Serra d'Espadà
Encyclopedia
Serra d'Espadà (ˈsɛra ðespaˈða) is a 51 km (32 mi) long mountain range in the Alt Palància, Alt Millars and Plana Baixa
comarcas, Valencian Community
, Spain
. Its highest point is La Ràpita (1,106 m).
Road N-234 winds its way between the Serra d'Espadà and Sierra de Javalambre
reaching the coast at Sagunto
and the Autopista AP-7
.
, a parallel range only 25 Km to the south, the Serra d'Espadà constitutes a defined ecoregion
in the foothills of the Iberian System
that are closest to the Mediterranean Sea
coast. In many areas of the mountainsides olive tree
s are grown. Their olives produce excellent oil
that has been awarded Protected Designation of Origin
(PDO) and has been included by the global Slow Food
movement in the Ark of Taste
international catalogue of heritage foods in danger of extinction. This oil is marketed as Aceite de las Sierras Espadán y Calderona .
forests in these mountains, as well as springs and shady ravines. The Natural Park of the Espadà Range is located in this range. Within this well-kept park there are numerous marked paths for hikers.
Plana Baixa
Plana Baixa is a comarca in the province of Castellón, Valencian Community, Spain.The main source of water for irrigation in the area is the Millars River.- Municipalities :*Aín*Alcúdia de Veo*Alfondeguilla*Almenara*Les Alqueríes*Artana*Betxí...
comarcas, Valencian Community
Valencian Community
The Valencian Community is an autonomous community of Spain located in central and south-eastern Iberian Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Valencia...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. Its highest point is La Ràpita (1,106 m).
Road N-234 winds its way between the Serra d'Espadà and Sierra de Javalambre
Sierra de Javalambre
Sierra de Javalambre is a long mountain range in the Gúdar-Javalambre comarca of Aragon and the Rincón de Ademuz and Serrans comarcas of the Valencian Community, Spain....
reaching the coast at Sagunto
Sagunto
Sagunto or Sagunt is an ancient city in Eastern Spain, in the modern fertile comarca of Camp de Morvedre in the province of Valencia. It is located in a hilly site, c. 30 km north of Valencia, close to the Costa del Azahar on the Mediterranean Sea...
and the Autopista AP-7
Autopista AP-7
The Autopista AP-7 is a Spanish autopista . It is a toll motorway that runs along the Mediterranean coast of Spain.AP-7 has two different sections :...
.
Olive Oil Protected Designation of Origin (PDO)
Together with Serra CalderonaSerra Calderona
Serra Calderona , often referred to as La Calderona is a long mountain range in the Camp de Túria, Horta Nord and Alt Palància comarcas of the Valencian Community, between the provinces of Castelló and Valencia Spain....
, a parallel range only 25 Km to the south, the Serra d'Espadà constitutes a defined ecoregion
Ecoregion
An ecoregion , sometimes called a bioregion, is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than an ecozone and larger than an ecosystem. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of land or water, and contain characteristic, geographically distinct assemblages of natural...
in the foothills of the Iberian System
Sistema Ibérico
The Sistema Ibérico or Iberian System is one of the main systems of mountain ranges in Spain.It is a vast and complex system of mountain chains and massifs located in the central regions of the Iberian Peninsula, but reaching almost the Mediterranean coast in the Land of Valencia in the east.From...
that are closest to the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
coast. In many areas of the mountainsides olive tree
Olive Tree
The Olive Tree was a denomination used for several successive centre-left Italian political coalitions from 1995 to 2007.The historical leader and ideologue of these coalitions was Romano Prodi, Professor of Economics and former leftist Christian Democrat, who invented the name and the symbol of...
s are grown. Their olives produce excellent oil
Olive oil
Olive oil is an oil obtained from the olive , a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin. It is commonly used in cooking, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and soaps and as a fuel for traditional oil lamps...
that has been awarded Protected Designation of Origin
Protected designation of origin
Protected Geographical Status is a legal framework defined in European Union law to protect the names of regional foods. Protected Designation of Origin , Protected Geographical Indication and Traditional Speciality Guaranteed are distinct regimes of geographical indications within the framework...
(PDO) and has been included by the global Slow Food
Slow Food
Slow Food is an international movement founded by Carlo Petrini in 1986. Promoted as an alternative to fast food, it strives to preserve traditional and regional cuisine and encourages farming of plants, seeds and livestock characteristic of the local ecosystem. It was the first established part of...
movement in the Ark of Taste
Ark of Taste
The Ark of Taste is an international catalogue of heritage foods in danger of extinction which is maintained by the global Slow Food movement. The Ark is designed to preserve at-risk foods that are sustainably produced, unique in taste, and part of a distinct ecoregion...
international catalogue of heritage foods in danger of extinction. This oil is marketed as Aceite de las Sierras Espadán y Calderona .
Natural Park of the Espadà Range
There are also Cork OakCork Oak
Quercus suber, commonly called the Cork Oak, is a medium-sized, evergreen oak tree in the section Quercus sect. Cerris. It is the primary source of cork for wine bottle stoppers and other uses, such as cork flooring. It is native to southwest Europe and northwest Africa.It grows to up to 20 m,...
forests in these mountains, as well as springs and shady ravines. The Natural Park of the Espadà Range is located in this range. Within this well-kept park there are numerous marked paths for hikers.