Sierra Bermeja Mountain Range

The name derives of the red color (bermejo) of its rocks. This mountain range of volcanic origin is the highest of all sierras of the Costa del Sol. It is formed of “peridotita” rock which oxidizes and becomes red when it comes in contact with air. The acid soil this kind of rock produces is only supported by a couple of plants and trees. 

One of them is the pinsapo, or Spanish fir (Abies pinsapo), the only fir endemic to Andalucia. These trees of graceful nobility form the Los Reales forest and the forest of Puerto de la Mujer. The pinsapos are true vegetal “dinosaurs” who survived the glaciers which covered Europe thousands of years ago. In Europe you can only see them in the sierra Bermeja, the sierra de Grazalema and in the sierra de las Nieves. With reason a unique species.

The valley of Acedía and Monte del Duque are at the foot of the Sierra Bermeja. In both places you will find a more representative tree of all Mediterranean trees, the cork oak (Quercus suber), easy to distinguish because of the bark which covers the trunk. This bark is called cork and, for example, helps the cork oak to survive forest fires. Also the bark permits us to conserve good wines.