Dylan Wagemans
LOCATED in Cantabria, just 3 kilometres from Cabezon de la Sal, is one of the most impressive natural corners in Spain: a forest with a hiking trail that will leave you stunned.
There, you can find 800 trees that are more than 40 metres tall, and have a diameter of more than two metres.
The trees are giant sequoias that were planted there in the 1940’s, during the Franco dictatorship in a push for reforestation.
The trees were originally intended for industrial purposes, but in the end they were never exploited.
This has allowed them to grow into true giants of the forest, with them becoming like true wonders of nature.
Sequoias are some of the largest and oldest trees on the planet and are native to the western United States, more specifically California.
The hiking trail has a length of just over two kilometres, and it has been adapted to welcome people with disabilities, allowing for a very inclusive visiting experience.
It’s a protected natural space and a bit of a hidden gem for nature lovers, offering a very Californian feel in the middle of Cantabria.
Sequoias need enormous amounts of water, that’s probably why Cantabria, with its wetter and foggier climate than the rest of Spain, was chosen to harbor these trees.
They have a bark that can be up to 30 centimetres thick, protecting them from forest fires.
That’s one of the reasons why some specimens can live up to 2000 years.
