THERE is a vast acreage of outstanding natural parks in the area. One starts

just down the road from Finca Alta Cocina.

Algodonales is close to Sierra de Grazalema natural park, one of Spain’s

most ecologically outstanding areas.

The 127,000-acre park is famous for its

spectacular rugged limestone landscape of cliffs, gullies and gorges.

The most impressive gorge is Garganta Verde, with its exceptional griffon vulture colony and rocky walls that tower for 400 metres. Andalucia’s largest cave system is here, the Hundidero-Galo with its biggest cavern 4km long and an entrance 60 metres high.

The pueblo blanco of Grazalema itself is charming. It has grace and style – and some excellent restaurants.

Sierra de Grazalema is part of the incredible Los Alcornocales Natural Park – one of the world’s most important cork oak forests, covering 425,000

acres. You could spend months driving/cycling/walking through the park and you would never get bored with its trees, flora, fauna… and birds.

There are about 18 different species of birds of prey living there. The better adapted to this kind of forest are the buzzards, snake eagles, tawny owls and sparrow hawks. On the rocky sides and gorges of the mountains can be seen birds such as the vulture, Egyptian vulture, partridge eagle, eagle

owl, hawk and kestrel.