May 29th - June 5th, 2012
SPAIN: The Picos de Europa
Price: £1395 inc. flights, £1195 ex flights
Leaders: Bob Gibbons and Martin Warren
The Picos de Europa is a dramatic area of limestone mountains close to the coast of northern Spain. The high peaks are seamed with deep gorges, and the flora and fauna is legendary. The old hay meadows are as flowery as anywhere in Europe, and there are several endemic species. Birds of prey and butterflies are abundant everywhere. We use two excellent hotels, in the north and centre of the region, to see as many highlights as possible.
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| Glanville Fritillary (Melitaea cinxia) on Lady Orchid (Orchis purpurea), Picos de Europa |
We depart from Heathrow in the morning, arriving at Bilbao by lunchtime, then transfer to our first base, right up amongst the high peaks at Fuente De, in the heart of the Picos. After 4 nights here, we transfer to an attractive and welcoming hotel in Arenas de Cabrales. From here, we can explore local habitats, and visit the dramatic gorge of the Rio Cares. The area around the hotel is unspoilt and pleasant. On one day, we’ll visit the Covadonga National Park, famous for its scenery, ancient beech woods full of birds, and high pastures dotted with lakes. It’s an excellent place to see griffon vultures, which are fed nearby, and some fine mountain flowers including trumpet gentians, globularias, and endemics such as the local toadflax Linaria faucicola, and the pretty Petrocoptis glaucifolia.
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| Wood White (Leptidea sinapis) on Meadow Clary, Picos de Europa |
At Fuente De, we are surrounded by flowery hay meadows and pastures, with clear streams, high limestone peaks and cliffs, and beautiful deciduous woodland – perfect for pre-breakfast walks if you feel like it! It’s a marvellous place for flowers, birds, butterflies and many other things. Our stay here will include a mixture of local walks and trips further afield to the southern part of the range, stopping regularly along the way at hay meadows, high pastures, beech woods and anywhere else of interest, as well as a fantastic cable-car ride to the high tops if desired. On the 5th, we return to Bilbao for an early afternoon flight back to Heathrow.
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| Pink butterfly orchid, Picos de Europa |
The flora and fauna of the Picos is exceptionally rich. Birds include the elusive wall-creeper, griffon vulture, golden eagle, common and alpine choughs, black woodpecker, and many others. The flora is a lovely mixture of the familiar and the rare, with fields full of Narcissus species, many orchids (about 40 species recorded), endemic saxifrages and other rock-dwelling plants, gentians, special foxgloves, rampions, butterworts and much else. The hay meadows alone are said to have over 600 species of flowers. It’s also a super area for butterflies, such as fritillaries, blues, swallowtails, ringlets and the apollo, amongst others. Chamois have become quite common, and can be seen here and there, and there’s a faint chance of seeing a Pyrenean Desman in one of the streams, or the endemic Castroviejo’s hare on the high passes
The tour price includes return flights Heathrow-Bilbao, accommodation with private facilities throughout on half-board basis, some wine, transport throughout, and services of leaders, including pre-tour information and post-tour lists. ▲ tour grade.
Tour code: NHT/12/05
Price: £1395 inc flights, £1195 ex flights
Single room supplement: £80
Deposit: £300 plus insurance
Bookings to Sunvil
If anyone would like to combine this tour with the previous one, please get in touch with Bob direct; it’s complicated because of the 3-day gap, but still possible to work something out.
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