Valleseco Lagoon

A sand horse track runs right round the edge of the grounds, hoofprints pressed into it, and during Valleseco's fiestas it hosts horse races. Inside that ring, families settle in at the grills under the chestnuts. The shade holds when the coast is baking.

In the middle sits the pond that gives the place its name, with a bird-watching platform where you can sit and wait with a camera. Herons, blackcaps, blackbirds, chaffinches and gulls come through, along with migrating birds, and the ducks paddle straight over to anyone who looks like they carry food. The whole basin is a volcanic caldera, its floor and slopes filled in with native vegetation.

• In dry spells the pond can shrink almost to nothing.
• There are free toilets on site.
• Dogs are allowed, and there is a playground for children.
• The ducks come begging; do not feed them bread.
• The paths leading out of the area are of moderate difficulty, so wear proper shoes if you plan to walk beyond the picnic grounds.

By bus, the nearest stop is Entrada Hipodromo, named for the racecourse entrance, about 350 m away in a straight line.

By car, there is parking at the recreation area itself, and a free car park lies about 1,200 m away in a straight line. The grills, the pond and the horse track all sit on the level floor of the caldera, so once you are in the grounds the walking is easy. Paths of moderate difficulty lead out from the area into the surrounding countryside.

Best: a weekday, and ideally after a spell of rain.

Avoid: weekends if you want quiet, and the end of a long dry spell.

Weekends bring the barbecue crowd, while rain keeps the pond full enough to hold the birds; on a hot summer day the chestnut shade is the reason to come up from the coast.