Those of a certain age will remember the popular old Western films with John Wayne riding off into the sunset or Gary Cooper bravely walking alone (as sheriff) to meet his fate (feared group of bandits) in High Noon. These type of films used to be called ‘spaghetti westerns’ on account of the fact that they were filmed in Italy, but in Spain’s Huelva province is the ideal setting for a ‘paella western’.

The name of El Rocio even has the right ring to it. There is no warning, as you turn off the Almonte-Matalascañas road, that you are about to enter what seems to be one big film set. The streets are very wide (some wide enough for six or seven vehicles to pass in a horizontal line) and sandy. No tarmac in sight. Just sand. Tons of it. Right on cue a guy in a cowboy hat rides past on a superbly groomed horse. Straight out of Bonanza or the High Chapperal. An elderly ‘cowboy’ strolls across the street to his own four by four, a white battered turbo-charged ‘Galloper’. All perfectly in keeping.

The houses and cafés are reminiscent of the American Mid-West in the latter half of the 19th century. Most bars have a wooden rail outside for tying up one’s trusty steed while refreshing the parts that others cannot reach; and there are plenty of places to do this. The Casa de la Virgen restaurant stands towards the edge of town and its desserts are to die for. The rest isn’t bad either!

On the other side of town the Hotel Toruño restaurant stands on the Plaza Acebuchal named after an olive tree said to be more than 1000 years old. They regard visitors as a ‘gift from heaven’. There is a wooden rail under the shade of the old olive tree for tying up your nag. Then you can dine in peace on venison or beef from the surrounding marshlands, followed by a cream mousse with marsh honey or Flamenco Réal, a concoction of fruit salad, sponge cake, coffee ice cream and whipped cream. If you’re on an economy trip, Hostal Cristina just down the street is clean, warm and comfortable; and you can eat hot toasted rolls with marmite in front of a big log fire.

El Rocio stands by a large shallow lake where horses graze at the water’s edge in the early morning and late afternoon; and there are flamingo and glossy ibis, ducks and storks. The storks stand nonchalantly on one leg, idly reflecting on life. They nest in tiers on the local electricity pylons. ‘Frying tonight’ and ‘Stork margarine’ suddenly take on new meanings.

The town is centered around the Church of La Virgen by the lakeside. Legends says that one day hundreds of years ago a statue of the La Virgen, known locally as Our Lady of the Dew, was found by the lake. All attempts to move the statue failed and so the Church was built on the site. Inside the Church the ‘wow’ factor is tangible. There is probably more gold here than was found in the California gold rush.

In January there is a family fiesta with parades and bands and donkey cart rides. The main festival, however, for which El Rocio is famous, is the Romerio del Rocio held at Pentecost. Ladies wear flamenco dresses, men ride on horseback, and there are lots of beautifully decorated ox-carts. Spanish and gypsy caravans converge of the town. El Rocio is only about 30km from Huelva, said to be a centre of flamenco. The shops around the Church in El Rocio sell flamenco music and stunningly colourful flamenco dresses; and it is impossible not to be caught up in the romance and beauty of it all.

Across the road from El Rocio is the Parque Nacional de Doñana. The Parque is known as the marisma, the swamp, the wetlands, and covers the delta of the Rio Guadalquivir. It is said to be the largest roadless area in Western Europe. The natural environment of woods, marches, freshwater lagoons, cork, eucalyptus, orange and lemon trees, support twenty five pairs of the rare Iberian lynx; mongoose; wild boar; deer; Spanish Imperial eagles; flamingo; heron; storks; waterfowl; birds of prey and mosquitoes!

There is in fact a narrow metalled by-road across most of the Doñana Parque but a good reliable car with plenty of petrol in the tank is essential. Better to go on one the many tours arranged by the local tourist office (959 443 808). It is said that Tarsessos, the lost legendary city of Antiquity, lies somewhere beneath the wetlands and sand dunes of this area. The Parque ends abruptly at the A494, the coast road between Matalascañas and Heulva. On the other side of the road there are sand dunes and pine trees but it is a ‘Zona Militaire’ and access is forbidden. Doñana Parque is in many ways unique and should not be missed.