We sail from Plymouth on the Sunday 1745 crossing to Santander.
En route to Spain we hope to see Dolphins, Beaked whales and Fin whales as the Bay of Biscay has the deserved reputation as being one of the best places to observe cetaceans. We will also be looking for Pelagic birds that can sometimes surprise us at this time of the year.
We reach Spain at 1530 on Monday and the local coach will now take the group to Cervera de Pisuerga and the Hotel Peñalabra for three nights. Our local Spanish Guide, Fernando Jubete one of Spain's top experts, will join us for a talk about the days ahead.We'll have a stroll around the area before dinner in a nearby restaurant.
On Tuesday morning we will visit the Las Loras county for a walk through the Paramo de los Franceses , a limestone plateau of great geological interest and superb for bird and butterfly watching. Numerous species of butterflies will be observed such as Apollo, Berger's Clouded Yellow,Black-veined White,Twin Spot Fritillary, Turquoise Blue as well as birds such as Egyptian Vulture, Eurasian Griffon Vulture,Tawny Pipit, Montagu's Harrier etc.
After a bar lunch in Cervera we visit San Felices de Castilleria where we'll stroll through an area of Canabrian landscape past oak groves and pastures. The target birds for the day are Middle Spotted Woodpecker, Golden Oriol, Red-backed Shrike, Common Redstart, Short-toed Treecreeper,Eurasian Nuthatch etc. We visit a grassland of great interest for butterflies that could result in the observation of 40 species including such as Marsh Fritillary, bog fritillary, Chestnut Heath, Pearly Heath, de Prunners Ringlet, Mallow Skipper, Dingy Skipper etc.
On Wednesday morning we will visit San Felices de Castilleria where we'll stroll through an area of Canabrian landscape past oak groves and pastures. The target birds for the day are Middle Spotted Woodpecker, Golden Oriol, Red-backed Shrike, Common Redstart, Short-toed Treecreeper, Eurasian Nuthatch etc. We visit a grassland of great interest for butterflies that could result in the observation of 40 species including such as Marsh Fritillary, Bog fritillary, Chestnut Heath, Pearly Heath, de Prunners Ringlet, Mallow Skipper, Dingy Skipper, etc.
The lunch will take place at Venta Pepín, a typical mountain restaurant. Then we will visit the viewpoint of Piedrasluengas, where we will walk through a beech forest where birds such as Short-toed Snake Eagle, Black Woodpecker, Eurasian Treecreeper, Goldcrest, Common Firecrest, Eurasian Nuthatch and many more forest birds.
Please note that changes to the planned itinerary may occur dependent on weather and any other unforeseen circumstances.
We leave the hotel after breakfast on Thursday and travel to Santander where there will be a little time to relax before the sailing at 1600. During the crossing, Paul will be on hand to assist with the observation for cetaceans and birds as we sail through the Bay of Biscay and across the English Channel on the last day of our holiday.
We arrive in Plymouth at 1100 on Friday.
| June 9th | £685 |
Cost include: Ferry crossing with cabin; all coach travel in Spain;three nights' 3* hotel accommodation; half-board at hotel; guided visits in Spain by English-speaking Spanish expert Guide; ocean guidance by expert English Guide
Single Supplement £160
Pick up Points : Plymouth Ferryport (parking available)