Persons with reduced mobility and wheelchair users are now offered the chance to enjoy some of the Natural Parks in the province of Granada thanks to program launched by the Junta de Andalucía.

Once again this yearly autumn campaign, organized by the Junta de Andalucia (autonomous andalusian government), offers all citizens of any age the chance to join guided free of charge visits to natural parks in the province of Granada. For the first time the program includes tours providing outdoors experiences designed to meet special needs of people with reduced mobility and wheelchair users which are carried along through both the Delegación de Medio ambiente and Delegación de Igualdad y Bienestar Social (delegation of Environment and delegation for Equality and Social Welfare).

Visits are usually scheduled on weekends and destinations are the Natural Park of Tejeda, Alhama and Almijara natural environments in Sierra de Baza, Sierra de Castril and Sierra de Huétor : according to the Equality and Social welfare delegate, Rosario Quesada, any special needs disabled visitors may have, will be catered for, including supporting personnel.

Several works were carried out last Summer at " La Resinera " (located at the Natural Park of Tejeda, Alhama and Almijara) in order to adapt the trail "Mirador de la Resinera ". The layout of this trail, about 400 meters long, has been designed looking for the accessibility/usability for the greater possible number of people: throughout the path signals have been set giving clues on some of the more representative vegetal species of the zone. Works, like placing rails, have been made in the viewpoint at the end of the footpath: a panel explaining the impressive panoramic view of the landscape that can be appraised from this point has been placed there.

Visitor Centres in Sierra Castril, Huétor, and Baza, are wheelchair accessible and offer permanent and temporary exhibitions, audio-visuals, scale models, games and information on other facilities associated to them, like Viewpoints, Observatories, Footpaths, Trails and Recreation Areas (picnic spots offering facilities such as picnic tables and bench type seating, barbeque points and running water).

A total of 205 facilities among the 815 available in the Network of Protected Areas in Andalusia are fully accessible at present and a second phase that will end in offering 318 accessible facilities during 2006 is being carried out.

22 Visitors Centres, 60 Recreation Areas, 42 Viewpoints, 20 Trails/footpaths, 19 Observatories, 7 Botanical Gardens, 6 Information Points, five Camping Sites, in addition to 21 other facilities are accessible at present. The challenge of the regional Government for 2007 is to obtain full accessibility in all visitors welcoming points, adapting a minimum of two trails/footpaths by Natural Park and at least 50% of viewpoints, observatories and recreation areas.

Centro de Visitantes Puerto Lobo ( Sierra Huétor ) Visitor Centre
Carretera de Víznar a Puerto Lobo, km 43
18179 Víznar. Granada
Tel./Fax: +34 958 540 426/+34 958 540 426

Centro de Visitantes Castril (Sierra Castril) Visitor Centre
Ctra. de Castril a Pozo Halcón km 0,200
18816 Castril. Granada
Tel./Fax:+34 958 720 059

Centro de Visitantes Narváez (Sierra Baza)Visitor Centre
Autov. A-92 dirección Sevilla - Puerto Lumbreras.
Punto kilométrico 324
18800 Baza. Granada
Tel./Fax:+34 958 002 018/958 002 010

Delegación Provincial para la Igualdad y Bienestar Social
C/Ancha de Gracia, 4-6
18001 - Granada
Tfno: +34 958 024 600 Fax: +34 958 024 694

Consejería de Medio Ambiente
Delegación Provincial de Granada.
Calle Marqués de la Ensenada , 1.
18071 Granada.
Tel.:+34 958 02 60 00. Fax: +34 958 02 60 58.

Rebecca Arce

Back to top