Pyrenean Experience

10/05/2026

Final Places: Basque Mountain Experience Walking Weeks & Spanish Language 'House-parties' 2026 -

11/01/2026

Very Final Places: Basque Mountain Experience Walking Weeks & Spanish Language 'House-parties' 2026 -

27/03/2025

I will be presenting my book
‘In the Footsteps of Smugglers’ at
at 6pm on 5th April and would love you to join me for my talk and a drink afterwards 🥂🍾👩🏽‍🏫 link to the event in my bio

30/09/2023

Wild Swimming in one of the many beautiful rivers near Ameztia was the perfect way to end our Basque Mountain experience week.

27/09/2023

WW2 Escape Routes over the Pyrenees. The comet line and the safehouses on the French border were one of highlights of our week. We had the honour of talking with Beñat, a member of the Larretche family who risked their lives to help lead allied pilots to freedom during the war. Here, he was sharing his family stories with our guests and shortly after we walked in their footsteps over the Pyrenees.

27/12/2022

Karibu. Life-changing experiences in Kenya, self-driving through the grasslands with Kenyan friends, environmentalists and wildlife ambassadors. Here with my dear friend Antonio Schamorro – a prize-winning wildlife photographer, who studied English with me at the Pyrenean Experience 10 years ago so he could qualify for an interview for his dream job as an English-speaking wildlife safari guide. He spoke not a word! How hard you worked Antonio! We spoke English night and day, as we walked and worked on the land. We crumbed our lunch over crumpled lists of irregular verbs. (You hated cheese. The beers got warm). You played English podcasts in the car, in the shower and while you slept. AND YOU DID IT! Now we come full circle as I join you in the Maasai Mara and witness the amazing career that you have built for yourself as one of Africa’s top photographic guides! Congratulations Antonio. Check out his one-in-a-million photos. .photo. or join him on safari at schamorro.com. ps. Just got great news of much needed rains in the Mara! Taken at the pioneering conservancy on the Mara river

29/09/2022

Guests having a go at making traditional Basque corn talos in the bar in Zubieta where Michael Portillo sang, drank cider and partied with the local villagers in his documentary 'In the Pyrenees'. The cast may have changed but the fun and atmosphere was always the same. Inimitably Basque.

23/08/2022

Zubieta ....the story behind the Basque village portrayed by Michael Portillo in his documentary in the Pyrenees. A portrait of the values, contrasts and contradictions of Basque mountain life.

Zubieta is a traditional and exceptionally beautiful Basque village in the Spanish Pyrenees but not everything is as it appears!

20/08/2022

Had a fascinating day's filming in Zubieta with Michael Portillo earlier this year for the up-and-coming channel 5 documentary 'The Pyrenees with Michael Portillo' - transporting Michael and the camera crew onto the ridgetops above my house was probably the beginning of the end for my 400,000 km Seat! It will be fascinating to see what clips actually stay in the final documentary. See it on Channel 5 Tuesday 23rd August at 9pm. Here is an article about our day's filming in April - where I get to wear the brightest colours of us all!
https://www.pyreneanexperience.com/the-pyrenees-with-michael-portillo/

17/08/2022

The Channel 5 documentary 'The Pyrenees with Michael Portillo' spills the beans at 9 pm on Tuesday 23rd August. The first episode is in the Basque Country where I introduce Michael to the moeurs of the Basques and show him around the beautiful - if not at times rebellious - Basque village of Zubieta in Navarra which, until now, few people knew existed. Meet Michael and me next Tuesday...of the two of us, I actually happen to be the one wearing the brightest colours!