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

The Brown Bear is a rare andendangered species in Spain today.Just 130 animals remain, splitbetween two isolated populations at eitherend of the Cordillera Cantábrica. Here theydwell in the wildest regions, high in thesteepest and most wooded parts of thisspectacular - but little-visited -mountain range. The majority of the Bears,about 100, are to be found in the westernpopulation, 20 of them in the deep valleysand rugged terrain of Somiedo NaturalPark. Established as recently as 1988 (anddeclared a Biosphere Reserve byUNESCO in 2000), this 29,164-hectarepark protects some of the highest andmost scenic peaks and valleys of theregion; a most pleasant mix of dramaticand craggy limestone peaks and cliffs,upland lakes, fast-flowing streams andrivers, magnificent oak and Beech forests,ancient stone-walled upland pastures andhigh alpine meadows, regarded as thebest-preserved montane environment inthe Iberian peninsula. In particular, this richand varied tapestry of habitats not onlysuits the omnivorous Bear, but alsosupports a very large population ofChamois, Roe Deer and Red Deer, theprey of at least four packs of Wolves thatroam elusively through the rugged regionsof the park. We would, of course, beextremely lucky to see a Bear or a Wolf,but we will look hard for them nonethelessas we pursue our main focus - theregion's birdlife, flora, butterflies and othermammals - during our daily walks inthese mountains. It is the human presence, however, thatmakes this region so very special. As ifthe wonderful Asturian architecture of thestone and clay-tiled villages of Somiedo'svalleys - each dwelling with its separate,classically Asturian, stilted storehouse -were not enough, here the residentfarmers continue to practise an age-oldpastoralist lifestyle, maintaining theirtraditional and unique brañas. These areseasonal 'villages' of ancient stone andthatch huts, set in the high pastures, fromwhich the cow-herders manage their herdsof distinctive red Asturian cows eachspring, summer and autumn. The region is also the land of the vaqueiros, acommunity of pastoralists from the coastwho, for centuries, have seasonally driven (more often in a truck these daysthan on foot, as in the past!) their cattlebetween winter pastures on the coast and the high pastures in Somiedo'smountains where they spend eachsummer living in traditional seasonalvaqueirovillages and hold colourful bi-annual livestock fairs. We have chosen to visit in early July sincethis is the season during which the Bearsventure out into the pastures to 'graze' onthe spring grass before they retreat intothe forests to feed on fruit, nuts and otherforest produce. It is also, of course, thebest time of year for settled weather, birdsand for flowers. Amongst the birds, animportant though declining population ofCapercaillie is protected here. Residentbirds of prey include Golden Eagle,Goshawk, Peregrine and Griffon Vultureand these are joined in summer by goodnumbers of Black Kites, Short-toedEagles, Honey Buzzards and EgyptianVultures. Crag Martins, Rock Thrushes,Rock and Ortolan Buntings, and both Red-billed and Alpine Choughs frequent thehigh meadows. Red-backed Shrikes,Subalpine and Melodious Warblers, CirlBuntings and Rock Sparrows may befound at lower levels, whilst BlackWoodpeckers call from the beech forestsand Crested Tits and Crossbills may beheard amongst the coniferous woodlands.Some 1,125 vascular plant species occurin Somiedo, and these include suchregional endemics as Centaurea janerisubsp. babiana,Armeria bigerrensissubsp. legionensis,Saxifraga babianaand,most notably, the very rare SomiedoCentaury (Centaurium somedanum).However, it is likely to be the sheerabundance of flowers along the waysideand in the hay meadows and alpinepastures, and the butterfly and insect-life itsupports, that affords us greatest pleasureat this season.To best enjoy the natural history of thesemountains, we will be based for the weekin one of the larger villages of Somiedoand will spend each day on foot, enjoyinga programme of gentle-paced day walkswhich we traditionally break with adelicious 'al fresco' picnic. In order tostand a chance of seeing a Bear, however,or even a Wolf, we must also put in long(but optional) hours of patient scanningfrom one spot, probably during the earlymornings and late evenings. But, whateverwe see on this holiday, it is the simplemagic of this rich, scenic and timelessregion, lying in a forgotten corner of ruralSpain, that is likely to leave us with ourmost lasting and delightful memories.GriffonVultureElderflower Orchid135Outline itineraryDay 1Fly Asturias and transferto Somiedo NaturalPark. Day 2/7Day walks in theCantabrian Mountains ofthe Somiedo region.Day 8Return Asturias; flyStansted.Accommodation A single-centre holiday using aclean and comfortable village hotel,all rooms with private facilities. Food All included in the price.GradingGrade B. A programme of daywalks, at altitudes between 1,000and 2,000 metres.Focus Birds, plants, mammals, butterfliesand walking - with an optionalemphasis on Bear-spotting! LeadersByron Palacios (ornithologist) andGloria Lana (botanist).Single room supplement£140.Web quick search: ESP10FRANCE PORTUGAL SEVILLE BILBAOASTURIASCANTABRIAN MOUNTAINSSOMIEDOZAMORA MADRID ATLANTIC OCEAN MEDITERRANEAN SEA SPAINBook direct on 01962 733051or see page 280 for Booking InformationSpain's CantabrianMountains - Realm of the BearAn 8-day holiday to the little-known western end of Spain's Cordillera Cantábrica, home to Bears, Wolves and a rich flora and birdlife. We will enjoy this wildlife on mountain walks through the spectacular Somiedo Natural Park.Sunday 1st July - Sunday 8th July Cost: £1,095Cordillera Cantábrica