About
My name is Javier, I am an Engineering Geologist with a passion for the natural world and for Geotourism. My story begins with when I was a kid and started to collect random samples of gypsum or anmonites (yes, like those current marine molluscs called Nautilus). I always wondered how they got to placed, like my dad’s farm or close to my old school, neither of which were near the sea or a lake.
It was the beginning of my journey to understanding the huge timescale of our planet and then all the geological processes which happened to make those beautiful samples.
My first encounter with the fabulous 'Andalusian Grand Canyon', was during my Uni years. I had never visited before, despite being so close to my hometown of Jaén. However, on that first field trip, my classmates and I were all stunned by the dramatic, jaw-dropping, and multicolour landscape, wondering why that hidden gem was so unknown to the rest of the world, the rest of the world could experience this natural wonder.
After university, I went on to work as an Engineering Geologist in a multinational firm, but the economic crisis in Spain had hit hard and I was facing redundancy. This forced career break allowed me to think about alternative career paths and life choices, which led me to the UK.
Before moving, I designed a geological route near Seville, which involved guiding people without a geological background.
I fell in love with the process of designing the tours and with the public reception when I carried out the tours. I loved connecting with people and encouraging them to connect with nature with an open-minded and relaxed attitude. Reconnecting with simple concepts was an epiphany for me.It was my first experience with georoutes, like 10 years ago.
In the UK, I restarted my career again as Engineering Geologist, where the georoutes project was shelved, but not forgotten. I started researching little by little how I could develop my georoutes, giving a personal touch, but always with geology at its core (pardon the pun). In the meantime, I had the opportunity to participate in Geoconservation congresses and talks on Geotourism, and at that moment, before the Covid pandemic, I rediscovered the Geopark project of Granada.
When the Covid pandemic arrived, with its widespread disruption (and much time for reflection and making cakes etc.), I realised, like many people, the deprivation of some of our main psychological needs that are often invisible or taken for granted. We have less access to community and human connection, free movement, and, above all, the meaning in our lives and brains when we access nature.
That free movement, so needed after the pandemic, would be reflected in my tourism project, with small groups where the tour is more flexible and open to new experiences. I was excited by the idea of building a sense of community and human connection, forging links with local community projects and businesses, goals which had started timidly before. Especially between local communities and my potential clients, fostering interaction between locals and visitors who wish to know another culture.
