In the mountains the snow puts the survival skills of the animals to the test. However, you will have the luxury of being able to enjoy the clean, white landscapes and follow the tracks left in the snow by hares, foxes, deer and genets.

Hedgehogs, bats and garden dormice hibernate, snug in their winter nests, but whilst Mother Nature appears to be fast asleep, there is still a lot of activity. The fawns have now been weaned and have lost the attractive patterns that adorned their coats when they were younger, while the stags begin to shed their majestic antlers to immediately begin growing a new set. The wild boar, which tend to be nocturnal creatures throughout the rest of the year, often root for food during the day in the winter months.

Although it may not seem the most suitable moment, it is time for the squirrels to mate and raise their young, building comfortable dreys covered with lichen and moss in the crowns of the trees. Nor are the resident pairs of griffon vultures daunted by the cold: on sunny mornings you can enjoy the spectacle of their perfectly synchronised nuptial flights above the high cliffs. Subsequently, both parents will defend the solitary egg in their nest, protecting it from the wind and sleet that batter the rocky crags. Winter also marks the breeding season of the tawny owl and you only have to go a short way outside the towns, heading towards the forests, to hear their unmistakable calls filling the cold night air with an eerie magic. Bearded vultures are also hatching their chicks, still within the safety of the captive-breeding centre but soon to spread across the whole of Andalusia.

Towards the end of the winter there are already signs of the avalanche of life that is on its way: you can hear the halting mating call of the common blackbird from the trees and rooftops and admire the white flowers emerging from the almond trees.