The Cantabrian Mountains run alongthe north coast of Spain for about 300kilometres. The Picos de Europa lie inthe centre of this range, a dramatic blockof jagged limestone peaks, amongst themTorre de Cerrado, at 2,648 metres, thehighest mountain in northern Spain. Theselittle-known mountains remain an area ofwild natural beauty, rich in bird andplant-life and with many species ofbutterflies, including the ScarceSwallowtail, Apollo, Camberwell Beauty,Gavarnie Blue, and many differentfritillaries, blues and ringlets. Thewhiteness of the limestone is a specialfeature of an area comprised of deepgorges, towering white cliffs andpinnacles, woods and alpine pastures.This holiday is in some ways similar informat to our popular holidays in theFrench and Spanish Pyrenees, but with acharacter all of its own. It is a 2-centreholiday, and we will be based in two verydifferent hotels, one in the small village ofCabrales in the northern Picos, the other inthe delightfully unspoilt and attractivevillage of Espinama, in the southern Picos.Each village is surrounded by meadowsand mountains, a base from which toexplore the countryside, either on foot orby taking our minibus further afield. Apicnic is provided each day giving you achance to sample some of the excellentwines and cheeses from the Picos region!By travelling slightly later in the summer,we will see all those lovely plants we missin the Pyrenees: the English Iris, BrownFoxglove, Yellow Wolfsbane and LizardOrchid being just some of them. Ourexcursions will start along gentle valleyroutes, using ancient tracks trodden byshepherds and woodcutters. Often theyare lined with crumbling stone walls filledwith ferns. We will progress to fabulousmountain views, but the pace of our walkswill allow us plenty of time to enjoy thenatural history of the many habitatsthrough which we pass.The highlight for alpine plant lovers is thetop of the Fuente Dé, reached bycable car. This will take us up 800metres, to a wild area oflimestone scree and pavement.From the top, we will walktowards the Refugio de Aliva.Here, amongst crevices, wemay see Narcissusasturiensis, the showy yellowSaxifraga aretioides,gentians, Teucriumpyrenaicum, Aquilegia discolorand many others including thebeautiful white buttercup,Ranunculus amplexicaulis.ThebirdsofthehighPicosarenolessspectacular. Griffon and Egyptian Vulturesare particularly common, whilst Bootedand Short-toed Eagles soar above thepeaks together with Buzzards,Sparrowhawks, and occasionally HenHarriers. Amongst the high crags it ispossible to see Crag Martins, AlpineAccentors, Snow Finches, Rock Thrushesand, with luck, the elusive Wallcreeper. Wewill also see raptors in the gorges runningthrough the mountains.A delightful valley walk leads to theRefugio de Aliva. En route we pass oldfarm buildings in flower-filled meadows,and on the rocky outcrops we will look forSempervivum cantabricum,Petrocoptisglaucifolia and the Yellow Snapdragon(Antirrhinum braun-blanquetii).The Picos region supports manyinteresting orchids. Along meadows andpathways we may see Ophrys speciessuch as Bee, Insect, Woodcock andSawfly, and also the Man and occasionalTongue Orchid. In damp meadows andalong stream sides there will be a riot ofMarsh Orchids, and perhaps the rareRobust Orchid. The beautiful blueEryngium bourgatii and Dianthusmonspessulanus (the Fringed Pink) andLinum viscosum (Sticky Flax) are common companions for the waysideorchids. We will also explore theheathlands for the beautiful and interestingDaboecia cantabrica (St Daboec's Heath).Extensive mixed woodlands still exist,some of them dominated by the PyreneanOak. We will also visit the beechwoods inthe Andara, a known habitat forCapercaillie and Black Woodpeckers.Other woodland birds may include SpottedFlycatcher, Short-toed Treecreeper,Firecrest and Bonelli's Warbler.On the high mountain slopes we will hopeto see Chamois and, although we areunlikely to see one, we must nonethelesskeep our eyes open for Wolf and BrownBear, which still retain a foothold in thesemountains. The Snow Vole is the smallestmammal we may see, and after rain, theyellow and black Fire Salamanders might appear.This region, fortunately still somewhat lost in time, holds something of interest for everyone. The flowers, butterflies andbirds are outstanding ... and the scenery is exceptional. Canal del TejoEgyptian VultureBee Orchid133Outline itineraryDay 1Fly Santander andtransfer to Cabrales. Day 2/4 Cabrales, northernPicos. Day 5/7Espinama, southernPicos.Day 8 Fly London.AccommodationTwo small, simple but comfortable,mountain hotels, both with privatefacilities. Food and wineAll included in the price.GradingDay walks only. Grade B.FocusBirds, plants and butterflies.LeadersLee Morgan (ornithologist) andAndrew Cleave (botanist).Single room supplement£135. Web quick search: ESP12FRANCEPORTUGALSEVILLEBILBAOSANTANDERPICOSDEEUROPACABRALESESPINAMAMADRIDATLANTICOCEANMEDITERRANEANSEASPAINBook direct on 01962 733051or see page 280 for Booking InformationSpain's Picos de Europa MountainsAn 8-day holiday of birdwatching and botanical walks in the Picos de Europa mountains.Sunday 10th June - Sunday 17th June Cost: £1,195

The Sierra Nevada is a dramatic andimposing mountain range that lies tothe east of the famous old Moorishcity of Granada. The range (the secondhighest in Europe after the Alps) boaststhe two highest mountains in Spain,Mulhacén and Pico Veleta, which tower toover 3,300 metres. Snow-capped for muchof the year, these great peaks are visiblefrom North Africa on a clear day,shimmering in the deep blue, cloudlessAndalusian skies. This is serious mountaincountry, where many an ill-prepared touristhas been lured up to the inhospitablesummits, fooled by the bright sunshineand proximity to the bustling costas a littlemore than an hour to the south. With ahugely impressive flora, some of Spain'sbest birding, access to a wide range ofdifferent habitats and scenery, and with the added bonus of the magnificentAlhambra Palace on the doorstep, this tour has all the ingredients to make amemorable holiday.Our 2-centre week is led by Jorge Garzón,one of Spain's new breed of outstandingEnglish-speaking all-round naturalists, withan exceptional knowledge and passion forhis country's rich natural heritage. WithJorge's help, we will seek out some ofAndalucía's best-kept wildlife secrets andenjoy superb local hospitality and somefine local wine and cuisine. We begin our tour with a 4-night stay inGuadix, a bizarre town in which almost halfthe population live in underground 'cave-houses'. Ever since Moorish times,Andalusians have been fond of livingunderground in order to avoid the summerheat. We will take this opportunity to jointhem, staying in well-appointed andcomfortable old cave-houses. The jaggedochre terrain and the dazzling white-washed chimneys and doors of the cavescontrast dramatically with the peaks of theSierra Nevada, which loom to the south. Ata nearby lagoon we will admire Europe'slargest breeding colony of GreaterFlamingoes, as well as the scarce Gull-billed Tern which also breeds here, and wewill drive up to Puerto de la Ragua tocheck the aromatic Mediterranean shrubsand to look for our first endemic flowers.The Sierra Nevada hosts an impressive2,100 species of vascular plant, a quarterof those recorded in the whole of Spain,amongst them 70 endemics (the highestnumber of any mountain range in Europe)which include such species as Narcissusnevadensis, Sierra Nevada Sandwort(Arenaria nevadensis) and the wormwoodArtemisia granatensis. Europe'ssouthernmost breeding population of CitrilFinch occurs here whilst, nearby, are theZenete plains where Calandra, Short-toed,Crested and Thekla Larks may all befound, together with Black-belliedSandgrouse and Rock Sparrow. Thesuperb birding continues in an area ofopen relict oak woodland, where Hoopoes,Rollers, Bee-eaters and Black Wheatearsall occur, and along the dramatic coastlineof Cabo de Gata, both easily accessiblefrom Guadix. At the latter, coastal lagoonsand saltpans hold Greater Flamingoes,White-headed Duck, Slender-billed andAudouin's Gull plus a range of passageand migrant waders. Returning to Guadix,a wayside stop may also reward us with aTrumpeter Finch.For the second half of our holiday we moveon, up into the mountains where we willbase ourselves in a comfortable hotel inEurope's southernmost ski resort, Solynieve.The many tracks which span out into themountains are well-known to our guide,Jorge, and will allow us ample opportunityfor much gentle exploration on foot. We willbe able to enjoy the rich flora and butterfliesin the high alpine meadows, the naturalhistory of the dense Chestnut forests belowand, time permitting, the warm southernflanks of the Sierra Nevada - the Alpujarras- where magical white-washed villagescling to high ridges, birds of prey soar, andherds of Spanish Ibex graze the high slopes.We will ascend towards the top of PicoVeleta either by 4-wheel drive vehicle or bychairlift. Here, eking out an existence on therocky slopes and in sheltered corries, themost highly prized endemics may be found,amongst them Glacier Toadflax (Linariaglacialis), the pink-coloured violet Violacrassiuscula, the buttercup Ranunculusacetosellifolius boissieri, Nevada Saxifrage(Saxifraga nevadensis) and Alpine RockCress (Arabis alpina). Half an hour's drive away is historicGranada, home of the magnificentAlhambra. This fairy-tale complex ofexquisite palaces and gardens, built by theMoorish rulers of Granada, occupies ahilltop terrace at the south-eastern edge ofthe city. At its centre stands the mightyand impressive Palace of Charles V, anoutstanding example of SpanishRenaissance architecture. The rest of theAlhambra offers a rich concoction ofMoorish and Islamic art and architecture- a fitting finale to a varied and enjoyableweek in Andalucía.Sierra Nevada?????Red-billed ChoughFRANCE PORTUGAL SEVILLE GRANADACADIZ MADRIDATLANTIC OCEAN MEDITERRANEANSEASPAINGUADIXSOLYNIEVESIERRA NEVADA134Call now or visit www.naturetrek.co.uk for your free Trip ItineraryOutline itineraryDay 1Fly Granada; driveGuadix.Day 2/4Daily programme ofnatural history walksand excursions fromGuadix.Day 5/7Sierra Nevada.Day 8Fly London.Accommodation Comfortable old 'cave houses' inGuadix, recently renovated! Acomfortable ski resort hotel in theSierra Nevada. Private facilitiesthroughout.Food All included in the price.GradingGrade A/B. Easy day walks only.Focus Birds, plants and butterflies.LeaderJorge Garzón.Single room supplement£160.Web quick search: ESP07Spain - Granada &the Sierra NevadaAn 8-day holiday to enjoy the birds, plants and butterflies of the alpine summits and desert plains of unexplored Andalucía.Sunday 24th June - Sunday 1st July Cost: £1,295Fritillaria hispanica