The region of Extremadura is about the same size as Switzerland and is made up of two large, sparsely-populated provinces – Cáceres and Badajoz. Passing through Extremadura you may well encounter areas containing splendid oak trees. They appear at first glance to be a natural landscape with majestic trees scattered over rolling hills, but in fact they are carefully cultivated and managed. This is the dehesa of Extremadura.
“Dehesa” is the name given to these expansive areas of farmland consisting of groves of low density, mature oak trees. The spaces between the trees are used to cultivate cereals and as pasture for grazing livestock.
Clive Muir – Wildside Holidays – Walking, wildlife and culture holidays in Spain
I’ve been living in western Andalucía for more than 20 years and spend much of my time researching and running English-language travel websites about Spain. My work covers destinations including Cádiz, Ronda, Grazalema and the Caminito del Rey, as well as Wildside Holidays, which focuses on walking, wildlife and nature travel in Spain.
Through Wildside Holidays, I share practical information about Spain’s natural parks, mountains, wildlife and walking destinations, drawing on many years of living and travelling in the country. The aim is to help visitors discover Spain’s natural landscapes responsibly and plan rewarding walking and wildlife experiences.