The Atlantic North

S1, E1: From the reedy areas in the Basque Country, via the fantastic world of the Cantabrian mountain range, to Galicia with its spectacular coasts: This is the North Spanish wilderness, which offers unheard of diversity and reveals a hitherto completely unknown side of Spain. In the wetlands during the rutting season, red deer carry out their bitter power struggles until the water around them appears to blister and boil. The Cantabrian mountain range is habitat for around 140 Cantabrian brown bears – Western Europe’s greatest bear population. The females wander from place to place in search of food. Adult male bears and steep mountain slopes are a permanent danger for the youngsters. Iridescent blue throats, defending their territorial borders against rivals, appear to observe them. Above the timberline is the Kingdom of the Cantabrian chamois. They share their habitat with the colourful wallcreeper - an extremely rare bird of the tall mountain region. The Asturian fire salamander is the only one of its kind with a complete yellow hue - he hunts his prey on the banks of the countless streams that flow into the Atlantic, which is inhabited by giants; from sperm whales to basking sharks, the world’s second largest fish. The rugged north has shaped the identity of its inhabitants. The film accompanies a mountain farmer in the Picos de Europa National Park, who still operates traditional livestock farming and a goose barnacle collector on the Costa da Morte, who quite possibly has the world’s most dangerous job. Common to both is the fact that neither of them would exchange their homeland for life in the city.