Route of the Salt Marshes of Santa María de Jesús

Details of the Route in Chiclana de la Frontera:
Length: 5 km aprox (roundtrip)
Route: Linear
Difficulty: Easy

Sight-Seeing Highlights:
Etnographic value (salt marshes and old country houses amongst them), beautiful country scenery with great diversity of flora and fauna, and special variety of birdlife.

Beginning of the route:
By following a parallel road along the Iro River that begins right next to the Centenario Bridge VII. It is a dirt road, and along the way, you will find benches to rest on.

Description:
This route passes almost all along a path that borders the Iro River, parallel from East to North East, taking us through the labyrinth of channels that form the Bahía de Cádiz Natural Park. In this way we can, without much effort, see the diversity of fauna and flora that are natives to this environment, without fogetting to appreciate the salt marshes, and salt marsh farmhouses that are dotted along the way.

After situating ourselves at the begnining of our path at the water treatment plant (EDAR El Torno), we will continue along, going straight ahead without turning. On the first part of the path, we will be parallel an artificial lake that is also part of the Municipal Park of Las Albinas del Torno, that is also used for boat races. Until the last third of the road, just before getting to a small bridge on the right-hand-side, we can see the Cañaveral Salt Marsh, and after passing it, the Salt Marsh of Santa Maria de Jesús in which we find the Institute of the Mancomunidad Environmental Agency of the Bay of Cadiz, destined to sport activities, recreation, and environmental education. The itenerary continues another 300 meters in direction towards the rivermouth enclosure of the Iro River that is close to the mouth of the Sancti Petri Channel.

During the first half of our journey, by looking behind us, we will have a good view of the Chiclana´s city center and some of its monuments such as the Chapel of Santa Ana. From the same part of the bridge that crosses the old Iro Riverbed, we can see the Carmen del Bartivas Salt Marsh to the East and the Santa Maria de Jesús Salt Marsh, and its rehabilitated farmhouses. Further to the north, the San José and San Enrique Salt Marshes can be seen, that have characteristic mountains of salt. Also, let us not forget that in the 19th Century, there were 140 salt marshes healthily functioning in the area of the Bay of Cadiz, and today, there are only 13.

Obtaining authorization from IMA (Ministry of the Environment) can be done at the perimeter of the wall of Santa Maria de Jesús Salt Marsh, parallel to the old Iro Riverbed.