Inglés - PN Marjal de Pego - Oliva

Healthy Itinerary
Muntanyeta Verda Route

Do this itinerary as a healthy practice, where you can connect with nature.

It is a circular route of low difficulty that surrounds the Muntanyeta Verda.Take the path on your right. You will start the route walking along the banks of the river Salinar, you will cross a small bridge until you reach the footbridge that crosses the Lluent del Salinar. Continue your way until you reach the Bullent river in the beautiful area known as the Blau del Calapatar. Finally you will finish bordering the Muntanyeta Verda to reach this same starting point.

On this walk you will discover that water is very present. It is the heart and soul of the Marjal de Pego-Oliva Natural Park. Being in contact with nature benefits our health and quality of life. That is why we want to propose you this walk to enjoy and feel nature. From this moment on, pay full attention to your senses and connect with the environment around you, so the experience will be more beneficial.

Breathe deeply and feel. 
*Access to the Muntanyeta Verda may be closed or restricted due to the management needs of the natural park.

Healthy activity proposal:
Feel free to start the route at your own pace and enjoy the stops that seduce you. But before starting the itinerary, find a quiet, calm place and invest a few minutes to forget about the outside world. Leave behind the worries of everyday life. Prepare yourself for this inner experience with nature. Be aware of your breath and transport yourself to the present moment. How do you feel here and now?

Sign: Health Benefits of Nature

Health is not just the absence of disease, but it is a complete state of physical, mental and social well-being.  Being surrounded by nature helps to combat stress, anxiety or insomnia. It helps us to improve mentally, emotionally and spiritually, by increasing our mood and sense of vitality.

There are studies that show that being in wooded areas improves our physical condition, as it favours the production of NK cells (Natural Killers), which are part of our immune system. It is believed that the cause of this interaction of the human body is due to the volatile compounds released by trees.

The therapeutic effect of natural spaces is already recommended in some medical approaches around the world. In Spain, there are some initiatives where the prescription of nature is a reality, and some patients are prescribed a greater interconnection with green spaces as a preventive measure or complementary therapy.

Healthy activity proposal:
Close your eyes and lean firmly on the ground you walk on, lower your heart rate, pay attention to the different parts of your body, feel the symphony of nature, the swaying of leaves and branches in the wind, the speech of water, the buzzing of bees and the songs of birds. Try to identify the sounds that surround you, the marsh is full of them. Can you distinguish natural sounds from artificial ones? Who makes them?

Sign: The marsh and ecosystem services

Biodiversity plays a key role in the proper functioning of ecosystems, which has a direct impact on human well-being.  Wetlands are areas that host a great biodiversity and can be great allies in the face of climate change. Their knowledge and appreciation are essential to facilitate their improvement and conservation. 

Wetlands such as the Marjal de Pego-Oliva Natural Park are indispensable for the innumerable benefits or services they provide to humanity. These spaces regulate extreme weather events, such as floods, mitigate climate change by capturing CO2, clean the air, are a water reserve and purify water, benefit agriculture and livestock, maintain biodiversity...

Furthermore, Protected Natural Spaces play a fundamental role in the preservation of biodiversity. Traditionally, we have visited them for aesthetic, scientific or recreational reasons. And now, we also approach them in search of health and well-being.

Healthy activity proposal:
Look for a living being that arouses your curiosity. It has to be something close to you and not moving too fast. A small insect, which does not fly, would be perfect. Give it your undivided attention for a few minutes and keep an eye on it. Try to find out why it does what it does. When you finish the activity, think about the changes in your body. Perhaps your mood has changed or your senses have been awakened, discovering a world in motion that you barely noticed before.

Sign: Health, territory and tradition.

Traditionally, the resources offered by nature have been used to improve our health or to prevent illnesses. In this territory, the use of plants to deal with the ailments that afflict its inhabitants is well documented. This ethnobotanical knowledge together with traditional oral remedies, considered magical, are still used and form part of popular medicine.

Many wild plants have also been used as part of the edible recipe book, either out of necessity or because they are deeply rooted. The tradition of collecting "weeds" or doing herbetes* is now being revived with the return to the roots of cooking with local products. Although it had been maintained in various dishes of the local gastronomy. 

This Natural Park is full of natural, cultural and intangible values which are important enough to be preserved. Not only for Nature itself, but also because its conservation improves our well-being and strengthens our sense of belonging. To care for and protect Nature is to care for and protect ourselves.

*Remember that it is not allowed to collect plants or animals within the boundaries of the Natural Park.

Healthy activity proposal:
The time has come to leave, but first, take stock of how you feel now: is your mood the same as when you arrived? What do you feel? What did you like the most? Did you enjoy the experience? And last but not least... You could  take advantage of it and have a moment of gratitude for everything that nature has offered us.

And remember:
"In every walk with nature one receives much more than one seeks" - John Muir