Mar Menor from La Manga

 A Mar Menor landscape from La Manga. (Click on image to enlarge)

Definitions:

  -  Mar Menor: a coastal saltwater lagoon in the Iberian Peninsula located south-east of the Autonomous Community of  Region of Murcia, Spain, surrounging by the Municipallities of Cartagena, San Javier, San Pedro, Los Alcázares. Its name is the opposite of the Mediterranean, which is the Mar Mayor (greater/larger sea) of the region. It is the biggest salt lagoon at Europe.

  - La Manga: a sandbar 22 km in length whose width ranges from 100 to 1,200 metres, with Cape Palos in its south-eastern vertex making for the lagoon's roughly triangular shape. La Manga separates Mediterranean sea and Mar Menor.

Here a picture to view Mar menor from satellite.

Astronomical Trail

 Next to the astronomical observatory of Cabezo de la Jara, you can take a hiking route through the entire solar system. A path has been made that simulates the distance between the sun and the different planets of the solar system, which allows us to get an idea of how far some planets can be from each other. In addition, along the route, we can find a solar clock and another lunar clock.

Astronomical Observatory of Cabezo de la Jara

 As commented on previous post, at Puerto Lumbreras (Region of Murcia) there is an astronomical observatory on a place with no light pollution very recommended to watch the stars. It is managing by astronomical asociation of region of Murcia and can be visited with an expert by booking at Tourism office of Puerto Lumbreras on:

 - From October to May, last saturday

 - From July 1st to September 30th, every Wednesday and Saturday

Starlight Astronomical Observatory

 The astronomical observatory of Cabezo de la Jara at Puerto Lumbreras (Region of Murcia) has the qualification of "Starlight", that means "The quality of its night skies and its clean atmosphere guarantee perfect visibility on 90% of summer nights to take advantage of its powerful telescope, both in planetary and deep sky observation". 

Cabezo de la Jara Natural Park

 "Cabezo de la Jara is the highest mountain in the municipality of Puerto Lumbreras (Region of Murcia), with a height of 1,247 meters above sea level. At this point the municipalities of Puerto Lumbreras (Murcia), Vélez Rubio and Huércal-Overa (Almería, Andalusia) concur, to which the Cabezo belongs, in addition to its northeastern quadrant that corresponds to the term of Lorca.

It is a calcareous cap on slate rocks (schists) that is considered a Site of Community Importance (SCI) at the proposal of the Autonomous Community of the Region of Murcia next to the territorial framework of the Rambla de Nogalte, with an extension of environmental protection of 1325 .69 hectares" (From official tourism website of Puerto Lumbreras)

At that place you can find: youth hostel (for  80 people), themed trails (botanical and astronomical), astronomical observatory (to look at the stars), chasms (to do caving), MTB trials.

Nogalte Castle

 Nogalte Castle (Puerto Lumbreras, at Region of Murcia) is a medieval Islamic fortress built around the 13th century. It is located next to the town of Puerto Lumbreras, on a mountainous spur on the southern edge of the Sierra de La Torrecilla. 

Puerto Lumbreras was the frontier of kingdoms (Castilian and Muslim)  during the Middle Ages. 

Cave Houses

 At Nogalte castle hillside, as commented on previous post, there are some cave houses restored. Those cave houses have been museomized and can be visited.

Cuesta de la Pava

 At hillside of Nogalte Castle, at Puerto Lumbreras town, there are a some cave houses those came from XVIII century. Although that hillside was inhabited by troglodytes. There are two ways for accesing. One of them started near to Nogalte castle through the slope of Pava (turkey hen).

Flying Again

 After a long break, now I have the time to be back to publish (almost) every day a picture.

I took that picture at Terra Natura Murcia, at the end of "Birds of Prey" exhibition. Pigeons on full of colour