Picos de Europa & Bay of Biscay
To imagine Europe as a vast wilderness is to step back in time. To a time long before motorways, modern agriculture and pollution, when vast tracts of Europe remained the domain of our largest predators. This spring and early summer, we are going to take you back to that time, by visiting two of Europe's last great wildernesses - the Bay of Biscay and the Picos de Europa National Park in northern Spain. This is an opportunity to visit two of the last truly wild places in Europe - where whales and dolphins still rule the ocean, Wildcats and Wild Boars roam the mountains and vultures and eagles patrol the skies. The jagged limestone massifs of the Picos de Europa rise dramatically from the rugged North coast of Spain. The scenery is spectacular. Beneath the Torre de Cerredo summit at 2,648 m, lie sweeping green valleys, steep-sided gorges, crystal clear rivers, stunning alpine meadows and magnificent Beech and Oak woodlands. This is wilderness Europe! Today, the impact of man is still limited to a few scattered pantile-roofed villages and traditional farms on the gentle slopes, so the large areas of mountain and forest remain in an excellent state of conservation. The diversity of wildlife in the Picos de Europa is second to none in the whole of Western Europe - the flora alone boasts over 2,500 species! Nearly 50 types of orchid occur, many flourishing in the hay meadows that are amongst the richest of European habitats. Over 130 species of butterfly are also present - about one third of the entire butterfly fauna of Europe! The birds are equally diverse, including alpine specialities such as the Wallcreeper, Alpine Accentor and Snow Finch, whilst the skies are dominated by Golden and Short-toed Eagles, Griffon and Egyptian Vultures. Wolves and Brown Bears are present in low numbers and, whilst an encounter with either is very unlikely, Red Fox, Chamois and Roe Deer are common, with Wild Boar, Wildcat and Beech Marten all possibilities.
ITINERARY
Day 1 - Monday
Following our 1800 hrs meeting at Portsmouth Continental Ferryport and subsequent departure at 2115 hrs, our naturalist guides will give an introductory talk and a short guided tour of the vessel. Guests will then be free to get to know the ship or to meet for a drink in one of the bars and mingle with other guests and guides who will be available to discuss the exciting days ahead.
Day 2 - Tuesday
We round the Brittany coast and spend the rest of the day heading south through the Bay of Biscay. During the morning we will be in relatively unproductive waters so we utilise this time by presenting an illustrated lecture on the wildlife of the Bay of Biscay and the Picos de Europa. At lunchtime we will be approaching the edge of the continental shelf so we head to our exclusive viewing platform situated directly above the bridge to start watch. Harbour Porpoise, Bottle-nosed Dolphin and Minke Whale are all possible in the shallower waters but as we head in to deeper and more productive seas we hope to encounter Common and Striped Dolphins, Long-finned Pilot Whales and good numbers of seabirds such as Little Gulls and Storm Petrels. We should also meet the strange Ocean Sunfish. Our excellent relationship with P&O ferries combined with their dedication in assisting our research has meant that we often cruise along pre-set transects, allowing us to gather valuable data and increase our chances of encountering cetaceans.
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Days 3 to 6 - Wednesday to Saturday
Following our arrival in Bilbao, we pick up our minibus and start our journey west to the Picos de Europa. By lunch we will have arrived at our base for the duration of our stay in the mountains: the Parador at Fuente De. The Parador is probably the most luxurious hotel within the National Park, boasting spacious and comfortable rooms. After lunch we head for the stunning meadows of El Redondo - not that this involves much travelling, as it is just two minutes walk from our hotel! If you like orchids, then these meadows are paradise. Fragrant, Early Purple, Bee, Spider, Burnt, Fly, Man and Birds Nest Orchids are among the many botanical highlights. We'll also be keeping an eye to the skies looking for Griffon Vultures and Booted Eagles soaring overhead and Chamoix clinging to the cliffs above us!
Being based in the 'heart' of the Picos National Park means that we are among the wildlife and get to explore a wide diversity of habitats One of the highlights of the trip will be spending a day on the high tops to search for fantastic alpine species. Elsewhere in Europe this would involve gruelling steep walks, but luckily for us we have a cable car to whisk us 2,000 feet up the mountain! This is a very special place: Griffon and Egyptian Vultures often cruise by at eye level, ubiquitous Alpine Choughs and Alpine Accentors hop around on the rocks, often just a few feet away and the views across the mountains are truly exhilarating. During the time of our visit the high plateau is alive with alpine wildflowers and we should be able to find both Trumpet and Spring Gentian and a variety of saxifrages. Water Pipits, Black Redstarts and Northern Wheatears sing to announce their territories as we search for two very localised mountain denizens - Wallcreeper and Snow Finch. This is also an excellent place to find grazing Chamoix and the clear pools harbour the fiery Alpine Newt. With luck we may also see Snow Voles scurrying among the boulder scree.
We’ll also spend a couple of days exploring the fertile wooded valleys and slopes which host another highly localised species - Middle-spotted Woodpecker and whilst searching for them we should also find plenty of Wrynecks. Giant Black Woodpeckers are also in this region, but are more often heard than seen. This is also an excellent area for Red-backed Shrike, Spotless Starling, Rock and Cirl Buntings, Crested Tit, Honey Buzzard and hunting Short-toed Eagles. One of our favourite sites in the Picos is the Lebena Valley and its beautiful medieval church at Santa Maria. The area hosts an incredible diversity of wildlife. Birds should include Western Bonelli's Warblers, Serins, both Common and Black Redstarts and an array of raptors. Scores of Griffon Vultures will be sailing through the valley and in recent years this is where we have found rare Black Vultures, Golden Eagles and Bonelli's Eagles. We'll see plenty of Crag Martins and with luck we may even find a small party of Alpine Swifts - a rare species in the region. The area is also excellent for butterflies and should include the handsome Cleopatra and the Scarce Swallowtail. Among the rocks we should find basking European Wall and Schreiber's Green Lizards.
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Day 7 - Sunday
Following an early breakfast we drive east and return to Bilbao to board the noon-sailing back to Portsmouth. The possibilities for the afternoon and evening ahead are extremely exciting as we sail over three types of underwater habitat. Firstly, we sail over what we regard as the Pyrenees under water! Far below our vessel lie huge canyons and trenches, over 3000 metres deep, which are favoured by members of the rare and poorly known beaked whale family. In recent years we have encountered both Cuvier's and Northern Bottlenose Whales in this region along with Striped Dolphins and Long-finned Pilot Whales. We may also encounter huge shoals of tuna. By the middle of the afternoon we will be crossing the abyssal plain - the equivalent of an underwater desert and around 4000 metres deep. One can never predict this region! Some sailings have been relatively unproductive but others have recorded excellent numbers of Fin Whales, Sperm Whales and Striped Dolphins along with rare seabirds like Little Shearwater and Sabine’s Gull. By the late afternoon we will be approaching the continental shelf and some very productive waters. Common and Striped Dolphins along with Long-finned Pilot Whales are likely and this is where we have recorded several Killer Whales in years gone by. To end what will hopefully have been a superb day, we may be treated to a wonderful sunset.
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Day 8 - Monday
During the morning, we will be travelling through the Southwest Approaches in to the English Channel - one of the most important regions in Europe for Basking Sharks, the second largest shark in the world! In calm conditions we often encounter several individuals. Regular cetaceans in this section of the Channel include Minke Whale, Bottle-nosed Dolphin and Harbour Porpoise. Seabirds are also present in good numbers and should include Storm Petrels, Great Skuas, Fulmars and Gannets. As we steam closer towards the south coast of England, we enter shallow and relatively unproductive waters. We finish our watch prior to lunch - a chance to relax and take advantage of all that the ship has to offer! You may wish to visit the onboard shops, wallow in the jacuzzi or steam in the sauna! After lunch we present a detailed analysis of our sightings from the data we have collected and call through the checklists. As we approach Portsmouth, we gather on deck for group photos and fair weather prevailing, we disembark the ship at 1715 hrs.
Holiday Information
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Holiday Information Costs |
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The above price is per person and based on two people sharing a twin berth cabin whilst onboard Pride of Bilbao and sharing a hotel room in the Picos de Europa. A single supplement of £125.00 is payable should you not wish to share a cabin or hotel room. Most of our travellers also prefer to upgrade to a spacious outside cabin for a one-off cost of £40 per cabin (not per person) but please book early, as a limited number of cabins are available.
PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR OUR TRAVELLERS' FACT FILE (What's included, what's not included, meeting point, weather, etc.)
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Holiday Information 2010 Operating Dates |
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2009 Highlights
 Fin Whale |
 Cory's Shearwater |
 Swallowtail |