Asturias and the Picos de Europa
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Picos de Europa
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The scenery in the Picos de Europa is spectacular. Immense slopes and dramatic gorges, lush green valleys and beautiful forests, crystal clear streams and jagged peaks dominating the horizon. Added to this there is a wonderful variety of flora and fauna with vultures soaring in the skies and mountain pastures filled with a wealth of wild flowers and butterflies. The region is also rich in culture, a traditional style of farming and small settlements of attractive old stone buildings. A brief description of the geography and geology of the area follows along with some of the points of interest to visitors to the area.

In the north of the Iberian peninsular, the high Cantabrian mountain range forms a natural barrier separating the parched central plateau from the northern coastal strip known as Green Spain. To the north of the central section of the Cantabrian mountain chain, lie the Picos De Europa, a limestone range approximately 40 km in length (E-W) and 20 Km wide (N-S).

 
     
 
 



Very characteristic of the Picos de Europa is the Karst landscape. This is produced by the action of slightly acidic rain water eroding the limestone and forming an underground drainage system. Above the 1,600-meter line there is virtually no surface water just a dramatic lunar type landscape, with vast slabs of limestone and a sub alpine flora. This "underground drainage system" also gives rise to a huge network of underground caves. A Potholers paradise with depths of over 1,400 meters having been reached!

Beneath the 1,600m line there is a much more friendly landscape where delightful mountain vegetation predominates with mixtures of beech woods, limestone outcrops and idyllic mountain pastures. A special type of traditional farming gradually moves the cattle in spring, from the lower valley settlements, (where they are over wintered), further and further upwards, following the melting snowline, to these high mountain pastures for grazing in the summer.

   
 
 
 
 



The Picos de Europa is clearly defined and divided into three independent massifs known as The Western Massif (El Cornión), The Central Massif (Los Urrieles), and The Eastern Massif (Andara). These are separated from one another and the surrounding mountains by precipitous gorges carved out over thousands of years by the South-North courses of the salmon rivers Sella, Cares, Duje and Deva. Due to its unique outstanding scenery, the Western massif was declared Spain's first national park in 1918. In 1995 the park was extended to include the greater part of the three massifs.

The Western Massif with its Peña Santa de Castilla summit at 2,596m, is the largest and most varied of the three massifs, and makes for particularly good and varied walking. In this massif are the very beautiful lakes of Enol and Ercina, and close to them is the "Buferra" the national park information centre. This makes an excellent, starting point to explore this massif. From here it is possible to start various excursions such as to Vega Ario situated high above the Carres gorge and with impressive views of the Central Massif. Another is to the Ordiales viewpoint (where the founder of the park is buried) perched 1000 meters above the beautiful Angon valley and with spectacular views over Ponga. A less energetic walk but equally as rewarding is around the two lakes by way of the Vega Bricial.

 
     
 


The Central Massif is the most abrupt of the three, with the highest point in the Picos and Northern Spain the Torre de Cerredo summit at 2,648m. The famous Carres gorge separates the western and central massifs and makes for one of the most spectacular and popular walks in the Picos. Bulnes the last village with no external comunication is situated in the central massif (on the route to the famous Pico Urriello or Naranjo de Bulnes 2,519m). Up until the year 2000 access to the village was exclusively by a mule track, but a tunnel with a funicular railway has just been inaugurated breaking the villages isolation. Access to the northern end of the Carres gorge and Bulnes is via Poncebos close to Arenas de Cabrales.

The Southern side of the Picos de Europa and particularly the Central Massif can be reached from two points: Potes in Cantabria, and Posada de Valdeon in Leon. From Potes, which has become a bustling tourist town it is possible to drive to Fuente Dé and take the cable car up to 1,800m. It is the easiest way in the whole area to gain altitude. Posada de Valdeon is situated at the south end of the Carres gorge beyond the village of Cain.

The Picos de Europa is a very beautiful region, but relatively small. In the height of summer it can become very crowded. So as to avoid the crowds we recommend avoiding the month of August for visiting this area, when possible.

Covadonga and the entrance to the Western massif is about 20 minutes drive from Hotel Posada del Valle. Arenas de Cabrales and the entrance to the Carres gorge and Bulnes ia about a 40 minutes drive.




 
 

@Hotel Posada del Valle 2005 | hotel@posadadelvalle.com | Telephone 00 34 985 841157 |Fax 00 34 985 841559