A Mini Tour of El Berro
PHOTO GALLERY - A MINI GUIDED TOUR TO START YOU OFF!
WELCOME!
You can see, to the left here, 
the village of El Berro. It is a pretty village which the population of just over 100 is very proud of, keeping it spotless and attractive.
It is such a small village you can amble through it in minutes and never get lost! It is hard to believe it has two bakeries, a friendly family-run supermarket which sells everything, two restaurants and a cafe, as well as a roast-chicken takeaway and the campsite cafe-bar! Admittedly they are not all open simultaneously or every day - but you will never be lacking in anything. There is always at least one restaurant open, the supermarket is open morning and evening throughout the week and the baker is open Monday to Saturday every morning for the kind of bread you dream about. Of course you can always eat something at the Camping Sierra Espuna cafe-bar which does pizzas as well as Spanish tapas and sandwiches to order - they are open daily - morning, noon and evening.
You will be surrounded by panoramic scenic views in this area. Who needs to take flying lessons when you can get the same experience here on terra firma! However it is only 650 metres in altitude, not too high for winter comfort.
It is always a good idea to look to the sky now and then, because you never know what you might see! It is a truly amazing experience to see Golden Eagles circling above, usually in pairs. There are breeding pairs of Golden Eagles in Sierra Espuna. If you go to the VIDEOS page you can watch a video of Golden Eagles demonstrating their size and power.
This is the main road in El Berro, to the left. No traffic lights here! But you will find bougainvillea and jasmine tumbling down from the window boxes, making a stroll through the village a sensual experience...
This is also and area for olive and almond growing. In September the almonds are dropping off the trees and being harvested. Villagers dry the almonds outside their houses at this time, after they have taken them out of their soft, velvety green pods. Almonds in hard shells then remain. Almonds are expensive because they are so labour-intensive. Havesting them, taking them out of their soft green pods, and then drying them - before you can even start cracking open the shells and then blanching them - all takes an incredible amount of time and care. Blanched, fried almonds are always on the menu in this area as a snack - they are surprisingly tasty! You will often find them brought to your table with a meal or added to the typical Spanish starter of cheese and ham - jamon y queso.
Olives are harvested green in September or black in December. Most people around here harvest them black (when they are totally ripe) to turn them into olive oil. Olives also go through many processes before they can be made edible, either as olives or as oil! If you want a shocking experience, just try eating an olive straight from the tree - you will only do once!
Not only is there the protected natural region of the Sierra Espuna mountains with abundant wildlife, but beautiful walks through olive and almond country (seen left and above 
right) and other amazing landscapes such as the barrancos de Gebas which are lunar white chalky landscapes. There are also wonderful walks along ancient dry river beds with rocks to amaze you, see right. The amazing thing is, that although these walks look challenging, Louisa knows the easy routes - and if in Spain, can advise! All you need is suitable non-slip footwear that grips your feet properly. Walking boots are good but strong trainers or walking sandals will do as well, depending on the weather!
For the whole month of February every year, the countryside around here is blossoming! There are literally miles of almond groves within walking distance of the village. It is a heavenly experience to witness all the trees bursting into pink and white blossom! There is a very delicate scent wafting through the air and it really is a sight to behold when, at the end of February, the whole countryside is one magnificent pink and white display!
You can see the Snow Houses (see photo right) and marvel at the ways people made ice in times gone by.. go on scenic walks through many different scenic areas, with different stories to tell.. You will often have the chance of seeing wildlife too... lizards, foxes, arruis, wild boar, squirrels to name but a few things.
CLIMATE
It is a pleasure to be in the area any time of year but for walks, autumn, winter and spring are best. Summer is best avoided, it is simply too hot, although you may find a couple of easy strolls in early evening are very enjoyable. In winter there are plenty of days warm enough to sit outside in the mid day sunshine - perhaps eating outdoors having menu of the day in a local mountain restaurant! Winter is the favourite time of year for many Spaniards, who find the temperatures much more comfortable than the summers which can soar into the blisteringly hot upper 40 degrees C.
In general, the climate in Murcia, southern spain, is roughly one season ahead of northern Europe. Which means that winter as northern Europe knows it, does not exist in Murcia!Wintertime in Murcia is like springtime in northern Europe. Springtime and autumn in Murcia are like summer in northern Europe. The sizzling summer Spanish heat means you must definitely come equipped with sunhats, sandals, swimwear and plenty of sunscreen - and the vegetation dries to a crisp! So if you want walks to see wildlife, flowers and enjoyable temperatures then winter, spring and autumn are the best times.
