Natural Park allows us to identify different types of scenery where we can find distinct plant communities described bellow:

VEGETATION

On the summit of Montgó with its imposing landscape we can find red lavender and Kermes oak. These take over from the communities of holm oak which dominate the more protected areas with deeper soil.

On the cliffs of the Cape of Sant Antoni, the vegetation is characterised by plants adapted to growing in the fissures, cracks and sherves of the cliff, and able to withstand the contact with salt water to a certain extent. In the areas closest to the sea, where the contact with salt water is strongest, Marine Fennel and the everlasting flower "Helichrysum decumbens" can be found. As we move away from the sea and the salinity decreases the valencian rock violet appears and cave scabius on the steeper slopes. On leveller ground, interesting diannic endemic plants can be found (the town of Denia takes its name from the cult to the roman goddess Diana) such as the valencian rock violet and also "diannic pitiusic" vegetation (in reference to the nearby archipelago Pitiusas) such as rock thistle and valerian.

On the plain, as on the hillside, lavender and Kermes oak grow mingled with repopulated aleppo or carrasco pine and vegetation typical of unirrigated land.
Shady cliffs, with their humidity level, isolation and inaccessibility encourage the growth of endemic plants such as valencian rock violet, Cave Scabius, Sanguisorba ancistroides, and Sarcocapnos saetabensis. On wider shelves, a community of "Black Sabina" and Chamaerops humilis has developed. In areas exposed to the sun, various communities of species adapted to high temperatures and scarce humidity levels are located, such as Chaenorrhinum crassifolium and Teucrium hifacense.

FAUNA

The fauna present in the Natural Park is closely linked to the scenery and the vegetation which has developed there. In the higher areas the patiamarilla gull nests and the Audouin gull hibernates along with many other birds. In the cliffs and rocks, ravens and predators are located. We can notice the nests of the perdicera eagle and the presence of a couple of royal owls. In the areas of red lavendar, many animals can be seen such as the dormouse, the country rat, rabbits, badger, gineta, fox and weasel. Due to the more or less permanent shortage of places to collect water, the least frequent vertebrates are amphibians, among which we can highlight the common toad and the corridor toad (Bufo Calamita). Reptiles are more frequent, such as the common small lizard, the ocelad lizard, the horseshoe snake, etc. Standing out in this group is the presence of the Iberian "eslizón". Within the group of invertebrate species, we can notice a great wealth of gasteropedes communities and insects.

BASIC LEGISLATION

Law 5/88 of June 24th, of the Generalitat Valenciana, by which natural areas of the Land of Valencia are regulated.

Decree 25/87 of March 16th, of the Consell of the Generalitat Valenciana: declaration of the Montgó as a Natural Park. Modified by the ordinance 110/92

DATE OF DECLARATION AS A NATURAL PARK: 16th of March 1987

REMEMBER: The Montgó is a protected area. To contribute to its conservation, please visit in small groups, make the least noise possible, do not leave the pathways, respect the animals and plants and do not drop litter or other traces of your visit.

Portitxol Bay

Portitxol bay is limited by the St. Martin or "Prim" Cape to the north and the Cabo Negro to the south, that protect it from the winds.The coast that forms this bay, together with the island of portitxol, is one of the places with the most ecological and landscaping interest of Javea.

Its particular physiognomy is determined by the geological composition of the bay. Its north side is mainly marl and clay, making a big contrast with the rest of Javea`s coast of calcareous rocks.Marl and clay being easilly erosionable, are the reason why Portitxol cliffs do not have a big height, and present all along the coast line a big ammount of loosen blocks of rocks. The colouring of the cliffs with yellow and grey shades contrast with the deep blue of the sea and create a landscape of great beauty.

Due to the clay composition of this ground there are plant communities that contrast with those in the areas adjacent to the bay. In this area the vegetation is mainly bushes and shrubs such as Bayon (Osyris quadripartita), Albaida (Anthylis cytisoides), Honeysuckle (Lonicera Implexa), Coronilla (Coronilla juncea) and the Brezo (Erika multiflora), and the aromatic plants like Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), and the Lavander (Lavandula dentata). There are also indigenous plants like Cheirolophus lagunae, exclusive of this part of the coast, the Jaramago (Diplotaxis ibicensis) which we find at Portitxol and the Balearic Islands, and the "Limonios"(Limonium scopulorum and rigualii), which are found Only on the north coast of Alicante. Given the importance of this area`s Vegetation, the Government of Valencia established in May 1.999 two f loral microreserves at Cape St. Martin and portitxol beach.

At the south end of the bay the landscape changes again due to the clay composition of the ground of Cape Negro, which has imponent vertical walls to the sea and where you can find lots of caves and submarine cracks. From the beach of Portitxol or Barraca the view is dominated by the Island of Portitxol, situated a few metres of the coast.At this pebbles and rocks beach its possible to view marine communities of great ecological value, like that of seaweed Cystoseira mediterranea, which indicates the good quality of the water.

The Granadella Cove

The Granadella Cove, situated at the south of Javea`s municipal term, is one of the most beautiful of the town. The cove with quiet and clear waters has pebbles and rocks brought down by the Granadella ravine that flows into it.

From the beach there is an easy access to the cliffs that protect it and from where you can find the most impressive view of the coast. To the right of the cove is the "Morro del Castell" with the remains of the castle of Granadella. This fortification for the defence of the pirate attacks was raised at the begining of the XVII century at the same place that used to be an old watch-tower dated on the XV century.The castle that had a cistern to collect water from the rain was destroyed by the english troops during the Independence War. From this point its possible to see a small bay that ends up at the "Isla del Descubridor" (Discoverer Island). Over this cliff is the "Ambolo or Discoverer tower", another of the towers for the protection and defence of the coast. This buildings have been declared of cultural interest!

The vegetation in this area is mainly Quercus coccifera , Chamaerops humilis, Pistacia lentiscus, Cistus albidus , Cistus monspeliensis, Erica multiflora, and several aromatic plants such as Rosemary, Thyme , and lavender. At the cliffs around the cove its possible to find several kind of interesting plants like Fennel (Chrithmum maritimum), always near the edge, the Sedum sediforme, locally called "Uña de gato" (Cat`s nail!) and the Rock scabious (Pseudoscabiosa saxatilis) endemic of the north coast of Alicante.