We set off at half past midnight to drive to Heathrow hoping that our Skoda Octavia would not let us down on the way - see www.geoffkirby.co.uk/Skoda for the appalling list of problems we have suffered with it.

Amazingly, it got us to the airport car-park in good time and we were soon in Seville where we were greeted by Graig.

On arrival at the guesthouse run by Graig and Sasha we went on a walk around the village of Castano del Robledo which only has about 200 inhabitants. This includes a lady of over one hundred who walks around the tiny streets chatting to villagers.

The local economy is centred around gathering cork from the Cork Oak trees, collecting chestnuts and breeding Andalucian black pigs.

After an excellent tapas meal we were all tired and had a relatively early night. Unfortunately, despite having had no sleep the previous night, I was unable to get to sleep until about 04.30 but, at 05.00 a series of rockets were let off to celebrate the start of the 'La Reina de los Angeles' festival!

So, with less that one hour sleep we got up and enjoyed an early breakfast prepared by Graig and Sasha. It was then off - very wearily - to see and follow the festival procession to the next village.


Our companions at the guesthouse.

Every cork oak tree - even in the remote depths of the Sierra - has its bark stripped to make wine corks and house insulation.

The bark regenerates after a few years making the cork a sustainable crop.

However, with the introduction of screw-top wine bottles and plastic stoppers, the cork trade is diminishing and with it the ecosystem that is supported by the cork trees.

Geoff and Sandy's other websites can be accessed by clicking on www.geoffkirby.co.uk