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El-Andaluz House Rentals and Sales
Self catering Watermill and village houses in the white village of Grazalema, at the heart of the Parque Natural "Sierra de Grazalema". Stunning country side. Selected houses also for sale
In this web-log you will read about the changing colours of the Sierra de Grazalema and surrounding areas through the seasons. Verdant spring is alive with birdsong and wild flowers, this melds into the summer heat with its chirring cicadas and a heavy scent of natural aromatic oils. The autumn rains signify re-growth as dormant seeds germinate within days blanketing the soil with green once again. These are a keen amateurs notes about the flowers, wildlife and general nature in and around the parkland. Some of the areas we explore may pique your interest for a future holiday or solve a question from a previous visit. Please make use of the comment board.
If the idea of a nature orientated holiday somewhere in Iberia interests you then search through the wide selection in our website Wildside Holidays
March is accompanied by many spring flowers, the number of species rising throughout the month. Many can be seen adorning roadsides, pastures, arable field edges, mountainsides etc. Some of the larger bushes are obvious from a vehicle but other, smaller plants will remain hidden until you walk about if they are in singles, or are occasionally seen in swathes carpeting orchards.
January is a busy time for harvesting the olive fruit and during this same month the almond trees begin to flower. Slopes scattered with these stark black, wizened trunks which appear lifeless, quickly turn to delicate shades of soft pink. Although these are orchard blooms, they are very photogenic and especially pleasing to the eye when combined with the wildflowers of broad-leaved iris beneath.
Although December may bring rain and frost to the mountains it is a time of growth, spurred on after the prolonged rest enforced by the heat of summer. This rainfall nourishes the ground and triggers the flowering and fruit production of a few species, a process which now picks up spead with more and more flowers appearing each month until the summer heat strikes again. This is part of an ongoing project to create a complete flowering calendar for the sierra.
‘Grazalema has the highest rainfall records in Spain’, this is a phrase that is commonly found on the internet, but without further explanation could be very off putting to the holiday maker! Mountains will always alter their local climate where-ever they are in the world, and this is no exception. Note that only a few hours drive away at the eastern end of Andalucia is Europe’s only desert!
As the leaves begin to fall from the trees there are a few flowers to discover. Berries and acorns are ripening, decorating the countryside and providing food for wildlife. Many plants will only just be emerging as the rain will usually have encouraged the germination of many seeds by now, giving a lushness to the pastures and roadsides that had been dry during the summer. This is part of an ongoing project to create a complete flowering calendar for the sierra.
May is a fabulous time to walk, cycle or drive through these mountains as roadside verges, pastures and scrubland turn glorious colours with a varied selection of wild flowers. The springtime rains have ensured a vivid display and many plants compete for space in a hurry to flower and set their seeds before the ground dries out during the summer months. Hillsides can turn yellow with shrubby Retama, whereas the many meadows are a tapestry of pastel shades brimming with annuals.
Teresa Farino's latest publication comes as a great surprise.... With many beautiful photographs supplied by Carlos Sanchez this book is a must for any visitor or resident with an interest in the wildlife and geography of Spain....I must admit I was expecting a kind of pocket or travel companion guide but at 24cm X 31cm this is more of a coffee table edition. That said if you are travelling to Spain and have the space... Take it....Well done Teresa, absolutely brilliant! Click the read more for more information and a link to buy the book!
During the month of April the field borders and roadside banks transform after the spring rains from a lush green to a profusion of mixed colours as the flowering plants make the most of these ideal conditions. Bright 'planting schemes' can appear where soil has been cleared from winter landslips and left in mounds, now smothered in fast growing annuals that reach their peak before the summer heat arrives. As with the March page I have divided a selection of the more obvious wildflowers into colour sections.
The Spanish Fir (Abies pinsapo), referred to in Spanish as 'Pinsapo', is one of the most appreciated plant relics of this area. It is an endemic tree species which has both a high cultural and ecological value, although protected its status remains vulnerable. Once forming wide spreading forests which spanned the area there are now 3 mountain-side woodlands in South West Andalusia where this species can be seen.
When in Spain many people may wonder about scorpions, spiders and venomous snakes and will not be aware that they are much more likely to endanger themselves and their pets by getting too close to an innocent looking line of caterpillars that can be found crossing a pavement, road or footpath during the first months of each year. The pine processionary caterpillar (Thaumetopoea pityocampa) will, during late winter/early spring, be coming out of pine trees and forming conspicuoussnakelike lines.
Restaurant Al Lago, Zahara de la Sierra
A stunning setting with lake views from the terrace in which to enjoy a leisurely lunch, dinner or innovative tapas. Chef Stefan Crites, who trained in New York for many years, re-interprets some of Spain’s culinary classics with a creative and exotic touch using local organic vegetables, top quality meat and fresh fish from the markets in Cadiz.
Las Truchas
Las Truchas is a small hotel with a home from home atmosphere, located in the quaint town of El Bosque. Explore the Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park and the White Towns Route (Ruta de los Pueblos Blancos) that are situated within easy reaching distance of this hotel. You can enjoy magnificent views of the surrounding landscape from the hotel rooms.
Villa Turistica Grazalema
This hotel is located 500 metres from the charming village of Grazalema, a place characterised by its whitewashed façades, its narrow and windy streets and set in the centre of the natural park
Hotel Fuerte Grazalema
Situated in the heart of the sierra de Grazalema natural park, Hotel Fuerte Grazalema is a paradise for outdoor walking enthusiasts and is set in oak woodlands 5 kilometres from the village of Grazalema. It makes an excellent base from which to discover this stunning part of western Andalucia
Cortijo Valverde
Beautiful hotel with outstanding views of the surrounding countryside providing that special vacation destination for either a restful holiday, or a base from which to explore the many treasures that Andalucia and Inland Spain has to offer.
Nature and Environment
In this web-log you will read about the changing colours of the Sierra de Grazalema and surrounding areas through the seasons. Verdant spring is alive with birdsong and wild flowers, this melds into the summer heat with its chirring cicadas and a heavy scent of natural aromatic oils. The autumn rains signify re-growth as dormant seeds germinate within days blanketing the soil with green once again. These are a keen amateurs notes about the flowers, wildlife and general nature in and around the parkland. Some of the areas we explore may pique your interest for a future holiday or solve a question from a previous visit. Please make use of the comment board.
March is accompanied by many spring flowers, the number of species rising throughout the month. Many can be seen adorning roadsides, pastures, arable field edges, mountainsides etc. Some of the larger bushes are obvious from a vehicle but other, smaller plants will remain hidden until you walk about if they are in singles, or are occasionally seen in swathes carpeting orchards.
January is a busy time for harvesting the olive fruit and during this same month the almond trees begin to flower. Slopes scattered with these stark black, wizened trunks which appear lifeless, quickly turn to delicate shades of soft pink. Although these are orchard blooms, they are very photogenic and especially pleasing to the eye when combined with the wildflowers of broad-leaved iris beneath.
‘Grazalema has the highest rainfall records in Spain’, this is a phrase that is commonly found on the internet, but without further explanation could be very off putting to the holiday maker! Mountains will always alter their local climate where-ever they are in the world, and this is no exception. Note that only a few hours drive away at the eastern end of Andalucia is Europe’s only desert!
May is a fabulous time to walk, cycle or drive through these mountains as roadside verges, pastures and scrubland turn glorious colours with a varied selection of wild flowers. The springtime rains have ensured a vivid display and many plants compete for space in a hurry to flower and set their seeds before the ground dries out during the summer months. Hillsides can turn yellow with shrubby Retama, whereas the many meadows are a tapestry of pastel shades brimming with annuals.
Teresa Farino's latest publication comes as a great surprise.... With many beautiful photographs supplied by Carlos Sanchez this book is a must for any visitor or resident with an interest in the wildlife and geography of Spain....I must admit I was expecting a kind of pocket or travel companion guide but at 24cm X 31cm this is more of a coffee table edition. That said if you are travelling to Spain and have the space... Take it....Well done Teresa, absolutely brilliant! Click the read more for more information and a link to buy the book!
The Spanish Fir (Abies pinsapo), referred to in Spanish as 'Pinsapo', is one of the most appreciated plant relics of this area. It is an endemic tree species which has both a high cultural and ecological value, although protected its status remains vulnerable. Once forming wide spreading forests which spanned the area there are now 3 mountain-side woodlands in South West Andalusia where this species can be seen.
When in Spain many people may wonder about scorpions, spiders and venomous snakes and will not be aware that they are much more likely to endanger themselves and their pets by getting too close to an innocent looking line of caterpillars that can be found crossing a pavement, road or footpath during the first months of each year.