It's important to look up as well as down

Walking around the Serra d'Irta natural park necessitates a lot of looking

Miniature daffodils in the Serra d'Irta natural park 

down because most of the tracks are pretty rugged - by that I mean they are continuous trip hazards with lots of loose scree and partially submerged pine tree roots! We have also seen our caterpillar trains and, over the past few days, miniature daffodils are coming out in force too. Each flower is less than a centimetre across and they tend to be solo plants rather than in great swathes as back at home. Mum always loved daffodils so seeing these flowers so close to Mothering Sunday has been a lovely reminder of her.

However, gazing at my footsteps did mean that I walked straight under

I want a tree house too! 

this tree house this afternoon without any awareness of its existence. Dave had to call me back to see it! The walls and roof branches are spaced so it wouldn't be at all water or windproof, but a wonderful den from which to spy on unobservant hikers. We only managed a short walk today, just a couple of hours, because we set off mid-afternoon and had to be back so Dave could finish creating his delicious Pork Chops with Pears dinner. (If you're planning to meet up with us at one of our UK campsite stops this summer, be sure to ask him to cook this.)

Another reminder that Spring has truly sprung though - we went paddling in the sea! And it wasn't shockingly icy! The beaches here are mostly rugged rocks, but a few places are little natural coves with almost-sand. Millions of tiny shells cover lots of the ground and are gradually being crushed and worn down. The water is gorgeously clear too. Unfortunately we did spot one area where a number of abandoned fishing nets have been washed ashore and snagged around rocks to litter the beach. I hope the cormorants and gulls recognise that they are hazardous.

Gorgeous clear water 

Abandoned fishing nets have washed
ashore to get caught on the rocks 

Dave goes paddling - in March!