With the cool morning when the sun has not yet risen above the mountains and after a brief explanation of the biology and status of orchids, we decided to start climbing in search of the three species that we present on this mountain.
In our ascent up the west side of the mountain we visited a colony of the species beekeeper orchids Ophrys speculum , displayed on a rocky hillside. Copies of this colony, appear on both sides of the path of the slope.
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| Ophrys speculum - O. tenthredinifera - O. fusca subsp. lupercalis |
up with us in the singing of a wheatear (Oenanthe hispanica ), fresh from their migratory journey, later, perched on a rock was photographed.
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| wheatear ( Oenanthe hispanica) |
continue our march to the color Minica where we could see the pit maidenhair (Adiantum capillus-veneris ) a fern that grows inside the mine, which can be developed the coolness and humidity of the walls. Out on the mound once extracted from the mine, we stop to see a copy of Verbascum sp. and on the ground a blanket of grape pastor ( Dasyphyllum Sedum album and S. ).
On the ascent to the repeater, we located and photographed the Two other species of orchids were looking for; Ophrys tenthredinifera and O. lupercalis , and a little later we located a colony of wild daffodils (Narcissus dubius ) next to the paved road. To end our tour of the mountain and leaving behind the orchids on the occasion of our climb, we took advantage and decided to go to see the ruins of the castle of Salvatierra.
Today the castle is, almost entirely in ruins, but still can be seen Arabic original structure and some later additions and has been an interesting site to study the Middle Ages in the region of Alto Vinalopó. Conserved elements, stresses the north tower, some stretches of wall, several water storage tanks and numerous cuts in the rock by way of stairs or even rooms. As an interesting curiosity or retains a mancala board game with receptacles drilled into a rock as a bank. 
Salvatierra Castle is a clear example of castle height of Muslim origin. It was built in the late tenth century, in times or pre-taifal Caliphate, and remained in use until the fourteenth century, when it was abandoned in favor of the Atalaya Castle (S. XII), more and more appropriate for applications from that time. The latest news that have appeared over the castle of Salvatierra mention military use in support of the Castle of La Atalaya during the siege to it in 1707. In the old fort and its environs have found remains of the Bronze Age (III millennium BC) of the Ibero-Roman, medieval, modern and contemporary. Around the same performed cuts abound in the rock, ancient home and a cistern that collects rainwater from the southern slope. A little further down, towards the town Villena was the former chapel of San Cristobal, also built on Islamic structures. So Salvatierra Castle and its surroundings are certainly an area of \u200b\u200barchaeological value that can be considered the predecessor of the current Villena. Despite being listed as a Cultural and have been studied from different angles by various researchers (Jose Maria Soler, Fernando Tendero and José Vicente Arnedo, among others), the site is completely abandoned, in a state of progressive deterioration and unfortunately, little news to hear about it often refer to the plundering and occasionally suffers irreparably damaged information still hidden under unexcavated strata. It is therefore necessary and very urgent recovery and revaluation to curb degradation and to enjoy and understand the enormous historical and cultural value.
In our raid and visit the ruins of the castle, we noticed the presence of some Artemisia dramatically displayed in the castle of Salvatierra and its surrounding hillsides and are not typical mountain pastures that characterizes this part of the saw.
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| Artemisia barrelieri |
Copies of Artemisia barrelieri , are plants that grow in soils gypsophilous and vacant lots, and in Villena can locate all the typical areas of plaster, covered the heads and nodded, rubial place of the virtues, mainly polovar and shakers.
We soon realized that the construction of walls and ramparts of the castle, we used a mixture of ground gypsum and ground to set the stones that make up these walls. The raw material to make the adhesive come from areas of casts of the term of Villena. And here in this raw material where sagebrush seeds would come that day, 1,000 years later, continue to colonize the Castillo de Salvatierra, a living record of the old Middle Ages.
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