Santander, first week of September. (1 Viewer)

Hi,

I'm after some advice for a trip I am going on. I will be having a week in northern Spain, arriving in Santander at the end of Aug. I am already planning to try and see Cetaceans/birds on the way, & Bears and Wolves in the area. Which I pretty much have all planned.


My girlfriend is really interested in plants (even bryophytes), of which I know nothing, and could do with some advice. Are any of the National parks in the area worth a visit at this time of the year for their flowering plants, or is pretty much everything finished by then?


We have a general interest in all wildlife, so anything else that might be worth a visit at this time of the year, in the region, would also be great. Including any spots for birds.

Many thanks,

Tom

Northern Spain in August

I have only just seen this message. The flowering season for most plants is of course over but there will still be interesting plants to see at altitude, for which the Picos de Europa NP is the easiest option. The whole region (Cantabrian range) is very humid and there should be plenty of bryophytes to see along the flanks of the many rivers, for example in the Cares gorge. Still plenty of butterflies too. For birds and for where to go have a look at what I say in Where to watch birds: Northern and Eastern Spain, 3rd edition 2017 (Garcia & Rebane, Helm books).

The seabirds and cetaceans in the Bay of Biscay are impressive at this time of year.

Thank you for your reply Ernest, Cares Gorge looks pretty spectacular, I’ll have to try and squeeze that in.

Cheers,

Tom