Next monday April 22nd 2013 is Earth Day. We live at a frantic pace. At times, work and other day to day chores leave us breathless with anxiety. For this reason and a thousand others, we need to disconnect completely and connect with Earth for the sake of our health, even if it just for a short break. “Once a year does no harm”. Travelling is the perfect solution. Spain has many places where you can relax and chill out, and where better to do this than the Canary Islands.
The Pilancones Nature Reserve is a must. It is located in the south of the island of Gran Canaria, in the municipal district of San Bartolomé de Tirajana: it borders in the north with the Parque rural del Nublo natural park and to the east with the protected area of Fataga. It is easy to reach once you arrive in Gran Canaria (it is 100 km. from the airport): take the road to Barranco de la Fagata (GC60), which is the one linking Maspalomas to San Bartolomé.
Logically, Pilancones is famous for its natural surroundings, its flora and its fauna and the opportunities it affords to go hiking.
Located in one of the oldest parts of the island, it is surrounded by huge gullies with many streams and brooks. The Pinus canariensis (Canary Island pine) covers the highest parts of the park and many different bushes can be found on the lower slopes: aeonium, lotus holosericus, sonchus auculis, broom, descuriania, euphorbia or adenocarpus(as beautiful as they are rare). Birds complete this idyllic scene. Many of the species that live here are native to the island and are in danger of extinction. Today there are at least ten different species although the most common – and these can even be seen in the city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria – is the Blue Tit. Other species are: Pigeon, Swift, Lesser Kestrel, Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Canary, Turtle dove, Bethelot’s Pipit and Great Spotted Woodpecker. The latter is perhaps the most important subspecies together with the Blue Chaffinch, as these two are endemic to Gran Canaria.
There can be no doubt that this mismash of trees, birds, gullies and streams makes up an amazing natural backdrop, where you are sure to recharge your batteries and forget the stress of daily routine, where you can remember what it is like to breathe fresh air, and wander free as a bird while the day is long …
The hotel BlueBay Beach Club can be the icing on the cake. Why not have a lovely relaxing holiday in Gran Canaria and make it one you will never forget.
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