Sunday 19 October 2008

Doñana National Park: Huelva Province

Virgin beaches and mountains are the chief lures of this under appreciated corner of the Andalucian region.

Andalucia's westernmost province features on relatively few foreign tourist's itineraries. Part of this is understandable, part is just ignorance. We took a break in Huelva province this summer and spent a week camping in the Doñana National Park.


With Portugal on its western flank, Extremadura to the north, Seville to the east and the Atlantic to the south. Huelva has long been thought of as little more than a region to pass through in order to get somewhere else. Apart from the many wonderful beaches, much of the southern part of the province is scenically dreary, yet the hilly north is hugely beguilling, and, if major blockbuster attractions are few, there is plenty of interest for the visitor who cares to look......

Huelva City and Coast
Visually, Huelva is the least appealing of Andalucia's provincial capitals, with its small but attractive historic centre surrounded by modern apartment blocks and an ugly industrial fringe. However, the area immediately south of the city is rich in maritime heritage, particularly in relation to the pioneering voyages of Christopher Columbus. And much of the coastline is blessed with superb white sand beaches, and resorts that boast some of Spain's best seafood restaurants.

Although somewhat dull out of season, the resorts burst into life from Easter onwards, with mainly Spanish visitors. The most significant attraction on the coast is the immense expanse of the Parque Nacional de Doñana, a rigourously protected haven for birds and wildlife and one of Europe's most important wetlands. The curious Wild West style town of El Rocio, on the park's western edge, is the most interesting settlement in the area.



Without doubt, the most alluring region of Huelva province is the mountainous Sierra de Aracena in the north. Part of the huge Sierra Morena range that defines the northern boundary of Andalucia, the Sierra de Aracena is a rewarding and relatively compact area of modest peaks and wooded valleys, of friendly, pretty villages and memorable walking. This is the home, too, of the internationally salivated-over Jabugo ham. Tourism in these parts is low-key, though attractions such as Aracena's Gruta de las Maravillas (Cave of Marvels) are the equal of any in southern Spain.

Extending from the Portuguese coast in the west to the Doñana National Park in the east, the Huelvan coast is essentially one endless stretch of exposed virgin beach, punctuated by mostly modern resorts (at least there is not an English breakfast in sight!!). Apart from tourism, the area relies on fishing and strawberry growing, and there's also evidence of declining mining and thriving petrochemical industries to blight some of the best views.

Huelva Resources:
Police Station: Avenida Tomás Dominguez 2 - 0034 959 210 211
Post Office: Avenida Tomás Dominguez - 0034 959 540 361
Tourist Information: Avenida de Alemania 12 - 0034 959 004 433

Columbus Trail
Apart from the world beating Jabugo Ham, the province of Huelva is chiefly famed as the starting of Christopher Columbus's first historic voyage to the New World. La Rábida (seven kms/four miles south of Huelva) is the main site for Columbus related sightseeing. Take a monk led tour through the simple, whitewashed Monasterio de Santa María de la Rábida, where Columbus (Cristóbal Colón) spent time waiting for the go ahead for his epic voyage. The monastery's church holds the tomb of local hero Captain Martin Alonso Pinzón (accompanied Columbus across the Atlantic), as well as the only image of the Virgin Mary in Spain to have been blessed by the Pope. The flag room contains the flags of Latin American countries and coffers of sand from each land.

Monday 13 October 2008

A day in the life of a Spanish Garden

Boy am I glad the weather has cooled down, I just couldn't wait to get back in the garden!

Granted the weather hasn't been so hot for a while now in Spain, however, it took me and Campo Girl a while to get motivated to get back out in the garden.

We have both started planting again and potatoes have been the main issue for us both this Autumn, with the credit crunch evident all around us, growing vegetables and fruits ourselves is paramount.

This is my first attempt at growing potatoes and thank goodness we have a valued member on our gardening forum to help us out with that, good guidelines and help where that is concerned!

I also planted Bell Peppers, Cauliflower, Leeks, Tomatoes and Carrots, I really hope we have some success with this little lot, it all went in from seed so who knows!

We turned over all our soil before planting and spent a good hour or so weeding the area and preparing, hard work but if we get good veggies from it I am all for it.

On another note, we had 2 very gorgeous birds land in our garden on Saturday and then again on Sunday, we think they are from the parrot family but not sure which exact breed.

We have posted pictures on our Flickr album of these beautiful birds and we have also posted pictures of a Gold Finch on a thistle.

Any tips for gardening potatoes? Come join us in the forum, discuss and help others.