February 29th 2008 - Alcornocales
Written by Geoff Forster
Friday February 29th 2008
We drove through Cortes de la Fronter from Ronda. After a few kilometres on the Ubrique road we turned onto the Pista Forestal to El Colmenar (Estación de Gaucín). A twisting narrow road that runs across the north eastern corner of this huge Andalucian forest. The road surface is good and it is just possible for oncoming cars to squeeze passed.
We often drive through the forest. It's one of our favourite places in Andalucia.
We got out to walk down a leaf littered path through a series of wooded glades. These are some of the photographs we took.
These are the Cork trees that give the forest it's name. Alcornoque (Quercus suber). Probably where our words Acorn and Oak come from.
There was more shade than sunlight in the forest. So on went the fleece.
Here I am posing. Looks like a photo from an outdoor pursuits catalogue.
Cheeese.
Back in the car. We spotted some goats. Well their heads.
This flower appears as a spire up to about a metre in height. Once established it spreads across fields and seems to do well in the shade of the forest.
Marigolds do well in the wet shade at this time of year.
A beautiful woodland daisy. (Bellis)
I'm going to have to get the book out for this one, although I don't remember seeing it in there. A stunning shade of blue.
We drove through Cortes de la Fronter from Ronda. After a few kilometres on the Ubrique road we turned onto the Pista Forestal to El Colmenar (Estación de Gaucín). A twisting narrow road that runs across the north eastern corner of this huge Andalucian forest. The road surface is good and it is just possible for oncoming cars to squeeze passed.
We often drive through the forest. It's one of our favourite places in Andalucia.
We got out to walk down a leaf littered path through a series of wooded glades. These are some of the photographs we took.
These are the Cork trees that give the forest it's name. Alcornoque (Quercus suber). Probably where our words Acorn and Oak come from.
There was more shade than sunlight in the forest. So on went the fleece.
Here I am posing. Looks like a photo from an outdoor pursuits catalogue.
Cheeese.
Back in the car. We spotted some goats. Well their heads.
This flower appears as a spire up to about a metre in height. Once established it spreads across fields and seems to do well in the shade of the forest.
Marigolds do well in the wet shade at this time of year.
A beautiful woodland daisy. (Bellis)
I'm going to have to get the book out for this one, although I don't remember seeing it in there. A stunning shade of blue.