Category Archives: Nature notes diary

September in the Sierra de Grazalema is a good time to watch Bee-eaters, Short-toed eagles and Booted eagles on their Southerly migration.

The temperature begins to cool from the searing August heat and, if there is rain, then the ground will soften, giving way from dried straw colours to a soft green as plants sprout anew after their summer dormancy. Some of the flowers we can see now are Round-leaved fluellin, Common ivy, Fennel, Rosemary, White asparagus, Apple mint and Maritime squill. A range of fruits and berries begin to ripen, which can add a surprising splash of colour; Sloe, Blackberry, Hawthorn, Laurustinus, Peony, Turpentine Tree and Strawberry tree.

Continue reading →

Clive Muir

I’ve been living in this lovely area of Western Andalucia for the last 20 years or so and dedicate most of my time to the running of English language tourist information websites for the towns of Cádiz, Ronda, Grazalema, the famous or infamous Caminito del Rey, and also Wildside Holidays, which promotes sustainable and eco-friendly businesses running wildlife and walking holidays in Spain. My articles contain affiliate links that will help you reserve a hotel, bus, train or activity in the area. You don’t pay more, but by using them you do support this website. Thankyou!

grazalemaguide.com/

Clives Ramblings, Grazalema, Hiking and walking, Nature notes diary, Places to visit, Sierra de Grazalema, Walking in Nature

A week of August day trips in Grazalema

August 20, 2024 Clive Muir Leave a comment

In Grazalema we are spoilt for choices between the myriad of places to visit. During a week of August day trips, a selection of the most diverse took me to historical sites, natural cave formations, a shaded woodland walk, botanic garden (El Bosque), rivers, lakes , a museum (Palacio Mondrago, Ronda) and an early morning walk above the village of Grazalema through the Sierra de Endrinal

Even the lightest breeze is appreciated when you are out and about in the sierras during August. Setting off with sun cream, hat and plenty of chilled water, even late into the afternoons the sun shows little desire to lower in the sky.

The brilliant blue skies of August can be relied upon to form a beautiful backdrop to most images with occasional pure white fluffy clouds offering an interesting colour contrast.

Continue reading →

Clive Muir

grazalemaguide.com/

Clives Ramblings, Nature notes diary, Sierra de Grazalema

A visit to the botanic garden in the village of El Bosque.

July 5, 2024 Clive Muir Leave a comment

Regular visits to the Botanic Garden in El Bosque village allow us to see the local wild plants as they change through the seasons.

Mid June is the best time to see some of the parks endemics in full flower. Phlomis x margaritae is a hybrid shrub in the Sage family that occurs naturally on a mountain named Margarita – hence the plant name. This is placed in the “rupicola” section (rock gardens) at the highest point of the meandering pathways. It is a plant endemic to the Sierra de Grazalema park area. This meaning that it is not found in the wild anywhere else in the world.

In the same rock gardens and in full flower at this time of year are the orange blooms of the cliff dwelling Grazalema poppy (Papaver rupifragum) which although it was thought that this plant was exclusive to this mountain range it has also been recorded in Morocco.

The delicate lemon flowers of (Sideritis incana subsp occidentalis) are easily overlooked on a mountain side and this again is only from the Grazalema area.

The sky was a beautiful deep blue and I love the combination of dark green trees and fresh white clouds against such a colour. My progress around the gardens was slow as there is so much to see and photograph at this time of year. Even seed pods from plants that flowered earlier are very photogenic.

The shaded areas beneath the mature trees on visits to the Botanic Garden in El Bosque village are always welcome at this time of year!

On my first visits here I used to write the plant names that I wanted to learn onto a note pad, now I cheat and take a photo of the sign along with the plant pictures – so much quicker!

Ronda Today

Everything you need to know before you visit Ronda “The city of dreams” in Andalucia. https://www.rondatoday.com/

Visit Cádiz

Planning on visiting Cádiz? Tourist information. Monuments. Hotels. Activities. City guides: https://visitingcadiz.com/

The Caminito del Rey

Find tickets for the Caminito del Rey: https://www.caminodelrey.es/

Wildside Holidays – Spain

Take a trip on the Wildside! Discover the wildlife and nature of Spain, its Natural and National Parks and find the top wildlife, activity and walking holiday companies.

Iberia Nature Forum

Discover the Iberia Nature Forum – Environment, geography, nature, landscape, climate, culture, history, rural tourism and travel.

Clive Muir

grazalemaguide.com/

Clives Ramblings, Grazalema, Nature notes diary, Sierra de Grazalema, White Villages

Summer heat in the Sierra de Grazalema

June 25, 2024 Clive Muir 2 Comments

Someone has turned up the heating here in the Sierra de Grazalema and the little rain and cooler temperatures of the spring seems to be a long distant memory. We’ll soon be in the high thirties and the forecast is for more intense heat to come this year which will probably take us into the forties and the blazing summer heat in the Sierra de Grazalema

The green fields and colourful meadows have changed to dusty soil as the summer does its work to dry seed heads. Local farmers are doing their work to harvesting the fields of wheat, sunflowers and other crops.

Nothing surely can compare with walking through a pine forest in Andalucia with cones cracking in the heat and cicadas “whirring” in the branches.

The temperature hits the melt point releasing the essential oils from cistus, rosemary and lavender that fill the air with that unmistakeable Mediterranean hot summer scent… Maybe you can guess from my words… I love Andalucia in the summer!

in summer the bright pink Nerium oleander is in full bloom and if you look closer you will see that this plant generally follows watercourses and dry (sometimes wet) gullies… Oleander hedges always provide great rewards for insect expeditions over the hot months of July and August.

Especially look out for dragonflies and damselflies, shining jewels of the summer flying alongside the butterflies that appear in a myriad of colours and sizes feeding on blue sea holly and other plants of the thistle family

Many people find it too hot during the months of July and August but for those with a special interest in insects this area is litterally a “hotspot” for many normally hard to find species.

Hotels in Grazalema during the summer months

If you are looking for a hotel during the summer months here in Grazalema then check out these options: https://grazalemaguide.com/blog/find-a-hotel-in-the-sierra-de-grazalema/