The Call of the Wild: A Journey to Moncayo

The Moncayo Mountain, a towering sentinel of the Iberian System, beckoned me with its promise of diverse climates and untamed beauty. As someone who has spent years amidst the stark, icy landscapes of the Arctic, the idea of exploring a mountain that harbors climates ranging from arctic to arid was irresistible. My journey began at the Veruela Monastery in Vera de Moncayo, a place steeped in history and tranquility. From there, we embarked on a slow drive through a holm oak and an ancient oak grove, each stop revealing a new layer of the mountain’s rich tapestry.

The air was crisp, carrying with it the scent of pine and earth, a stark contrast to the biting cold of the polar regions I was accustomed to. As we ascended, the landscape transformed, each elevation bringing a new climate, a new ecosystem. It was as if the mountain was a living, breathing entity, each part of it telling a different story. The journey was not just a physical ascent but a journey through time, through the history of the earth itself.

Into the Heart of the Mountain

Leaving the car behind, we ventured into the heart of the Moncayo Nature Reserve. The path led us through a dense forest of Scots pines, their tall, slender forms reaching for the sky. The forest was alive with the sound of birds, their calls echoing through the trees, a symphony of nature that was both foreign and familiar. It reminded me of the silence of the Arctic, where the only sound is the wind and the distant crack of ice.

As we continued, the forest gave way to a beech forest, its canopy a vibrant green, filtering the sunlight into a soft, dappled glow. It was a place of serenity, a stark contrast to the harsh, unforgiving landscapes I had known. Yet, there was a raw beauty here, a reminder that nature, in all its forms, is both beautiful and brutal.

The path took us to almost abandoned summer meadows, a place where time seemed to stand still. It was here that I felt the true power of the mountain, a place where the past and present coexist, where the earth’s history is written in every rock and tree.

The Descent: A Return to Reality

Our journey continued through another pine forest, this time between scree and glacial cirques, natural formations that spoke of the mountain’s ancient past. It was a reminder of the glaciers I had studied, the power of ice to shape the land, to carve out valleys and create new landscapes.

We arrived at the Sanctuary of the Virgin, a place of peace and reflection, before beginning our descent back to the parking lot. The path down was a gentle reminder of the journey we had undertaken, a return to reality after a day spent in the embrace of the mountain.

The Moncayo Mountain Birding experience was a journey unlike any other, a chance to explore a mountain that is a microcosm of the world’s climates. It was a reminder of the beauty and diversity of our planet, a call to explore, to discover, and to protect the natural world. For those who seek adventure, who yearn to explore the unknown, the Moncayo is a place that will capture your heart and imagination.