Spain: The Picos de Europa
One of Europe's last true wilderness areas
Big pointy limestone mountains, verdant, flower-bedecked meadows, deep-cut gorges and views to take your breath away. This is the Picos de Europa - the high point of a long mountain range which runs along the north coast of Spain, and one of the last remaining true wilderness areas in Europe.
Here the economy depends on agriculture - not vast swathes of sprayed crops but gentle, old-fashioned farming which blends with the rhythm of nature and the passing of the seasons and which hasn't really changed much in the past 5,000 years. Cattle which have passed the winter in barns in the villages are moved up the mountains in stages, meadows are nurtured by hand and the result is an unspoilt environment where nature thrives. Wild flowers abound, as do the butterflies which delight in them. The enormous variety of habitats - from woodland to meadow, from valley to mountain -provides the naturalist with a wealth of species to find and enjoy. Bird life is also part of the scene: high in the mountains, Alpine Choughs vie for our attention with Snow Finches and Egyptian and Griffon Vultures, while down on the plains Hoopoes, Bee-eaters and Golden Orioles are among the stars of the show.
Our holiday is timed for late spring, when the countryside is bursting into life after the long winter, and is aimed at the all-round naturalist with an emphasis on flowers, butterflies and moths but also with plenty of birding. Among the mammals we'll be watching out for are Wildcats, Pine Martens and Isard (Chamois), with lizards, newts and Midwife Toads also on the agenda.
We will be based at a simple but delightful small hotel in the village of Pesaguero, conveniently located for day visits to several important and diverse sites and with the added bonus of having a swimming pool in which to relax after the day's activities. During the week we'll walk high up in the mountains - there's a splendid cable car to take the pain out of reaching the alpine habitat! - and stroll through water meadows looking for the orchids which are so abundant at this time of year. We'll explore the area where local cheeses are matured in limestone caves, we'll spend time in the distinctive, dry, acid Mediterranean forests and grasslands and, in total contrast to the mountains of the Picos, we'll also drive south to visit the high limestone plateaux of northern Castile where the birds and plant life are completely different.
There are few places in the world so close to Britain and yet so different which offer such a wealth of flowers, butterflies and birds - and don't forget the moths: we'll be looking at them too!
