The iberianature forum Sierra de Grazalema summit...

[Clive]

Clive and Sue would like to invite any and all of the Iberianature members to a gathering, get together or summit here in the Sierra de Grazalema natural parkThe Sierra de Grazalema

You can see information about our house at www.natural-images.net we don’t run natural images any more but at least you can see what we used to do... (sorry about naff website)

The dates we will have an open house will be

Thursday the 10th of April to Tuesday the 22nd of April (2008)

We chose these dates as they include two weekends (12th,13th and 19th,20th), the weather is normally good and everywhere is fresh and colourful with the first spring blooms.

Anyone who would like to visit please email me with the dates how many people and I will add you to a list at the bottom of this post. Ask any questions about the summit in this thread please so all will benefit from the information given.

We have three bedrooms upstairs and shared bathroom facilities. There is also another bathroom and shower downstairs. There is plenty of room for tents if anyone is feeling particularly adventuresome!
If it starts to get out of hand and we get overwhelmed then there is a possibility we could rent another house nearby...

There is no charge at all for staying here with us but we need to discuss donations for food and drink supplies. (Discuss in this topic please...) So far I have thought that maybe we could agree on an amount per person per day would stay and everyone chip in the same amount so as to make a slush fund... Open to any suggestions....

Food here at the house will be expertly cooked by anyone who wants to have a go on the barbecue and Plancha!

We will be arranging guided walks and trips into parts of the Sierra de Grazalema and the dates for these excursions will be posted here when we have more of an idea as to when and how many people are attending...

Anyone who wants to arrive by train or bus we will be glad to organise a pickup...
Anyone who arrives by plane we can pick up too but punishment will involve the planting of a few trees here on our land....

Immediate Family are welcome too but may have to share a room with parents/parent....

Pet's is a hard one as much of Grazalema is off limits... Dog's need to be VERY well behaved and be able to stay here if we all go out to the hills...

Clive

Attending the summit and staying here at the house

Clive and Sue        We will be there for the whole time.
Nick Lloyd             Arriving Saturday 12th
Lisa  and Olivia       Arriving either Friday 11th or Saturday 12th
Simon                  Arriving on Thursday 10th or Friday 11th
SteveT +2           Arriving on 12th
Lucy                   Arriving on Thursday 10th or Friday 11th
Tp                      Arriving on 11th or 12th
JohnC and wife Liz Staying Sunday 13th and Monday 14th.

Attending the summit but not staying at the house

Peter SEO Ronda
Spanishfreelander (Dave) and wife Heather



Excursions

Sunday the 13th April
Iñigo Sanchez of zoobotanico Jerez will be giving a lecture at the zoo on the subject of the endangered species that he is working with on various breeding projects and research. ( Iberian lynx, glossy ibis, black vulture etc etc).
http://www.zoobotanicojerez.com/  (Entrance to Zoo is 7.50 Euros)

Monday the 14th April
Morning out Birding and viewing general nature with Peter Jones (SEORonda and dastardly bird ID master) in the Libar valley followed by a slide show on the nature and biodiversity of the Sierra de las nieves and the Sierra de Grazalema. Followed by huge barbecue and jolivity till late.
www.spanishbirds.com


Dates not set for...

Cueva de la pileta, An excellent cave with some stunning concretions and also paleolithic and neolithic paintings, Obligatory guided tour is 6 Euros per person
http://www.cuevadelapileta.org/

El molino de abajo. A renovated water powered flour mill run by a friend of ours who likes to practise his English! Guided tour full of humour and educational fun costs 2 Euros per person
http://www.elmolinodeabajo.com/



Guided walks available
Dates to be arranged
The griffons of Garganta Verde  (medium)   half day
The Pinsapar forest           (medium)   half day
El Torreon (Highest peak)     (hard)        full day
Cork oak woods walk         (easy)        half day

[Technopat]

Greetings Clive and Sue,
Many thanx for the invite to the gathering, get together, summit or whatchamacallit. Choice of dates seems ideal. Will confirm attendance as soon as I negotiate with SWMBO and the Technopatlets (who now have their own tight schedules). If I bring tent do I get first refusal of where to pitch it (i.e. not in/near dry river bed - April cloudbursts in your area?)?

Meanwhile, would like to suggest the following:

Additional activities
dry-stone wall raising and capstone laying (hard)
tree planting (medium)
potato peeling (easy)
washing up (easy)

Participation in at least three of the above-mentioned activities is mandatory.

Regs.,
Technopat

[tonyninfas]

May I ask what will be on the agenda at the Picos summit ?  If we decide to come to one of them it might well help us make our decision as to which.
Thanks
Tony

[Clive]

Hi Tony, a very good question..

The Picos summit will be posted soon...

Clive

[PeterJ]

Hi Clive and Sue,

Just arrived back from my travels. If I know the number of people and date/s, then happy to try and fit a day out looking at the birds/flowers in the Libar area. Also, this really depends how much folks might want to suffer, I am happy to give a slide show on the nature of the area.

Hope the above might be useful. See you highjacked the photo ids then@!? 

Peter
www.spanishbirds.com

[John C]

Sounds like a splendid idea! Liz and I will probably fly out to Spain on Thursday 3rd April and stay for a couple of weeks.  It's not too far to drive over from Alcala de los Gazules so we should be able to potter across.  I'd be very happy to help with any walks and queries about bird identification.  I hope this doesn't sound too big headed, but as a part-time field teacher for the RSPB I have a good deal of experience in both areas.  However,  I will need help with those pesky plants, insects, etc.   Of course, there is a beautifully illustrated book on the area in the "Crossbill Guides" series that visitors might like to read before they go.  It's terribly well done since Clive and Sue had a lot of input into its content!

John

[Clive]

Hi Peter... I was going to mail you about a birding day.. Your offer is accepted... We will organise dates as time goes by...

Hey John it will be great to meet you and Liz and the more experts the better... Crossbill guides.. plug plug plug...
http://www.iberianatureforum.com/index.php/topic,217.0.html

I am also working on some other excellent activities to be announced at a later date...

To start organising we really need some tentative dates though for peoples visits and durations....

Clive

[Clive]

Every time we add an event or I get a confirmation of someone attending the first post in this topic will be updated....

Lisa, which is the weekend you are thinking of attending?

Clive

[PeterJ]

Okay Clive, just try and let me know asap on date and I will mark it in the old work diary to keep it free. If John is coming I promise to read-up on my ids  be good to see you John.

Hope TP comes along as we definately need someone for the washing-up! 

Peter
www.spanishbirds.com

[Sue]

..."I will mark it in the OLD work diary" ...that does not sound too promising...

                        maybe we can all club together for an xmas gift for Peter...a 2008 diary!

                                                         

[Clive]

Very good news.....

Iñigo Sanchez of zoobotanico Jerez has offered to give us all a lecture at the zoo on the subject of the endangered species that he is working with on various breeding projects and research. ( Iberian lynx, glossy ibis, black vulture etc etc).
http://www.zoobotanicojerez.com/

Iñigo speaks excellent English which will help those people who don't understand Spanish too well. (When I met him last week we spoke half and half...

Dates to be arranged but it looks like the main activities will happen over a long weekend....

Clive

[Technopat]

Greetings Peter and All,

The additional activities I thoughtfully and kindly included suggested for Clive's and Sue's programme were meant for those of you us (and of course Technopat wouldn't be so uncool as to mention any names  ) who are unable to participate actively in the whole razón de ser of the Grazalema summit, to wit help Clive with his stone-walling. 

And as some of the other salidas proposed might be harder for those of you us who tend to roll down hills rather than strolling down loose-kneed (and of course Technopat wouldn't be so etc. etc.), I thought I would suggest otras salidas para aquellas personas que no quieren apuntarse a ese tipo de salida (En. anyone?).

Regs.,
Technopat
PS.
Looking fwd to seeing what the competition the Picos Lisa has to offer in the way of gastronomy nourishment programmed activities.

[John C]

Okay Clive, just try and let me know asap on date and I will mark it in the old work diary to keep it free. If John is coming I promise to read-up on my ids  be good to see you John.

Hope TP comes along as we definately need someone for the washing-up! 

Peter
www.spanishbirds.com

If you're going, Peter, it'll be me who has to read up on ID tips etc!  In fact I think I'd better start now ... 

John 

[Clive]

I thought I would mention that none of the excursions are obligatory... We have an open house between the set dates and sitting in a chair outside watching the bees is also possible...

Those who arrive in their own cars can alo use our place as a base and we will be glad to advise on day trips etc....

Clive

[PeterJ]

If you're going, Peter, it'll be me who has to read up on ID tips etc!  In fact I think I'd better start now ... 
John 

Peter =  + John =  + TP = Sorry can't find the one for washing up!!!

Yer right Sue, it has to be the old diary, haven't earnt enough yet this year to afford next year's edition

Peter
www.spanishbirds.com

[nick]

Sue and Clive,

I think I can now confirm I can come to Grazalema

Should be arriving on 12th April.

Thanks for organising this!

Nick

[Clive]

Excellent Nick,

I have updated the first post in this topic and added your arrival date as well as confirmed the date for Iñigos lecture at zoobotanico Jerez (Sunday the 13th April)

Clive

[SueMac]

Hi Clive and Sue

Really interested but at moment cant work out our family logistics as 7 April is Steve's 50th b day and I have booked tickets for Mark Knopfler at Atarfe previous Sat and was thinking  of a night in Parador somewhere  around that area.  Need to warok out a few things before responding one way or other. 
SueMac

[lisa]

I'm coming!
Scenario A) Probably with Olivia (if she keeps up with her schoolwork) in which case we could share a single bed but would be happy to put up our tent as long as it's not too close to the wall  Arrive by train on the 11th or 12th, will look at timetables. Stay the weekish.
Scenario B) In the event of having no winter excursionists, all four of us arriving by car (Mike's preferred form of travel) or train (mine) also on the 11th or 12th and with tent.
Looking forward to it and promise not to mention cantabricusas 

[Clive]

Excelent Lisa and Olivia... I hope Grazalema isn't a let down for Mike though... Our mountains aren't as big as his and we don't have snow in April... I'll have to think up a couple of radical hikes.....

We will be glad to pick you up from Ronda or the hub at Bobadilla... Possibly also Jerez as on the 12th we have to pick up our great leader from none other place than the airport... jejejeje (Sue has earmarked a few trees for him to plant to offset his short haul carbon emissions........(the ones in the biggest pots!)....

Clive