Sierra de Ayllón
Mountain chain of the Iberian Peninsula / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Sierra de Ayllón (Ayllón mountain chain) or Macizo de Ayllón (Ayllón massif) is a mountain chain of the Iberian Peninsula, belonging to the Sistema Central, of which it constitutes one of its easternmost spurs. It is located between the Spanish provinces of Guadalajara, Segovia and Madrid. The mountain chain consists of a natural area protected within the Natura 2000 network as a Site of Community Importance and Special Protection Area for Birds, located in the northwest of the province of Guadalajara in the autonomous community of Castilla-La Mancha. The natural area of Ayllón occupies the Paleozoic massif of the Sierra de Ayllón, in the province of Guadalajara, including the main core whose highest peak is the Pico del Lobo (2269 m), and the Sierras de la Concha (1865 m), Pico Ocejón (2048 m) and Alto Rey (1852 m).
Sierra de Ayllón | |
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Highest point | |
Elevation | 2272m MSL |
Coordinates | 41°10′0.12″N 3°25′59.99″W |
Dimensions | |
Length | 46 km N–S |
Width | 37 km W-E |
Area | 1200 km² approximately |
Geography | |
Country | Spain |
Division | Province of Guadalajara, Community of Madrid, Province of Segovia |
Main rivers | Berbellido, Duratón, Jarama, Jaramillo and Sorbe |
Peaks | Lobo, Cebollera Vieja, Ocejón, Buitrera and Santuy |
Passes | El Cardoso, La Hiruela, La Quesera and Somosierra |
Parent range | Sistema Central |
The Sierra de Ayllón is the eastern end of the Sistema Central, where the bioclimatic level is dominant. Supramediterranean, with notable representations of the oromediterranean level and occasional areas of the cryo-Mediterranean. The massif was raised during the alpine orogeny, having a very broken relief, with steep slopes and a complicated and dense hydrographic system. It borders to the west with the Sierra de Somosierra and the Sierra del Rincón, to the east with the Sierra de Pela and Alto Rey mountain, to the north with the Meseta Norte and to the south with the Campiña de Guadalajara.
From its mountains rise the Jarama and Sorbe rivers, as well as other minor rivers such as the Jaramilla river, Berbellido river, Sonsaz river or del Ermito river. In its valleys grow the southernmost beech forests in Europe —Tejera Negra, La Pedrosa and Montejo beech forests—, without missing in its flora the holm oak, oak and Scotch pine. Among its fauna are wolves, vultures and small mammals. The part of the mountain chain in the province of Guadalajara is located within the Sierra Norte de Guadalajara Natural Park[1] and the Sonsaz Hunting Reserve extends over a large part of its territory.[2]