There still remain corners of rural Spain,far from the reality of this fast-developing and increasingly urban-dwelling country, that have been forgottenby time, largely abandoned by all but theolder generation, and which are beingreclaimed by a wildlife no longer sopersecuted by man. The Montaña Palentina- the Palentian Mountains - is one suchplace: a wild, unpopulated region of highand chilly ridges, rounded summits,sweeping valleys and magnificentpanoramic vistas extending southwards tothe great plains of Castile and Leon.Nestling in the shadow of northern Spain'sCordillera Cantábrica, not far from thejagged limestone peaks of the Picos deEuropa, the Palentian Mountains aredominated by the majestic Sierra de PeñaLabra, essentially a high mountain ridgeboasting a handful of 2,000-metre summits.The ancient Palentian villages of the regionare largely deserted, with hardly anoccupied house in each. For this reason, sotoo are the Palentian Mountains . left forreclamation by Wolves, Brown Bears, WildBoar, and numerous Chamois, Red Deerand Roe Deer, not to mention a host ofsmaller mammals such as Iberian andBrown Hare, Beech Marten, Pine Marten,Wildcat and the elusive Genet.We will be based in one such village duringthis week-long Spanish-speakingexploration of this little-known mountainwildlife haven, guests of our guide andfriend Tino and his charming wife Rosa,who have sympathetically restored threeterraced farm cottages in a remote andtumbledown hamlet. Tino speaks almost noEnglish, but his clear Spanish and extrovertand bubbly personality make him theperfect travelling companion. Leading thetour with Tino will be our own ByronPalacios. Byron became known toNaturetrek through his expert leadership ofour birding groups in his native Ecuador.Now settled in England with his British wife,Byron has a great rapport with Tino and thispromises to be, above all, a fun week ofwildlife, food and wine that provides theperfect environment in which to practiseand improve your spoken Spanish (althoughByron will use English with you whenstuck!). Situated not far to the north of Aguilar delCampo, the cottages lie on the doorstep ofa truly wild landscape, comprising highmountain ridges rich in alpine flora, jaggedcrags and cliffs, and vast oak and beechforests which support a high percentage ofthe endangered eastern population of theEuropean Brown Bear. Much maligned,these magnificent creatures are notoriouslydifficult to see, roaming elusively over vasttracts of difficult terrain. Nevertheless, wedo stand a chance of a sighting if we put inthe effort at dawn and dusk, when the Bearsare most active. We will be made to feelvery much at home by Tino, who will sharea rich passion for, and knowledge of, thesemountains . as well as regaling us withtales and photographs of his closeencounters with both Bears and Wolves. Interesting mammalian encounters are notreserved, however, for the remote valleys,for our hosts will proudly show us images ofWild Cat and Beech Marten taken by aremote camera not feet away from our frontdoor (and will no doubt demonstrate thispiece of kit during our stay)! The cottages are very much central to ourdaily outings, with the majority of each dayspent on foot, either walking from our base,or in quiet locations accessed by minibus. Arange of habitats can be found in closeproximity, with a full suite of raptors present,including resident Golden Eagles andPeregrines and both Griffon and EgyptianVultures. Black and Middle SpottedWoodpeckers both breed here, the latterpossibly being easier to see in this locationthan throughout much of the rest of itsrange. Another highlight is the Wallcreeperwhich, although probably proving elusive athigh altitudes during this season, drops tothe dam walls of the region's reservoirs atthe onset of colder weather, and can fromthen on be seen quite easily.On one day we will drive further afield toexplore the steppes and plains of themeseta, home to Great Bustard, StoneCurlew and other grassland birds, and alarge (depending on rainfall) reed-fringedlake which supports good numbers ofducks, geese, waders and such interestingpasserines as Penduline Tit andMoustached Warbler. Flexibility will be the key to this tour and,whatever time we arrive back at ourcottages, we can be sure that a heartymeal, freshly prepared by Rosa, will bewaiting for us on our return each day fromthe wilds of this forgotten corner of Europe.It will be hard to leave!Learn Spanish in Wild Spain! - LaMontaña Palentina An 8-day opportunity for aspiring Spanish speakers to improve their Spanish and enjoy the birds,mammals and other wildlife in La Montaña Palentina, a wild and beautiful corner of northern Spain. Thursday 6th September - Thursday 13th September Cost: £1,195Outline itineraryDay 1Fly to Santander; driveAguilar del Campo.Day 2/7Daily programme ofnatural history walksand excursions from ourbase.Day 8Fly London.Accommodation Three old terraced farm cottages,beautifully restored. Food and wineAll included in the price.GradingGrade B. Day walks only.Focus Birds, mammals, other naturalhistory . and speaking Spanish!LeadersByron Palacios and Tino Garcia.Single room supplement£150.Web quick search: ESP22138Call now or visit www.naturetrek.co.uk for your free Trip ItineraryFRANCEPORTUGALSEVILLEBILBAOSANTANDERCORDILLERACANTÁBRICAAGUILARDEL CAMPOMADRIDATLANTICOCEANMEDITERRANEANSEASPAINCuravacas, Montaña PalentinaBlack Woodpecker

By the mid-1960s, centuries of huntinghad decimated Sweden's Wolfpopulation. Just three Wolvesremained, and a ban on Wolf-hunting wasimposed. Recovery was slow, but hastenedfrom the mid-80s to today, when about 250Wolves, in 20 packs, are concentratedparticularly in central southern Sweden. Onthis holiday we will be based right in theheart of the Scandinavian Wolf population,close to Lake Siljan in Dalarna, a region oflakes and snow-covered hills and forestsblessed with a rich cultural heritage andtraditional architecture, craft industries andfolklore. We'll be staying in the charmingvillage of Tällberg, at the famous GreenHotel - a favourite of the king and queenof Sweden, as well as other dignitaries suchas Kofi Annan! The star of our visit, though,will be our friend, tour leader and guide,Anders Ståhl. Anders' gentle nature andlove of wildlife belies his earlier career as anofficer in Sweden's special forces, where helearnt the art of living and survival inextreme conditions. For the past 16 years,however, his passion has been for the Wolfpacks of the Dalarna region, where he lives and has become renowned as a wolf-tracker, conservationist and artist -Sweden's answer to Ray Mears! In hisexpert hands we'll be donning snow shoes(or cross-country skis should you wish) andwarm clothes to explore the still, scenic andsnowy landscape that is home to Wolves,and searching for the tracks and signs leftby all mammals and birds in the snow,under Anders' expert tuition.We will focus on the wild areas to the eastand south of Lake Siljan, Sweden's seventhlargest lake. This region is often referred toas the 'heart of Sweden' as old traditions,architecture, folklore and ways of life stillremain in tact. Small farmsteads and quaintvillages, with their old red-coloured woodenhouses, lie scattered around the lake andalong the River Dalälven. Encircling them,hills (up to 550m), taigaforests, marshlandsand hundreds of lakes enrich the idyllicscenery and make this beautiful landscapeone of Sweden's most sought-afterdestinations for tourists during the summer.In winter though, we, and the Wolves, havethe place largely to ourselves!Our mission is to search for fresh Wolftracks and to learn a little of the activitiesand habits of these iconic mammals. Howmany are there in the pack? What have theybeen doing? What are they hunting? Wherethey are going? Can we find territorialmarkings? In Anders' company, we willlearn much about these Wolves and the artof wolf-tracking. He will also introduce youto many techniques and tips for wintersurvival. Other mammals, too, will not beignored. We will look for the tracks, signs,and perhaps even a sighting of the Wolves'prey - Elk (Moose), Roe Deer and Red Fox- and of mammals such as MountainHare, Red Squirrel, Stoat, Weasel, PineMarten, Mink, Otter, Lynx and Wild Boar (thelatter as yet not on the menu of the Wolf asthey have only recently recolonised thearea).As we move quietly about in the snow-cloaked hills and forests where the Wolfpacks hold their territories, we will quicklylearn that there is so much more to seethan just the tracks of the animals. For,although winters here are hard, lots ofwildlife continues to survive deep within theforests. In particular, we'll look for Hazelhen,Capercaillie, Black Grouse and Siberian Jay, plus a wide range of woodpeckers thatincludes Three-toed, Black, Grey-headed, Lesser Spotted and Green Woodpecker.Listening carefully, we will pick up Crestedand Coal Tits, Bullfinches that always lookso large and immaculate in the snow, andCrossbills. The hardy little Dipper may beseen actively searching for food in the ice-cold streams, while overhead we'll look outfor Golden Eagle, Sparrowhawk andGoshawk. Then, at night, we will 'rug up'and venture back into the heart of theforests. The stillness, clarity of the night sky,and the beauty of a snowbound forest atnight is initially overwhelming ... but we willlisten hard, hoping to pick out the calls ofthe denizens of the night: Ural Owl,Tengmalm's Owl, Pygmy Owl and TawnyOwl; with luck, perhaps even a Great GreyOwl or a pack of howling Wolves! On thistour we will try to hear them all.Returning to the Green Hotel in Tällbergafter each day out in the cold is a greatfeeling! Our cheeks will burn as we enterthis warm and charming hotel on the shoresof Lake Siljan, welcomed by staff intraditional dress. The delicious meals here,made from local produce, will surely bewell-earned and well-received! Indeed, all in all this is truly a great opportunity to get a unique insight into the life of wildWolves from the comfort and luxury of afirst-class base!Sweden - Wolf-tracking in Winter A 5-day holiday to a scenic and culturally rich region of central Sweden to track Wolves and othermammals through snow-cloaked taiga forests, from the comfort of one of the region's most acclaimed hotels. Thursday 26th January - Monday 30th January Cost: £1,195Thursday 9th February - Monday 13th February Cost: £1,195Thursday 23rd February - Monday 27th February Cost: £1,195Book direct on 01962 733051or see page 280 for Booking InformationNORWAYBALTICSEAKALMARGOTLANDÖLANDMALMÖGOTHENBURGSTOCKHOLMTÄLLBERGSWEDENOutline itineraryDay 1Fly Stockholm; train toTällberg.Day 2/4Mammal-tracking,birding, and night-timelistening for owls andWolves, based inTällberg.Day 5Train to Stockholm; flyLondon.AccommodationThe acclaimed Green Hotel in thecharming lakeside village ofTällberg, in the Dalarna region. Allrooms have private facilities, andthe restaurant serves deliciousmeals made from local produce.FoodAll included in the price (once inTällberg).GradingB+. We may be comfortable in theGreen Hotel, but outside you willneed to be well-equipped andprepared for some physicalchallenge, as moving around in theSwedish wilderness in winter can behard work from time to time.Temperatures can plunge wellbelow -10°C, sometimes even downto -30°C, although morecomfortable temperatures rangingfrom 0°C to -10°C are more usual. FocusWolf-tracking, animal-tracking,winter exploration and survivaltechniques plus birdwatching.LeaderAnders Ståhl.Single room supplementNone!Web quick search: SWE09139Lake Siljan© goodphotos.se© goodphotos.seWolf tracks, Dalarna taiga forest