TOUR LEADER

Charles is a native of Cantabria in Northern Spain, but also American. He speaks both English and Spanish as primary languages and has spent his life immersed in both cultures. His ability to bridge gaps of cultural understanding is unique. His family origins are in the cave area. Genetic testing indicates ties to the area as far back as 30,000 years, as well as being about 3% Neanderthal.

Charles is the Chief Experience Officer (CXO) of Northern Exposure Spain, a specialty tour company founded by him and operating in Northern Spain. You can read a more general biography about Charles here.

Experience

Charles has been leading Paleolithic art and archaeological tours in Northern Spain for more than a decade.

Being from and living at the heart of the Paleolithic cave area of Northern Spain grants unparalleled first hand experience to the sites covered on the Tour of Paleolithic Art & Archaeology of Northern Spain. It also provides unique access to the local and international experts that study, publish and impart conferences and/or classes regarding the sites, many of which he attends.

Charles is familiar with the majority of the Paleolithic art and archaeological sites in Spain, France and Portugal that are open to the public, having visited some sites hundreds of times. Through his experience and close relationships, he has been privileged to gain access to many areas in caves that are closed to the general public and to caves that are not open to the public at all. Charles has also been a hunter, gatherer, fisherman, avid outdoors-man, wildlife enthusiast, mountaineer and long distance hiker for most of his life. This varied experience affords him a unique perspective on these sites, related to ice age nomadic hunter gatherers, that is beyond the ordinary and not simply casual.

Charles was asked to impart several webinars by the National Speleological Society covering two caves not open to the public but that he as had the privilege to know. You can view the webinars by clicking on the links here for La Pasiega Cave and Altamira Cave.