The Tobar Lagoons, located between the towns of Beteta and Masegosa, offer a natural setting of great scenic beauty and environmental richness. The Laguna Grande, the Laguna Pequeña and the Laguna Ciega form a unique group due to their geological characteristics and floristic diversity.
The Laguna Grande, the one with the largest surface area and depth, is notable for a peculiarity that is rare in Spanish wetlands, which gives it a high ecological and scientific value. This lagoon has an unusual phenomenon of meromixis, where two layers of water, one fresh and the other salty, remain unmixed due to their different densities. The upper layer is fed by the Arroyo del Masegar and nearby springs, while the lower layer has salt water, the result of subway filtrations rich in sodium chloride, with a salt concentration that can reach three times that of the sea.
These lagoons were formed thousands of years ago by the dissolution of limestone rock, and today are a refuge for numerous species of birds, as well as unique flora, such as the white water lily, which covers the shores with a blanket of white flowers in early summer when flowering takes place.
The lagoons of El Tobar are easily accessible through marked trails, ideal for hiking, photography and waterfowl watching. This walk offers you the opportunity to discover one of the best kept secrets of the province of Cuenca, with natural viewpoints and ideal areas for the contemplation of the spectacular karst landscape.
