Travel photography: Spain
Nature and National parks - Part 1

July 19, 2022

As much as I enjoy historic towns with great architecture, the main focus of all my trips is always nature. Lush forests, dramatic peaks, coastal landscapes or green fields - spending time and and photographing natural landscapes and the variety of fauna that inhabits them is my most favorite pastime.

In this piece I'd like to show some of my favorite landscape and wildlife images from the north of Spain, mainly from Asturias.

Why not start with the most famous national park in the country? The Picos de Europa is a limestone massif and form part of the cantabrian mountain range.
Pictured is the famous view on Naranjo de Bulnes.

Lago Ercina, the smaller one of the Lakes of Covadonga in front of a spectacular mountain panorama.

View in the park.

The Basílica de Santa María la Real de Covadonga was erected at the site of the Battle of Covadonga, which is recognized to be the start of the Reconquista that would take more than 700 years.

Right below the Basilica this picturesque waterfall is worth a visit.

Speaking of which, especially in Asturias, the Basque country and Aragon there is an abundance of small and large rivers with scenic waterfalls. I've not done much in terms of waterfall photography before, but on this trip I had ample opportunity to brush up on my skills.

Mountain streams are an important habitat for small amphibians like this Iberian Frog.

The Iberian frog inhabits mountainous regions with crystal clear watercourses. It’s quite small and has suffered many problems due to the introduction of invasive species. For this reason, its population was on the verge of disappearing, but thanks to the efforts of several researchers it still persists in its struggle to survive.