It is possibly the Muslim castle referred to in the 1243 delimitation between the episcopal headquarters of Baeza and the Archbishop of Toledo. Known as Ullurauam. In a territory between the Jandulilla River and the Guadiana Minor River, which would be identified as Larva. It is located near the current population of Larva, on a well-ridden hill, with a polygonal plant and two enclosures. Its construction is of tapial alternating with masonry. It keeps its perimeter walled and several towers. Then, because of the border situation and the demographic vacuum, this castle would run the same destination as that of Cabra, abandoned in a neutral area. Roman remains have also been found as a tegola.

It is a very developed lapiaz with very good exposure, carved on limestone of the upper Jurassic. Stratification has a small dipping, and topography in this sector adapts to the stratification surface, generating a landscape of great beauty.

Source: Inventory of Georresources of Andalusia. Environmental Council. Junta de Andalusia.

It has an area of 65 hectares, as well as an additional protection area around it of 220 hectares.

Laguna Honda is a humid, endemic area that is flooded with the first rains of autumn and remains as such until spring, with a small river mass, making it a seasonal lagoon although a small stream, which comes from the Sierra de Orbes, provides water flow.

This lagoon has a high saline content, caused by the materials of the substrate as well as the washing of adjacent land.

Vegetation

The area is surrounded by agricultural land of rainforest olive trees, highlighting its perilagunar palustre vegetation of eneas (typha dominguensis), carrizos (phragmites australis) and juncos. One of the primitive and still preserved plant varieties in this reserve is tarage.

Fauna

The main species that are located in Laguna Honda are vertebrates, always with a temporary or seasonal character, highlighting the aquatics, such as the hens (gallinula chloropus), easily recognizable because it emits a strong graznada, the common focal (fulica atra), which has the white peak and black plumage or the real anade (anas platyrhnchos), which has a yellow peak and is known as a common duck.

It covers an area of about 206 ha., including the lagoon itself and a protection perimeter of 500 metres.

The vegetation it presents is typical of a wetland, with the presence of eneas (typha domingensis) and carrizos (phagmites australis). As for tree species, the white acacia (populus alba), taray (African tamarix) and strawberry (fraximus angustifolia), even in isolation, is highlighted. The rest of the area is dominated by olive groves.

As for the present fauna, there is a particular interest in the presence of typical wetland birds: common fences (as it grows), spoon duck (as clypeata), common porron (aythya ferina), small zumpullin (tachybaptus rufilollis), cold anade (as strepera), real anade (as platyrhynchos). In spring, many of these species move to their nesting area, remaining only those that do so in this area: storks (himantopus himantopus), the chorlitero chico (charandrius dubius) and the water cock (gallinula chloropus).

There are also the presence of non-aquatic birds, such as the common charcoal (parus major), the common pineapple (coelebs fridge), the capirotated curling (silvia atricapilla), the black head curling (silvia melanocephala), the common myrtle (turdus merula), the common cernícalo (falco tinnunculus), the common mouse (butyo buteo), the calcada eagle and the lagoon (circuls aeruginosus).

The mammals are minor, although the gineta (genetta genetta) and the badger (meles meles) stand out. As for amphibians, the gallipato (pleurodeles waltl), the southern ranite (hyla meridionalis), the San Antón ranite (hyla arborea), the common frog (rana ridibunda) and the common toad (bufo bufo) stand out.

Its importance is increased, as in the case of Laguna Honda, due to the shortage of wet areas in the province. Natural vegetation has been transformed and only remains of perilagunar vegetation remain. The most common species are carrizo, swordsman and tarage. The fauna of this nature reserve of 6.5 hectares of extension, as such, and 39 hectares of protection area, is related to that of the neighbouring Laguna del Conde or Salobral in the province of Córdoba.

Surrounded by olive groves, it has a small natural vegetation of spadaws, reeds and carrizos. Among the aquatic birds, the occasional presence of pink flamingos, storks, royal anades and whistles and red ducks and spoon stands out. As for the terrestrial fauna, the rabbit and the red partridge abound in the area.

Through the Toba passes the path GR 147, so we can travel some sections either in the direction of Santiago de la Espada, or in the direction of the Casicas del Río Segura. You can also gain unforgettable views over the Segura Valley if you go up the forest track of Awake-up.