15. THE ROACHES (ENGLAND)

 

I wanted to start the list with this place, since The Roaches marked most of 2015: I visited them in different seasons with great apparent changes. Winter snow mixed with the heathers in lethargy to be subsequently replaced by spring green colours. The stay of several months was started and finished with this.

14. NEWBOROUGH BEACH (WALES)

 

Because we hiked along the unplanned track, we had the great chance to further explore this scenery. I found all the elements so attractive, from the pine plantations on very sandy soil to pillow-lavas outcropping in between the coastal dunes... and all that with excellent weather so uncommon in March: while we walked in T-shirt along the sunny beach, we could observe fresh snow covering the summits in Snowdonia. And those white snow caps appeared reflected in the calm ponds left by the lower and lower tide.

13. ARBAIUN (BASQUE COUNTRY)

 

Since the first day I visited it, I fell in love with Foz de Arbaiun, but this year I had the chance to live it in a different way. Used to seeing it from above, I changed the perspective to the horizontal, and thus, the experience was totally different. The route consisted in walking over the bedrock and fluvial sediments, sometimes climbing and jumping and later on swimming in the amazingly warm waters. We were surprised by panoramas similar to those of the advertisements used to attract tourists to Thailand, but without moving from home.

12. MINNACK THEATRE (ENGLAND)

 

If we were asked about the typical English landscape, we would probably picture hills, hedges and single family houses. But we can likewise come across turquoise waters and beaches with light and fine sand, fairly common in Cornwall. This site is even more interesting thanks to a theatre constructed in between the coastal cliffs. Moreover, it was decorated with flowers of different colours, thereby giving it a more Mediterranean character. This wonder has become a must-see place in my personal list.

11. AMSTERDAM (THE NETHERLANDS)

 

One of the capitals of Central Europe, but it does not feel like a big city. Amsterdam proposes another model of city in several aspects. Firstly, in terms of transport, since bikes take over the traffic. Secondly, the way of building, with big blocks of houses combined with several shops and extensive green areas. Finally, it has a very rich cultural offer for both locals and foreigners. Lively and relaxed, that is what Amsterdam is like.

10. HELVELLYN (ENGLAND)

 

I was encouraged to note this place by some people met in a previous trip. Within Lake District National Park, it is the entrance hall to Scotland. There are lots of popular routes all over the area, but probably the most thrilling ones are those following the mountain ridges: Swirral Edge and Striding Edge. Traces left by former glaciers including beautiful lakes are elements that can be enjoyed in this region of incredibly fresh air.

9. ZUMAIA (BASQUE COUNTRY)

 

Normally, places that you visit very often become less and less attractive. My exception to the rule is the geological wonder of Zumaia. Despite being there many times, a slightly lower tide reveals new layers and that somewhat changes the picture. Because of the pond fauna, the great geological history book or the caves created in the coastal cliffs, Zumaia has that never-ending charm.

8. BEDRUTHAN STEPS (ENGLAND)

 

Born and raised in abrupt coasts, I always look for cliffs in my trips. This one completely drew my attention. In addition to big coastal cliffs, huge rocks stood in the middle of the beach, surrounded by flashy green mosses, in turn surrounded by turquoise ponds. Just sitting there and enjoying the hues given by each different element of the planet was simply great, being alone in the whole beach for a great deal of time. At that time, time was marked solely by the waves coming up and down.

7. KYNANCE COVE (ENGLAND)

 

Behind this place there is a beautiful story. Ignoring the existence of this spot, I headed for the nearby headland. But I bumped into a local recommending that I lengthened slightly my hike up to this cove. That is exactly what I did and I suddenly arrived at the place that I liked the most in England. Geomorphologically speaking, it is a very interesting light-sand tombolo, but I find the story behind much more special. A place that could have well been ignored, but to which the steps during the journey guided me. This is the advantage of improvisation; it opens the way to surprises.

6. HIRU ERREGEEN MAHAIA (BASQUE COUNTRY)

 

At last, I got to know the highest point in the Basque Country. In this journey full of wonders, very astonishing sections can be progressively found on the way up: 1) green forests of local deciduous and coniferous trees; 2) karstic landforms created in the limestone; 3) glacial valleys and lakes carved in the grass-dominated stage; 4) the breathtaking skyline created by Pyrenean summits. Each section is different and gives rise to a very pleasant hike.

5. QURAING, ISLE OF SKYE (SCOTLAND)

 

In spite of being the goal of the trip, it looked less and less likely that we would arrive there, but the destiny finally brought us there. And thanks to that last-minute movement, we enjoyed it even more. With an even more tropical weather than in the tropics, we saw all kinds of meteorological phenomena: hail, strong winds, intense rainfall, sunlight, fog, rainbows... No way of getting bored in an already beautiful region derived from volcanic material originated in a former hotspot. Skye, which sounds like sky, is a heaven-like paradise.

4. RUTA DEL CARES (SPAIN)

 

Picos de Europa is a very interesting and didactic mountain range. Ruta del Cares guides you through a breathtaking hike. With an enormous gradient, it is difficult to imagine that it is water that has carved such a gigantic canyon. Rocks and plants about to fall into the abyss make this mountain goat-governed kingdom even more dramatic, where humans have just built the track and canals. Totally advisable.

3. LABETXU, JAIZKIBEL (BASQUE COUNTRY)

 

Jaizkibel is on the list every year. Albeit having a short altitude, it contains one of the highest densities of beautiful places. It still has secrets to astonish the bypassers, even if they have visited the mountain thousands of times. Without forgetting the wonderful coves, the colours of the sandstone look extraterrestrial. In Labetxu, the strange colours reach their climax. Strata red like blood descend into the sea combined with more yellowish layers. Micro-landforms formed in the sandstones are utterly surprising and so, they are the perfect paradise for those who want to take pictures of details. Which will be the secret to be revealed during the next year?

2. PARYS MOUNTAIN (WALES)

 

I never thought that I would love an anthropogenic landscape that much. But in Parys Mountain, the humans have made previously-hidden materials visible and in doing so, they have offered a spectacle of multiple tones. Alternating hills and hollows, this former mining site displays an unusual panorama, and this rarity is further enhanced by wind turbines. Similar to other ryolithic enclaves and bearing a similar natural story, the human influence makes the difference in this case.

1. CWM IDWAL (WALES)

 

Snowdonia is such a special North Welsh mountain chain, taking into account that further east, the English Mountains do not quite reach those drastic altitudes. That is why I arrived in Cwm Idwal at the right moment and thanks to this I realised how much I missed big mountains. The gradient that can be found here is enormous and glacial traces are present everywhere. At the moment of the visit, furthermore, the changing weather sent us all kinds of atmospheric situations. Starting with hail and rain and finishing with dense, high fogs. But as it usually happens, the light following a storm gives very special tones to the landscape and encourages us to take wonderful pictures. Indeed, the trip to Wales was unforgettable for a great number of reasons.

THE END