Luckily for us, Spain is one of the countries with the most natural diversity in Europe. This is due to our orography; but above all to the great variety of climates that exist. Thanks to this we have very unique forests that are worth visiting to get lost in them, since they are authentic natural jewels.

Forests of Spain: The best places to get lost

#5 Irati Jungle

The Irati jungle is one of the best-known forests in Spain. It is located in the province of Navarra, and to get there we have to go to the town of Orbaitzeta.

It is the largest forest in Navarra and one of the best preserved in Europe. It is made up of beech and fir trees and entering it is a journey in time and space. You will feel like you are in the center of Europe.

A very pleasant and simple route is the one that leaves from the Irabia dam parking lot. Once we are there we follow the indications for the SL-NA 54C path. It is a circular route, with a length of 5.5 kilometers and a gradient of just 300 meters.

It initially runs along a path that borders the reservoir and leaves us with some incredible views. Then we enter the mountain to finish along a paved track back to the starting point. In one hour we will have completed the entire route. There are other routes in the area; The one we have left you is short so that you can balance it with others that may interest you.

#4 Ordesa Valley

Ordesa always appears on any list when We talk about nature. The Ordesa National Park is located in the town of Torla, province of Huesca, located in the heart of the Pyrenees.

This Park has a special ecological value due to its alpine part; although curiously, due to the altitude, it is where there are fewer forests. But the lower part is also a paradise of diversity. We can find beech forests, pine forests and oak forests in an excellent state of conservation.

The best-known excursion in the Park is the one that goes along the bottom of the valley to the Circo de Soaso. This route is round trip, it is about 20 kilometers and has a gradient of 500 meters.

The going is a constant climb. In the first section we mix riverside forests with green meadows. Then we passed through a dense beech forest, ending in a last stretch with less vegetation, but with spectacular views of the cirque. We will return along the same path, but this time downhill, so it will surely be easier for us to enjoy the views.

#3 Riano Beech Forests

We now enter the part of the less known forests, but no less impressive for that reason. Riaño is a town located on the Leonese slope of Los Picos de Europa, perhaps the least known part of the National Park. As a curious note, the town of Riaño had to be completely displaced when the dam was built, since it was below the water level.

A very interesting route is the climb to Pico Gilbo. We start at the other end of the Riaño bridge to start walking next to the reservoir, leaving the water on the right. After about 2 kilometers we reach the first intersection and take the path that goes out to the left. From that moment on, the path begins to “surge” upwards until reaching the top with a hard finish.

On the way we will not travel much through its forests, but the views of them are absolutely impressive. It is a route with some difficulty, since in total we will do 10 kilometers with a gradient of 600 meters. Our recommendation is to do it in autumn; The brown tones of the beech and oak groves from above the peak give us a unique snapshot.

#2 Espinaredo riverbank

This Asturian riverside forest, nestled in the Redes Natural Park, is a true gem. To get to it, we have to go to the town of Infiesto and once there take the PI-4 road towards Riofabar.

When we reach the village, we cross it and continue a few kilometers until the end of the road, where we will find the La Pesanca recreational area. I wish all recreational areas were like this, it seems like a fairy tale! With an incredible green tone and its hollow trunks next to the river that invite you to take all kinds of photos.

Once there we begin the route to the Infierno River gorges. It is a route that is done very well in summer, since almost the entire way you go in the shade of hazelnut, oak and ash trees. In total it has 16 kilometers (round trip) through good tracks and accumulates 600 meters of elevation gain.

The routes of hiking through the Redes Natural Park They are highly recommended if you want to be quiet, since you will not find many people.

#1 Fuenfría Valley and Moros River

Now we move away from the south to go to the central part of the peninsula, where we will find pine forests (mainly Scots pine) in an excellent state of conservation. We can reach them from the town of Cercedilla, in Madrid, or from El Espinar, in the province of Segovia.

These forests are the fruit of the first repopulations that were carried out in Spain. The large amount of wood demanded by the capital as fuel caused the forests of the central system to be completely destroyed. This sad circumstance caused floods of water and mud in the capital because the lack of vegetation did not retain the land, which led to the first forestry action repopulating the area.

There are many routes in the territory. Through Cercedilla, we can go to the Las Dehesas recreational area, from where many trails start, being able to do the one that best suits what you are looking for. A recommendation is to go up the Republic Highway to the port of Fuenfría.

On the way up, it is essential to stop at the Mirador de los Poetas and take a break on the slope of the road with 1 kilometer left to go to the top. The views are incredible. On the way down, we recommend taking the variant that descends through the Ducha de los Alemanes and enjoying this small waterfall in the shade of the pine trees.

These are our 5 suggestions, but as we say, they are suggestions. Luckily, we have many forests in Spain in an excellent state of conservation; We will leave for another day some from the south of Spain, such as those from the areas of Grazalema, Cazorla or Sierra Espuña. Let's hope that the fires respect them and we can enjoy them for hundreds of years.