Hotel natural history
The hotel farm is part of the interactive and dynamic holiday experience we offer you. We have developed a sign-posted farm trail to allow you to enjoy and appreciate the contexts of hotel, farm, and landscape. By following the trail you can learn about Asturian indigenous rare breeds, cider apple orchards, organic vegetable gardening, and traditional hay meadows, as well as enjoying the diverse flora and fauna of the area - but please remember that this is a working farm that needs to be treated with respect.
Click on the following link to download the Farm trail information document.
Bellow you can click on the icons to view our Farm butterfly guides and our monthly selection of flowering plants on the farm trail.
Realising that our grasslands have very high biodiversity value, in 2001 we began to manage an area adjacent to the hotel specifically for wildflower species - the Hotel Wildflower Meadow. Such areas of high wildflower diversity attract a wide range of birds, butterflies, and other wildlife, some of which are dependent upon one particular flora species.
With the introduction of the farm-labourer/site-naturalist role in 2007 we began extensive flora and fauna surveys on the farm, which have so far identified 58 species of bird, 46 species of butterfly (including 6 species of fritillaries and 2 of swallowtail), and 4 species of bat. We have now produced a "book"; The Farm Flora Guide - a celebration of biodiversity. To date, 322 species of wildflower have been identified on the farm, of which 308 are portrayed in this book of colour photos, grouped into families, including details of where they can be found.
On the farm there are now three areas, totalling over 2.5 ha, which are specifically managed for flora and fauna. Due to different soil types and management practices, there is normally an abundance of wildflowers and associated fauna to be seen from early April to late October, depending on the year.
Click on the following icons to view the full size of: - Farm butterfly guide - Farm Orchid guide - Mounthly selection of flowers on the farm trail
| Early April | Late April | Early May |
| Late May | Early June | Late June |
| Early July | Late July | Early August |
| Late August | Early September | Late September |
| Early October | Late October |
Collia, Arriondas, 33549 Asturias Spain
T. 00 34 985 84 11 57 F. 00 34 985 84 15 59
@. @ Hotel Posada del Valle 2008