El Tablas de Daimiel National Park It is a protected natural space that is made up of wetlands, which receive the same name as the park. This is a protected area that currently makes up one of the most important wetlands in all of Spain, with unique flora and fauna, and is also a place of passage for migratory birds.
All the visits to the Tablas de Daimiel park they are made to be able to see the environment and also those birds. We are going to see everything that can be done in this natural space and also the places that can be visited nearby.
Tablas de Daimiel National Park
The wetlands were declared National Park in 1973. Apparently the richness of the wetland comes from the different types of waters that come together. They join the Guadiana, which is sweet, and the Cigüela, which has saline waters, creating an ideal space for different types of birds. The wetlands are created due to the accumulation of the waters in a flat terrain and also by the confluence of both rivers.
However, this park has created a lot of controversy, since since the sixties there have been problems due to the channeling of the water and its use for the fields. The irrigation systems created to supply the countryside with the few water resources that exist in the zone threatens the Tables of Daimiel for decades. Its worst moment came in 2009, when due to this excessive exploitation of the aquifers, it was given a wake-up call by UNESCO, threatening to withdraw the title of Biosphere Reserve due to degradation. In this way, waters from the Tagus were channeled to maintain the Tablas de Daimiel with sufficient water resources, and the end of the drought period ensured the maintenance of the wetland for the time being.
How to get to the park
This park national is located in Ciudad Real. It is reached mainly by the N-420 highway from Ciudad Real to Puerto Lapice. After eleven kilometers you will reach the Visitor Center. It can also be reached by highway CM-4114 from the municipalities of Malagón and Daimiel. The visit to the park is free and free, although it is necessary to follow some rules, since it is a national park. You cannot make fires, camp or disturb the animals. It is also not possible to collect plants or animals. It is not allowed to bring pets or go off the trail. Hunting and fishing are totally prohibited in space.
What to do in Las Tablas de Daimiel
In Las Tablas de Daimiel you can enjoy a really interesting fauna and flora. There are many birds that only pass through this park during migration. Waterfowl can sometimes be seen in large flocks. Species such as the gray heron or the shoveler can be seen. There are sedentary species such as the marsh harrier. During the routes that take us through wooden paths created to avoid damaging the environment, birds can be observed.
In this national park you can do three routes. The bread island trail is a two-kilometer circular route. In this park there are more than thirty islands and a few of them are covered on this path. On the way through the wooden walkway that takes us along the route, there are several balconies on which it is possible to stop to observe the best places. The trail is so named because the island of bread is the largest of all the routes. The other is the permanent lagoon trail, which is linear and is only half a mile long. This tour takes us to the lagoon, in which various migratory birds can be observed throughout the year. Otters can even be spotted at times. The wide meadow tower trail is linear and measures one and a half kilometers. On this route is the highest place in the park, from which there are better views.
Areas near the park
In the surroundings of the national park you can also see some interesting places. You can visit the Church of Santa Quiteria in Fuente el Fresno. This town is 33 kilometers from Ciudad Real and in it it is possible to see this church, which is an Asset of Cultural Interest. On Villarubia de los Ojos you can visit the Ethnographic Museum It offers information about the history and culture of the area. In Motilla del Azuer there is an archaeological site from the Bronze Age. It is a prehistoric town that can be visited near the Tablas de Daimiel. In the surroundings there is a great heritage and small towns that can be visited on the way to the national park.
