Family birdwatching trip
Natural Park
Breakfast downed, sunglasses firmly on, you get your bag ready for this day in nature – binoculars, sunscreen, hats, sandwiches, not forgetting the essential kids adventure journals.
Head for the Aiguamolls de l’Empordà Natural Park, a real paradise for birds, among the sea and marshes.
You’re outside the park’s main entrance, next to the El Cortalet visitor information centre. You pick up a nature trail map, some advice from the park guides, and you’re off for a walk along the Estanys trail (known locally as the Ruta dels Estanys),
The kids have fun spotting storks, herons and sometimes even turtles on the wooden walkways winding above the marshes.
You have a well-deserved break in one of the bird hides. Time to pass the binoculars around. Who can spot the most species?!
A stork takes off right in front of you – a magical moment!
A picnic in the shade of a large tree, near the park’s Estany del Cortalet wetland area. While the adults enjoy their meal, the children make up stories about animals, or draw what they’ve seen in their adventure journal.
A gentle start to the afternoon, with a walk to the Can Comes wild beach, accessed on foot from the park.
The children roll down the dunes while you make the most of the peace. There is no car noise here, just the wind, sea spray and call of seagulls.
A short swimming session in the sea (there are no lifeguards at the beach, exercise caution with children). The children collect shells as souvenirs. In the meantime, you thoroughly enjoy the sunshine and Catalan scenery…
Your sandals are full of sand, your legs ache a little, but your minds are crammed with images of birds, lovely countryside and fits of the giggles!
You sip a cold juice on your terrace, while flicking through the pages of the children’s adventure journals, highly amused by their original drawings and imaginative comments.
After a generous helping of pasta, the kids are already asleep and you’re not late hitting the hay either. Today proved a lovely interlude, in the heart of one of the loveliest nature reserves on the Costa Brava.
