In the province of Burgos there is a green space that is composed of such perfectly structured and organised natural areas and species you would think it was actually a well-designed, modern city.
San Zadornil, the forest of forests, has brought this region into the spotlight, not just thanks to its natural beauty, but also the location and physical structure of its landscape.
Holm oaks, beech, buxus, and sequoias give shape to the green, creating a metropolis that has adopted the official title of the New York of Forests. This biodiverse space feeds the microclimate around Las Merindades, including the emblematic trees that live there. These 14 species represent the main forestal tree types of the Iberian Peninsula.
It’s the perfect place to visit on foot, by horse, or an electric bike, following the natural trails. It’s an ode to the urban within a rural ecosystem that never sleeps. This woodland meets all the cosmopolitan requirements of the world’s greatest cities, with neighbourhoods, streets, and squares that make a visit to San Zadornil a well organised and comfortable trip for any visitor.
Thanks to the vast variety of tree species it contains, visiting San Zadornil is like taking a walk through the most spectacular landscapes of Spain. Chestnuts, strawberry trees, and pines welcome visitors, living in harmony with the giant sequoias and Alpine conifers that grow in so-called “Foreign Town”.
A forest of forests laid out in streets and squares
It really seems as if this natural paradise was laid out like a city; each neighbourhood has its own personality. In the exclusive “BeechVille”, clay soils permit a characteristic luxuriance that fills an otherwise dark area in the highest neighbourhood of San Zadornil. The polar opposite is “Oak Park”, an area of poor soil where junipers, Montpellier maples, and a small patch of beech woodland thrive.
In “PineLand”, resinous pines enjoy sandy, dry soils. They’re joined by oaks and maples. In our final neighbourhood, “The Chestnuts”, these centenary trees have made themselves at home. You’ll also find chestnuts in the woods just outside San Zadornil.
This mosaic of forestal culture, a fragment of the Montes Obarenes-San Zadornil Natural Park, is very well signposted, another factor that invites tourists to spend some time in public spaces that are perfect for rest and relaxation.
Breath-taking natural pathways
Avenues perfect for electric bikes, streets ideal for traversing on foot or on horseback, and many tiny ancient pathways all lead to the furthest corners of this green city. The paths that end in breath-taking natural squares are the real connectors of this urban forest.
“El Casumbo” is the most Atlantic area of this metropolis. It’s a place full of mysticism, with moss and lichen-lined trees and a soft light that bathes the area in a special mystery. “Los Barrerones” is a pine-filled natural square lined with buxus undergrowth that is undoubtedly the natural focal point of the area. El Refugio del Boj is the most emblematic spot in the square, and it can be reached via Villafría de San Zadornil.
San Zadornil’s most cosmopolitan point is found in Membrulle, an ideal place to take a rest. The gentle incline here is perfect for lying back and appreciating the natural beauty that surrounds you and thinking of its ancient, templar past. The square at Ampo, meanwhile, stands out as an area full of contrasts. It’s watered by a stream of the same name and shaded by the pines and holly that grow on its banks.
For those who’ve come to look for hideaways, “Los Barrucales” is a point hidden inside the “Pinaster” zone that’s worth a stop. Here, the smell of resin permeates the air and you’ll be able to see the sequoias in La Resilla, planted in 1960 but well adapted to a landscape that’s very different from its place of origin. La Resilla is located inside “Foreign Town” and is the perfect place to admire the uniqueness of this specific ecosystem.
San Zadornil is a green oasis, a reflection of a genuine city that has refined itself over the years and never fails to surprise visitors and researchers alike. It’s perfect at any time of the year and now, at the end of winter, is an ideal time for viewing the snowy peaks that surround this natural city from the park’s panoramic viewing point.
