Umbrella Pines, Take #1 – Pinar de la Breña, La Breña y Marismas del Barbate Natural Park, Cádiz Province, Andalucía, Spain

La Breña y Marismas del Barbate Natural Park is a natural park on the coast of the province of Cádiz, Spain. The park includes marine and terrestrial ecosystems. Created in 1989, the Breña y Marismas de Barbate park is Andalucia’s second largest coastal reserve and has one of the most spectacular stretches of rocky cliffs along the Andalucian Atlantic coastline, with stunning views over the sea and to the rocky headland of Cape Trafalgar and its lighthouse. The park includes an major wetland area, the 2,500ha Marismas de Barbate, which was added to the park later, in 1994. It attracts numerous migrating birds, as well as many waders and gulls. The fishing-port of Barbate is on the edge of the park.

An area of the natural park has been planted with pines to control the spread of sand-dunes. The Pinar de la Breña is an extensive densely wooded area that stretches from the cliffs inland, between Barbate and Caños de Meca. The umbrella pines provide shade for a rich variety of Mediterranean wildflowers. Apart from fishing, one of the park’s main natural resources are the pine nuts collected from the Pinar de la Breña.