Things to do in the local area

There are a wide range of activities in the local area. Here are some details.

Cycling and Mountain Biking.

There are a vast number of trails around the valley and hills. We have a number of bikes in the house that you can use.

Walking

This is fantastic area for walking. From long hikes to the lagoons in the Gredos mountains to shorter less energetic walks around the Corneja Valley near Piedrahita. For birdwatchers there is a great variety of birds to see. Our common exotic looking favourites are the Bee-eaters and the Hoopoos. See the sidebar for photos.

We are widening our season by offering walking holidays during the early spring and autumn. For more information see our walking section.

Swimming Pool

For those who fancy a more leisurely day lazing by the pool, there is a large openair swimming pool in the grounds of the Palace, just 200 meteres from the house.

It is normally open from the third week of June to the second week of September.

Apiary Visits

Steve keeps a growing number of Honey Bee colonies. A visit to the Apiary (with protective clothes we will supply) can be arranged for small groups. There are a number of glass backed observation hives where you can see the working of the colony. If the weather permits we can inspect some frames from the Langstroth hives, or even harvest a little comb honey from the top bar hives. You could also get involved in swarm catching during the springtime.

Places of Interest

Salamanca (69kms) and Avila( 55kms).

Both these cities have some of the most iconic architecture of Spain, most importantly in Salamanca the Plaza Mayor, and Avila its Walls.

Further a field are Segovia, Ciudad Rodrigo and Plasencia.

Swimming in the River.

One outstanding spot is over the back of the Peña Negra take off. The water is always incredibly clear (and cold). It is deep enough to be able to make the jump of 8m from either side of the chasm.

Another spot in the Corneja valley is a wider, warmer section with grass and sand banks at La Maquina, some 20km from Piedrahita.

Arapiles Battlefield (Salamanca)

This Peninsula War battle ground is similar today as when Wellingtons forces beat the French here in 1812. This was one of the key battles of the Spanish War of Independence and what many historians believe to be Wellingtons greatest victories. Two small hills, the Arapiles, are the centrepiece of the battle, the smaller from which Wellington spotted the weakness in the French deployment. This can be visited on a day trip to Salamanca. See the sidebar for more information.

Other Activities you can do

Other activities available in the local area include horse riding, paintballing, quad biking and skiing and ice climbing in the early part of the year. These are not included in the cost of your stay, but we will provide transport on non flyable days.