Central Spain

These are profuse here between April and June, as are others including a Snake's Tongue variety. Well, early June is still spring in the Sierra. Anacamptis picta, is the name of this variety. I have Ronald Losure to thank for this information. He has included more information and photos in a useful link alongside his comment below. Shot taken 2013 and first posted on ipernity 2016.

Just outside the house. I have a couple more but that's it. Couldn't venture too far as it was either too deep or too icy and I can't risk a slip and a fall. By the time I could get out, it had changed to a dirty slush, so to all those who assumed I would have a bank of snow pictures, I'm very sorry!

Algete, Madrid province, poppy field. May 2015. Upload feature now up and running again so this may be the last of my 'spring revisited' series for the time-being. (Or maybe not! Time will tell!).

aNNa Schramm solved the puzzle as to what tree these catkins come from. They are the male catkins of the Populus Tremula (Lt), European Aspen (Eng), Zitterpappel (Gm), Peuplier tremble (Fr) or Alamo (Sp). Thank you aNNa! Taken March 2013, first posted on ipernity 2016. Valdemorillo, Madrid Province.

Spring 2012 in the Sierra de La Cabrera, Madrid province.

May is a magic month in the Sierra. Cantueso is the wild lavender variety found in the southern Iberian peninsula. Sierra de La Cabrera. Shot in May 2011 and first posted in ipernity in 2016.

Please enlarge to see the granite detail. It's not perfect but this is definitely a favourite of mine. Photo from 2011.

A scorching day - the one where I forgot my sun cream and had ears like pork scratchings (the Spanish would better understand 'toreznos') at the end of it! It also persuaded me that a hat was essential! Taken in 2012 and first posted in ipernity in 2018. Perhaps better on full screen.

I know I've posted this before but I fell upon it by chance again and thought it worth another airing! I would ordinarily have gone straight ahead at this point, over the foreground granite slab but I thought better of it. Later, as I looked back at the goats, I saw a nanny goat suckling its kid, not something I could see from here. Unfortunately no photo was possible as it was in direct line with the sun! This video is worth a look!!!! www.youtube.com/watch?v=RG9TMn1FJzc

From the ridge looking down onto the town of La Cabrera. Granite scenery. I waited ages to get some vultures in view but not that day, alas! I had to move on as eventually I had to catch my bus back to Madrid! Taken august 2015, first posted on ipernity 2017.

Rock window (perhaps hopefully onto a brighter future for us all?). The way I took (not a path at all really) went under this rock. Very common to have a giant boulder wedged over a gully in granite country! Granite forms on Pena del Tejo, a little to one side of La Sierra de La Cabrera proper but terrific scrambling territory in its own right. Indeed I spent a whole day here, intending to move on to the main ridge but finding a day's worth of interest at this place, including the mountain stream close-ups I sometimes post. photo taken 2012 and first posted on ipernity in 2017.

More granite shapes. La Sierra de La Cabrera. Shot taken in 2012 and first posted here in 2017. ***HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL MY IPERNITY FRIENDS. FINGERS CROSSED FOR IMPROVEMENTS IN ALL THINGS!!!***

Pure granite scenery. Only 25 miles from Madrid. Superb walking country. Firste posted on ipernity in 2016 and taken in Janury 2012.

An oldie, from 2012, first shown on ipernity in 2016. I didn't see it as HFF potential then but do now, seeing as I didn't have many fence shots early on!

Plaza Chueca, Madrid. Christmas lights in the rain. First shown in 2016 on ipernity from a shot taken in 2013. I can't upload my new 2020 Christmas shot so a blast from the past will have to suffice!

***'Watch the Master and learn!'*** Griffon Vultures, Cancho de La Bola, Sierra de La Cabrera. Granite. Madrid Province This one again (first shown on ipernity in 2016), simply because it is a favourite of mine.

Sometimes called rock rose in English and quite appropriate here in granite country! Also called gum cistus (yes, it's sticky to the touch). First aired in 2015.

From my balcony one morning in 2013.