Lagunas de Ruidera Nature Reserve

Location

The lagoons are situated in the provinces of Ciudad Real and Albacete, in Campo de Montiel, on the high course of the River Guadiana.

Climate

The area has a Mediterranean-type climate, distinguished for stark temperature contrasts, with a maximum temperature of 43º C and a minimum temperature of -13º C, and an average annual temperature close to 14º C, with July being the warmest month and January the coldest. Total rainfall is low, at around 400mm per year. The inter-annual variation is to be highlighted, and there are long drought periods. Rainfall occurs mostly in spring and in winter although the rainfall regime is quite irregular.

The Lagunas de Ruidera Nature Reserve is located in the Alto Valle del Río Guadiana (High River Guadiana Valley) and it marks the border between Ciudad Real and Albacete.

It comprises a network of 15 lagoons, distinguished for waterfalls connecting one lagoon to another over 25 kilometres.

The slope between the first lagoon, called La Blanca, and the last lagoon called La Cenagosa, is 120 metres.

It is considered one of the most interesting and beautiful natural wetland spaces in the Iberian Peninsula.

Surface

3772 ha

Information on visits

*From Ciudad Real or Madrid:
Travel to Manzanares via the N-IV and take the N-430 road past Membrilla, La Solana, Alambra and Ruidera.
*From Albacete:
Take the N-430 travelling through Barrax, Munera, Sotuélamos, Ossa de Montiel and Ruidera.

Legislation

Royal Decree 2610/1979, of June 13, on the declaration of the Lagunas de Ruidera and surrounding areas Nature Reserve.

Other data

Lagunas de Ruidera Nature Reserve Visitors Reception Centre.
Avda. Castilla-La Mancha, s/n. Ruidera. Phone: 92652816.

How to get there

Road transport