Hello Soeren

In the following web from the Catalan canoing school(Based in Cunit, near Vilanova) you may find some info. They do courses, renting, and expeditions.

http://www.riumar.com/

Best wishes,

Cristian

Hello

You can ask to Callum Christie. He is a very good trekking guide. If you send him an e-mail he will be pleased to answer - you can find him in the Wild-Spain directory. He leads tours in the area that you are mentioning and he can give you good advice on places to stay, time of the year, and the extra itinerary you want to do.

Best wishes,

Cristian

Hello David

The marked path called GR11 is a very good option. You can easily find lots of information here in Wild-Spain or elsewhere on the internet.

Best regards,

Cristian

Hello David

The Mediterranean coast of Spain is quite long. I can think on many, many nice places where you can go and stay. I suggest you the Ebro Delta Nature Park, which is much further north than Doñana and not as hot as Andalucia. June is one of the best times to visit the area. All the birds are totally busy with their duties of finding food for their chicks, and all the rice fields are green... One of the best transports in the delta is the bike. There are several bike paths in flat areas of the Ebro Delta, and another one following the Ebro river inland. Bikes can be rented in the Ebro Delta.

The Ebro delta is the most important wetland area on the Spanish Mediterranean coast, and the second largest in the Iberian Peninsula. It is situated 200 km southwest of Barcelona as an extensive, flat marsh area at the mouth of the river Ebro. The delta is formed by sediments transported seawards by the river, a process which began hundreds of years ago and still continues to change the shape and appearance of the land.

Close to the Ebro Delta you have the two mountain chains of Montsià and Ports. The Ports Nature Park is comprised of the Ports limestone massif; a large mountain chain with beautiful rivers, caves, gorges, and peaks well above 1000 m (Mont Caro at 1 442 m is the highest point). The Ports massif is situated close to the Mediterranean coast where it rises at the far eastern end of the Ebro region. With its total extension of 60.000 Ha, the mountain chain spreads into no less than three of the Spanish territories (Catalonia, Aragon, and Valencia) and earlier served as a natural borderline. The park covers a wide variety of habitats, and several unusual species of plants, insects, amphibians, reptiles and mammals inhabit this complex limestone kingdom.

Anyway, if you are still interested in Doñana there is a camping site in the village of El Rocío, the wild west town with sand streets. El Rocío is just on the edge of Doñana National Park and close to great nature areas.

For more information feel free to contact me.

Hi Alex,

I guess not as cold as in Moscow!! :)
In 2003, the temperatures were between -5ºC and 15ºC all April (measured at Malniu, 2138m, between Andorra and Cadí).

Source: www.meteocat.com

I hope that will help,

Cristian

Hello Alex

Congratulations on your trip planning; you are going to go to some of the most beautiful mountain areas of Catalonia, specially Aigüestortes National Park and Cadi-Moixeró Nature Park.
In the mountain region you are likely to get some rain and cold temperatures, so bring a good rain jacket and a good jumper. Of course a good pair of boots is also necessary. If you go from refuge to refuge think very well on the weight of your rucksack. Detailed maps are necessary if you follow walking itineraries. Snow may be present in the high areas, so try to get information closer to the dates you are going.

Best regards,

Cristian

Hello Isabelle

GR11 starts in Cap de Creus by the Mediterranean coast, crosses the Pyreenes and ends in Cabo Higer on the Cantabric coast. That's a total of 789 km, an itinerary calculated to be done in 47 journeys of walking. An obvious place to start will be Cap de Creus Nature Park and go walking from refuge to refuge.

If you like the high hikes and want to start in the high Pyrenees, Nuria is a good place to start, and then go westwards. To start in Nuria you can take the train from Barcelona-Puigcerdà and jump out in Ribes de Freser and in Ribes change to the Creamallera or "zip" train. The zip train will bring you up to 1964 m where you will find the GR11 passes.

If you want more explanations, please contact me again.

Best wishes,

Cristian

Hello

I suggest you to contact Jules Sykes from Oliva Rama Tours. You will find him in Wild-spain directory.

Cristian

Hello Kathleen

Private land is private land, and you are not allowed to enter or cross it unless you have permission from the owner. You are always allowed to follow paths or dirt roads with public passing rights, like for example a GR path, also when they cross private land.

Cristian

Hello Bob

There is a place where you can see both Collared Pratincole and Great Spotted Cuckoo among Great Bustard, Little Bustard, Pin-tailed and Black-bellied Sandgrouses, Stone Curlew, Black-Shouldered Kite, Orphean Warbler, Black and Black-eared Wheatear, Bonelli's Eagle, Eagle Owl, Black and White Stork, Calandra and Short-toed Lark. The place is the Serena Steppes and the Sierra de Tiros SE of Merida; this is the area between the villages of Castuera, Helechal, Cabeza del Buey, Monterrubio de la Serena and the reservoir of la Serena. It is one of the best steppe areas in Europe!

Good luck with your birding, and feel free to contact me for further information.

Cristian