The Mediterranean coast is very beautiful, as we all know, even if it is just a little bit built up now (understatement of the year there!).

However there are loads of gorgeous beauty spots all along it-or slightly inland-which with only a small amount of travelling make the most fantastic venue for a day out and picnic.

Let’s start with the Laguna de Fuente Piedra, home to thousands of flamingos. The Laguna nature reserve covers 1364 acres and is home to the baby flamingos while they grow for a few weeks each year before they fly to other parts of Spain.

The Laguna contains all the nutrients required for growth. After hatching the chicks, the adult birds spend all day away from their offspring only returning at night to feed them. Sounds about right to me! The Laguna is only a short drive from the Malaga area.

Moving along the coast a bit there is the beautiful Sierra de Las Nieves, a world heritage site, in the mountains behind Marbella. This, as the name implies, is often covered in snow during the winter and is home to some of the oldest species of pine trees in Europe – the Pinsapo. This pine tree really looks like it belongs to another age! Other ice-age relic vegetation flourishes as well.

Once you get into Cadiz Province the amount of buildings and urbanisations decreases (well, at least at the moment) and the beauty of the Atlantic can be appreciated. The beaches from Algeciras onwards are spectacular and are now part of the Parque Natural del Estrecho. Try the untouched stretches of sand on the Los Lances beach and you think you are in heaven but just go round the bay to the spectacular untouched beaches and sand dunes of Bolonia and you know you are!

Cows, pigs and horses wander on the beach and in winter you may be lucky enough to be the only humans on a seemingly endless spread of fine white sand. There are still a couple of beach restaurants open in winter so you can finish of the perfect morning with some freshly caught and fried Bolonia fish.

Moving inland from Tarifa you hit the magnificent Parque Natural de los Alcornocales which extends through Cadiz province into Malaga and joins up to the equally spectacular Sierra de Grazalema Park.

These areas are full of rivers, waterfalls, fantastic unique vegetation types (the Alcornocales park actually has valleys full of rhododendrons – and I thought you had to go to Richmond park to see those! – and of course animal life-birds of prey and cattle being the main stars!

The best way to visit these parks is to choose a village to visit and take a slow car journey breathing in the scenery on route.

Alternatively, catch the train from Algeciras to Ronda and get off at one of the immaculately kept stations on route to walk and eat. Jimera de Libar is fantastic-the station is identical to a 1950´s British station but the mountainous backdrop certainly isn’t!

Make sure you find out your train time back – there are only 3 or 4 a day in each direction!