Lagunas de Ruidera Natural Park, Natural park in La Mancha, Spain
Lagunas de Ruidera Natural Park forms a natural corridor of fifteen connected water bodies joined by streams and small waterfalls that cross two provinces. Each lake has its own shape and depth, with shallow shores in some places and steeper banks in others.
The area received protected park status in 1979 to safeguard the chain of lakes and their ecological balance. A year later it was recognized as a biosphere reserve, and in 2011 it joined the international Ramsar list of wetlands.
The name Ruidera comes from an old Spanish word for water wheel, pointing to how people once harnessed the flowing water in this region. Local fishermen still use some stretches of the shore with small boats and wooden piers that keep the traditional craft alive.
You can reach the different lakes along national road N430, which runs parallel to the chain and offers several parking areas. The information center in Ruidera town provides maps and tips that help plan individual walks around the water.
Below the surface lies a karst network of natural cavities that creates a drop of around 128 meters (420 feet) between the highest and lowest lake. This underground system feeds the lagoons with spring water and shapes the dynamics of the entire chain.
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