La Alcarria


The Alcarria is a natural region in Castille. It is located mainly in Guadalajara Province but also overlaps those of Cuenca and Madrid. Its principal attractions are its fauna and flora and it is noted for its honey and a special breed of lamb.
The most notable towns in the region are: Almonacid de Zorita, Brihuega, Cifuentes, Guadalajara, Illana, Priego, Jadraque, Mondéjar, Pastrana, Sacedón, Trillo and Villalba del Rey.
The region figures prominently in the travel book Viaje a la Alcarria by Camilo José Cela.

Geography

La Alcarria is a kind of plateau brought out by the rising of the Sistema Ibérico. The strata that form this plateau are smoothly undulating. Limestones and gypsum are common because of its origins below the sea surface. Is precisely, the name of Entrepeñas the one that represents the character of all the area, since River Tagus forms there a beautiful canyon close to Sacedón, where that dam is.
The upper level of the plateau of La Alcarria is quite uniform as can be seen in the photo, although it descends softly from north to south. In this image you can also see the sudden valley to the right made by the valley of the River Guadiela.