The Picos de Europa, one of Europe’s last mountain wilderness areas, are the high point of a long ridge of mountains which runs along the north coast of Spain, the Cordillera Cantabrica. Rising to 2648m (about 8700ft), the Picos are divided into three spectacular limestone massifs separated from one another, and from the surrounding ranges, by precipitous gorges — a truly spectacular area in which to walk or tour. This guide contains a wealth of information about the dazzling array of plant and animal life you can expect to see when exploring the range. The author, an all-round naturalist, has been living and walking in the Picos de Europa for almost 30 years. Together with Mike Lockwood, she has also written Sunflower’s guide book to the Costa Brava.

Area covered: the entire range, consisting of three separate limestone massifs: Urrieles (central Picos), Cornión (western Picos), and Ándara (eastern Picos)

The best months for walking in the Picos de Europa are June to September.

To find out more about the author or to join one of her tours, visit her website: www.iberianwildlife.com/teresa-farino.htm

The best bases are Potes for the southern Picos, Cangas de Onís for the northern side and Arenas for the Cabrales region (including the Cares Gorge).

1 car tour with several detour options 
18 long and short walks, 6 easy walks for motorists, 5 picnic suggestions
128 pages + touring map
5th edition, July 2010 ISBN 978-1-85691-386-7 £12.99

Table of contents:

Preface 5
Acknowledgements; Useful books 7
Getting about 8
Picnic suggestions 11
Short walks for motorists 13

TOURING

HIDDEN SECRETS OF THE PICOS DE EUROPA    24
Potes · Puerto de San Glorio · Portilla de la Reina · Puerto de Pandetrave · Posada de Valdeón · Puerto de Panderruedas · Desfiladero de los Beyos · Cangas de Onís · Arenas de Cabrales · Panes · Desfiladero de La Hermida · Potes
Detours
Caín 30
Covadonga 31
Sotres and Tresviso 32
Fuente Dé 34

WALKING
Guides, waymarking, maps 37
Where to stay 37
Weather hints 39
Clothing and equipment 39
Dogs – and other nuisances 40
General advice to walkers 42
Language hints 43
Glossary 44
Organisation of the walks 45
A country code for walkers and motorists 46

THE WALKS
LIEBANA: The sun-drenched southern valleys 47
1 Potes · Frama · Lubayo · Collado de Porcieda · Tudes · Porcieda · Invernal de Tolibes · Potes 48
2 Beges (Puente La Llambre) · Invernales de Panizales · Collado de Pelea · Invernales de la Prada · Allende · Bar El Desfiladero (N621) 56
3 La ruta de Tresviso   61
4 Somaniezo · Ermita de Nuestra Señora de la Luz · Luriezo · Somaniezo 67
5 Puerto de San Glorio · Collado de Llesba · Invernal de Conjortes · Cosgaya 73
6 Fuente Dé (cable car) · Refugio de Aliva · Invernales de Igüedre · Espinama · Pido · Fuenfría · Fuente Dé 80

CABRALES AND COVADONGA: The northern reaches 91
7 La Garganta del Cares: Puente Poncebos · Caín · Puente Poncebos 92
8 Puente Poncebos · Bulnes (La Villa) · Bulnes (El Castillo) · Puente Poncebos 99
9 Picos de Macondiú: Jito de Escarandi · Vao de los Lobos · Casetón de Andara · (Pozo de Andara) · Jito de Escarandi 104
10 Lago de la Ercina · Vega Bricial · Vega de Enol · Lago Enol · Refugio Entrelagos · Lago de la Ercina 113
11 Lago de la Ercina · Majada de las Bobias · Llaguiellu · Collado El Jito · Vega de Ario · Majada de Belbín · Lago de la Ercina 118

Index 127
Fold-out map of the Picos de Europa inside back cover
Bus timetables reverse of fold-out map

FLORA AND FAUNA ILLUSTRATED IN THE BOOK:

Alytes obstetricans (male midwife toad) 66
Aquilegia discolor 109
Asphodelus albus (white asphodel) 71
Caltha palustris (marsh marigold) 78
Casina cow and calves 115
Cistus psilosepalus 53
Fraxinus excelsior (common ash) 55
Gentiana acaulis (trumpet gentian) 91
Gentiana lutea (great yellow gentian) 87
Geranium sanguineum (bloody cranesbill) 65
Gymnadenia conopsea (fragrant orchid) 60
Hemaris tityus (narrow-bordered bee-hawk) 42
Hepatica nobilis (hepatica) 71
Lilium martagon (martagon lily) 87
Linaria faucicola 113
Lysandra bellargus (Adonis blue butterfly) 66
Melanargia galathea (marbled white butterfly) 1
Pinguicula grandiflora (large-flowered butterwort) 125
Pulsatilla vernalis (spring pasque-flower) 81
Quercus suber (cork oak) 54
Salamandra salamandra (fire salamander) 64
Saturnia pyri (giant peacock moth) 47
Sempervivum cantabricum (Cantabrican houseleek) 87
Silene acaulis (moss campion) 104
Trollius europaeus (globeflower) 79

Ajero (crags) 56-7
Allende 56-7, 58-9, 60
Andara Massif 3, 24, 34-5, 37, 48-9, 52, 75, 88, 104
Arenas de Cabrales 9, 24, 28, 33, 38
Asiego 28
Asturias 6, 11, 25, 37, 81, 115
Avín 38

Balcón de Pilatos (viewpoint) 41, 61, 65
Bedoya (valley) 19
Beges 29, 56, 58-9, 104, 106-7, 112
Bulnes 94-5, 99, 102-3 see also Naranjo de Bulnes

Cabrales
parish 8-9
valley 8
see also Walks 7-9
Caín 24, 26, 30, 92, 93, 94-5, 98
Camarmeña 32, 93
Canales de Cabrales 16, 27
Cangas de Onís 9, 11, 24, 27, 31, 37-8
Cantabria (province) 6, 7, 8, 10, 12, 19, 61, 70-1, 81
Cares Gorge 28, 30-1, 92, 93, 94-5, 97, 99, cover
Carreña de Cabrales 28
(El) Cascajal (peak) 77
Casaño (river) 16
Casetón de Andara (refuge) 104, 106-7, 108-9
Cicera 18-9
Colio 2
Collada (pass)
de la Aldea 106-7, 109
Collado (pass)
de Llesba 11, 12, 73, 74, 75
de Pelea 56, 58-9
de Porcieda 48, 51, 52
El Jito 120-1, 122
(Los) Collados (majada) 94-5
Cordillera Cantábrica 5, 70
Cordiñanes 30
Cornión Massif 3, 24, 37
Cosgaya 35, 73, 74, 78
Covadonga 9, 24, 31, 32
see also Walks 7, 10, 11
Cubo (river) 73, 74, 77, 78
Cuetodave (peak) 63

Desfiladero de La Hermida (gorge) 8, 24, 28, 56-7
Desfiladero de los Beyos (gorge) 24, 27

Espinama 35, 80, 82-3, 85

Frama 48-9, 51
Fuenfría 80, 82-3, 87
Fuente Dé 8, 12, 24, 29, 34-5, 38, 80, 82-3, 85, 87

(La) Hermida 28, 56, 104, 106-7
see also Desfiladero de La Hermida
Horno del Doblillo (zinc ovens) 104, 106-7, 112

Invernal (a barn where livestock spends the winter)
de Conjortes 73, 74, 76
de Tolibes 48, 51, 55
de Hoja 106-7, 111
Invernales
de Igüedre 80, 82-3, 85
de la Prada 56, 58-9
de Panizales 56-7, 58-9
de Prías 61, 66

Jito de Escarandi (crossroads) 33, 104-5, 106-7, 110, 112

Lago (lake)
de la Ercina 11, 32, 113, 117-8, 120-1, 122-3, 126
Enol 32, 112-3, 117, 120-1
León
city 8-9; province 81
Liébana (valley) 8, 47-90, 48-9, 110-1
Llaguiellu (vega) 118, 120-1
Llánaves de la Reina 13, 25
Llanes 9
Llano Los Jitos (pass) 120-1, 122
(Los) Llanos 35, 80, 82-3, 89
Lubayo 48, 50, 51
Luriezo 67, 68-9, 71

Macondiú (mountain peaks) 104-12, 106-7, 108
Majada (a barn where livestock spends the summer)
de Belbín 118, 120-1, 125
de las Bobias 118-9, 120-1
Mirador (viewpoint)
de la Reina 32
de Piedrashitas 12, 26
del Naranjo 93
del Tombo 14, 30-1
Mieses 34, 38
Mogrovejo 80, 82-3, 89
(La) Molina 16
Mosquital (peak) 120-1, 122-3
Mostajal (stream) 12

Naranco (valley) 13, 14-5
Naranjo de Bulnes (mountain peak) 28
Nuestra Señora de la Luz (chapel) 67, 68-9

Ojedo 29
Oseja de Sajambre 22-3, 27
Oviedo (city) 9

Panes 8-9, 24, 28
Peña (mountain peak)
Oviedo 80, 82-3, 88
Remoña 82-3, 86
Sagra 67, 68-9, 72-3
Vieja 12, 88-9
Peñarrubia (mountain range) 63
Pica Ten (peak) 22-3
Picos de Europa National Park 31, 96, 118
Pido 80, 82-3, 85
Póo de Cabrales 28
Porcieda 48, 51, 53
Portilla de la Reina 24, 25
Posada de Valdeón 14, 24, 26, 30
Potes 8, 24, 25, 29, 34, 37, 38, 48-9, 51, 55
Pozo de Andara (marshland) 104, 106-7, 108-9
Puente (bridge)
del Jardu 94-5, 100, 101
de los Rebecos 94-5, 97
La Llambre 56, 58-9
Romano 27
Puente Poncebos 9, 32, 92, 94-5, 98-9, 103
Puerto (pass)
de Panderruedas 12, 24, 26
de Pandetrave 24, 26
de Pembes 80, 82-3, 88
del Pontón 26
de San Glorio 8, 11, 24, 72-3, 74
Pumareña 20

(La) Quintana 110-1

Refugio (mountain refuge)
de Aliva 80, 82-3, 88-9
de Ario 120-1, 123
de Tajahierro 13, 14-5
Entrelagos 113, 117, 120-1

San Miguel (chapel) 34-5
San Pedro de Bedoya 19
San Pelayo 35, 38
Santa María de Lebeña (church) 29, 58-9
Santa Marina de Valdeón 26, 29, 39
Santander (city) 8-9
Santo Toribio de Liébana (monastery) 34
Somaniezo 67, 68-9, 70, 72
Soto de Valdeón 26, 39
Sotres 17, 24, 28, 32, 33, 104, 106-7
see also Vegas de Sotres

Tama 29
Tesorero (peak) 80, 82-3, 84
Tielve 33
Tresviso 24, 28, 32-3, 61, 66
La ruta de Tresviso 41, 61, 62, 63, 64-6
Tudes 48, 51, 53
Turieno 35, 38

Urdón 28, 61, 66
Urrieles Massif 3, 24, 37, 52, 75

Valdeón (valley) 8
Vao de los Lobos 104-5, 106-7, 112
Vega (alpine grassland)
Bricial 113, 115, 120-1
de Ario 118, 120-1, 123
de Enol 113, 116, 120-1
Vega de Liébana (village) 24, 38
Vegas de Sotres 16-7, 33

Picos de Europa, 5th ed (2010); updated 13/07/2012

Updates for walks and car tours (drives) in the Picos de Europa given below supplement those provided in the guidebook. It is vital that this Update is read in conjunction with the text of the book, but note that the Update applies only to the edition stated and not to any earlier editions. (If you have an older edition of this book you can “upgrade” to the latest edition at half price.)

Information has been forwarded to us by users of the book, and Sunflower Books offers the data in good faith but cannot be held responsible for any misleading or inaccurate content in the Update. Unless indicated otherwise, what appears here has not been verified by the author or publisher, so please allow due caution when new or amended routes are suggested. Each piece of information is dated; bear in mind that some of the older observations may have since been overtaken by events or further changes. If, during your holiday, you are using the current edition of the guide and are able to provide any additional updating to add to this page, we will be pleased to hear from you. Please send information, preferably in hard copy, by post, to Sunflower Books, PO Box 115, Exeter EX2 6YU (or if you prefer, by e-mail, to mail@sunflowerbooks.co.uk).

General: We recently visited the Picos de Europa for the first time and found your book to be an invaluable guide to walking in this beautiful area. As with your guides in other areas, it proved to be an essential help in finding the best walks available with relatively moderate ascents in the region and in integrating them with the local transport possibilities. None of the other guides we looked at were remotely comparable in this respect and most were written in Spanish which is difficult for people not fluent in that language. The maps included in the book are exceptionally accurate and we would like to congratulate Teresa Farino on a well written and interesting production. Note that we have used your guides in several other countries (Canaries, Madeira and Azores) and have in each case found them to similarly invaluable in making the type of holiday we enjoy possible. (User, 7/08)

I found your guide invaluable for both day to day walks and also preparatory reading to gain a better understanding of the area, and certainly I have not found any comparable guide. I also bought the guide published in 2006 by the Parque Nacional (in Spanish only), which comes with two 1 :25,000 maps. I chose this because of the map coverage. I found these maps accurate and very useful for the walks I did, providing additional information on paths near to and around those included in the Sunflower guide. They enabled me to vary and extend the Sunflower walks. However the paper quality is poor. The Parque Nacional guide describes 32 walks of .varying length, but in the event I did not take it with me largely because the walks in it – although fully described – are difficult to locate within the area unless the reader has knowledge of the locations of the small villages and hamlets used as start points. The guide lacks an index map. I chose Potes as my base because it is accessible by public transport and is near to several of the Sunflower walks. In Potes tourist office I bought a small guide (in Spanish, O,2 euros) which describes four local walk up to 8.8km in length all based on Potes. It includes an ascent to the cross on Monte Viorna (1095m) which overlooks the town. (User, 7/09)

Transport: The most recent timetables for buses operating between Santander, Potes and Fuente Dé are published on www.transportedecantabria.es, but you cannot consult details for dates outside the current winter/summer season. Taxis are available in Potes, Panes, Cangas de Onís and Arenas de Cabrales; there is also a taxi in La Hermida (Bar Paquín, Tel. 942-73-35-20) (the author, 4/10).

Unfortunately what limited public transport is available has become even more restricted. In particular the Palomera buses from Potes to Fuente Dé (walks 5 and 6) now only operate from July 1st to August 31st, at other times of year not going beyond Espinama. The Alsa bus from Potes to Leon (walk 5) now only operates on Fridays and Sundays and the Alsa bus from Arenas to Puente Poncebos (walks 7 and 8) only operates in August. For anyone travelling from Potes to Arenas or vice versa by bus, note that the buses for the two services do not use the same stops – Palomera use the bar Comportu in the centre of Panes, while Alsa only stop on the other side of the river, outside a bar on the right turning immediately across the bridge (neither stop is marked). The Palomera service does not make up time at Panes and will not stop if it is early unless there is someone to embark or disembark. There is a good connection between Potes and Arenas in summer but the return journey involves over two hours’ wait. (User, 7/08).

Tickets for Palomera buses are no longer sold in advance at Santander bus station but bought from the driver. Tickets for Alsa and other companies can be bought in advance at the bus station… There were taxis available in Potes in Calle Doctor Encinas, opposite the bridge to the instituto, most of each day. Both drivers I had used cards showing standard fares to a large number of local destinations. (User, 07/09)

Taxi numbers:
Potes: +34-659662771 (José speaks English)
Panes: +34-659056489 (or 985414023)
Arenas: +34-636360273, +34-985346487, +34-625201900, +34-616961202

Maps: The yellow-covered maps mentioned in the introduction are good but as stated do not cover a large enough area. There are new ones produced by the national park to the same scale with much improved coverage – both sides of the paper are used. However the accuracy of path definition is poor and so is the paper quality. Unfortunately their price is high as a book is included. (User, 7/08)

Picnic Suggestions, Page 11: The LUPA supermarket in Potes is not only very good/large, and has an excellent fresh fish counter; daily different, but with no fish on Mondays. Importantly, it is open all seven days, the hours being 9.30-21.00 weekdays and Saturdays. The local sidra is good but (very) dry. (User, 7/12)

Walk 6: The cost of the cable car at Fuente Dé in spring 2010 is 9 euros one way, 15 euros return for adults, and 3 euros one way, 5 euros return for children between 6 and 12 years; children aged 5 and under go free. Animals are not allowed, and bicycles are only permitted on the first two journeys of the day, or when there are no other passengers. Price increases are usually applied in July. (the author, 4/10) + We did this a little over a week ago, and found that there is well-marked Park’s track that goes right over a small bridge immediately after going through the Invernales de Iguedre gateway. It is a bit up and down but more pleasurable than the road to Espinama. (User, 7/12)

Walk 8: The prices of the funicular at Poncebos are now (July 2012)
Single adult: 16.80 Euro
Adult Return: 21.10 Euro
Child one way: 4.10 Euro
Child return 6.40 Euro

The service runs as follows:
16/6 to 16/9, 12/10, 11/11 10.00 to 20.00 Every half hour.
Other times 10.00 – 12.30 14.00 – 16-00 (User, 7/12)

Walk 9: The locals prefer to do the walk in the opposite direction by starting at the car park but taking the road up to Caseton de Andarra with starts from the corner of the car park ( Sotres side); 2h up to the refugio. (User, 10/07)

Walks 10 & 11: In 2011, from 21 Apr (Holy Week) and at other peak visitor periods until 8 Sep, the road to the lakes is closed to private cars between 8.30 and 20.00 but there is an excellent bus service every 15 minutes from Cangas. A return ticket is euros 7.50. The same fare applies from the car parks along the road; boarding at Covadonga is discouraged as parking there is almost impossible. At the end of August, there was an astonishing number of day-trippers making this journey. (User, 9/11)

Walk 11: Page 120 refers to a spring fed water trough. When we reached this a young nimble Englishman, stripped to the waist, ran up to us from nowhere and said NOT to use water from the trough itself. Round the other side of the rock, apart from a wonderful display of Picos toadflax, is a hosepipe which carries the springwater, and is normally stuffed into the end of a plastic tube to take the water elsewhere. Pull the hose out of the tube to fill your bottles with the most wonderfully refreshing spring water, then stuff it back in the tube. The young man turned out to be our guardian angel, for though we were not intending to top up our water supplies, we did in fact, and without that refill would have had difficulty as in hot sun we went astray on the shorter version of the walk a little later. We also missed the path which leads off the farm track (pages 125-126) as we were not clear on identifying which turn of the road to look out for. If you do this you can continue on the farm track, and later see a path on the hillside which joins the correct path just before the crest and the glorious view down on to Lago de la Ercina, a welcome sight after the strenuous effort on a veyr hot day! (User, 7/12)

New walk: Although we realise that there is only space in the book for a limited number of walks, the omission of the popular and easy walk from Brez to the Canal de Arredondas is surprising. We only found out about this walk by chance. The Fuente Dé bus gives public transport access although it is even easier if a moderately priced taxi from Potes to Brez is used for the outward journey, and afterwards you walk downhill on the track from Brez through Lon to pick up the bus near Baró. The walk itself is well-signed and circular (two hours) and is very interesting and varied with impressive views into the mountains – even more impressive in overcast weather. A diversion can be made some way along the path into the ‘canal’ itself. (User, 7/08) + I did this walk. It is well signed as PR-27) and gives magnificent views of the nearby peaks and distant mountains. Although short , this is delightful. Having completed it I repeated ‘the loop as far as a sign indicating the path to Lon, which I followed. This soon passes through a forest area where forks in the path are not signed, but the correct route is generally the lower, right-hand path. After a few hundred metres this led to a broader gravel path going downhill beside the river to Lon, where I enjoyed tea at the hotel and picked up an information leaflet describing walks from the hotel, including a route onwards (fairly well waymarked yellow and white) through San Pelayo, Beares and Santo Toribio which I followed back to Potes. (User, 7/09)