Musings on my life in Spain

To some they are vermin. To others they are a thing of beauty. Perhaps, like me, you can't see them without thinking of scenes from The Jungle Book! These vultures are easy to find. Just 50km to the Southeast of Pamplona is the small town of Lumbier. It’s nothing special in itself but nearby hides a special secret, and that was the sole purpose of this visit.

Foz de Lumbier is a small canyon in which hundreds, maybe thousands, of Egyptian Vultures have made their home. It was amazing walking along the footpath, a disused railway line, and getting close to them was quite straight forward. The path is easy to negotiate and this was evident by the number of families out for a stroll and cyclists riding their bikes. At times you have to go through dark tunnels but you always emerge into spectacular scenery with a multitude of carrion circling above waiting for you to drop dead!!

A few kilometres along the path there is a trail leading up into the hills. This was a fabulous way to return to the car park, but be prepared for your shoes to get rather dirty!! It wasn’t too difficult an ascent but it was quite muddy in places – just energetic enough.

At the top you can’t miss the trail leading back to the car park because of the danger signs warning us away from other routes. It was a great day for getting up close and personal with the vultures and it is highly recommend as a day out if you get the chance.

If you have enjoyed this blog, you can read more about Russ and his travels in Spain at www.anythingbutpaella.com