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
Following our 1845 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
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 and 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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Day 3
Following our arrival in Bilbao, we pick up our minibus for the journey to the Picos. 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 two minutes walk from our hotel! If you like orchids, these meadows are paradise – with Fragrant, Early Purple, Bee, Spider, Burnt, Fly, Man, and Birds Nest Orchids among the many botanical highlights. Note that we will also be keeping an eye to the skies – with eagles and vultures soaring overhead and Chamoix clinging to the cliffs above us!
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Day 4
Following breakfast, we take the Fuente De cable car to the high tops of the Picos mountains to view the glorious alpine specialities. The lunar landscape of this high plateau is alive with alpine wildflowers at this time of year, including Trumpet and Spring Gentian and various saxifrages. Alpine Chough and Alpine Accentor hop around on the rocks while we spend time searching for Snow Finch and the very localised Wallcreeper. This is also an excellent place to find grazing Chamoix and the clear pools harbour the fiery Alpine Newt. Depending on the amount of time spent high in the mountains, we may then head for the picturesque village of Brez for a mid afternoon stroll. Here we will search for the localised Middle-spotted Woodpecker and should also find Wrynecks. This is also an excellent area for Red-backed Shrike, Cirl Bunting and hunting Short-toed Eagles. Arriving back at the Parador before dinner, there will be the opportunity to watch for raptors circling above the mountains or search for the rare and elusive Black Woodpecker in the nearby Beech woods.
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Day 5
After breakfast we head to Lebeña valley and its beautiful medieval church at Santa Maria. This is one of our favourite localities in the Picos and the area hosts an incredible diversity of wildlife. Birds should include Western Bonelli's Warbler, 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. 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. After lunch we take a gorge walk at Hermida before heading for the stunning viewpoint at the Monastery of Santo Toribio de Liebana where the view (which includes 12 distinct habitats) is stunning! It’s hard to predict what we will see this afternoon but we can be sure of one thing – lots of variety! Sightings have included Chapman's Ringlet, a butterfly restricted to the Cantabrian mountains, Short-toed Eagle, Goshawk, Honey Buzzard, Golden-ringed Dragonfly, Red Deer, Red Helleborine Orchid, Slow Worm and Green Hairstreak – to name just a few!l
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Day 6
Following an early breakfast we return to Bilbao to board the cruise ferry at noon. 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 know 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 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 7
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 £100.00 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 2009 Operating Dates |
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2008 Highlights
 Fin Whale |
 Cory's Shearwater |
 Swallowtail |