Today we aimed to walk the round trip from the top cable car station back to the car park at about 14km. (route map at end of post)

Having sussed the location out the day before we arrived just after 9.00 ready for the first advertised cable car at 10.00.  It appears though Spanish time runs different and the cars were running at 9.15.  Again it was worth following the guidebook and getting there early as queues for the cable car were long at times.

Having paid 34 Euros for the four of us,  we jumped on the first one we could along with an assortment of walkers and skiers and made our way to the summit station at a maximum of 10m / second.  Quick photo opportunity at the top then on to our route towards the snow.  You do not have to walk down however as people clearly were taking the cable car to the top where there is a cafe from which to enjoy the stunning scenery amongst the high peaks before taking the cable car back down again.

It was a fantastic walk starting off on a clearly marked path that quickly disappeared as we reached the snow line.  As we traversed across the snow field it was clear that not everyone was equipped as we were.  Some were dressed in shorts and had a small bag that could have only held 3 bars of choice and 1/2 a litre of water at most – not so good when the snow was above our knees in places!

We, on the other hand, may have had a little too much but at least we were warm and well hydrated (yes the girls have been told how to check) and had a map!  There was one couple that didn’t appear to have one and, despite ‘hanging around’ for us on occasions, still had to ask someone the route down.  

The views were stunning and the camera really doesn’t capture the full wonder. As we came down the mountain we left the snow line and picked up a more obvious path. Up until a few years ago we would have had to walk down to the villages of Espinama and Pido before returning to the car park.  Thankfully the route now stays off the road and cuts through the woods before emerging by the Parador Fuente De hotel.

Amy’s thoughts; As we were getting closer and closer i could see a cable car with just one person in it (that doesn’t surprise me it was 9 o’clock i the morning). I got my stick out and I was ready to go. We got on the first cable car going to the top.

As we were going up you just knew that there were going to be lots and lots of pictures. we got out and the first thing we went on was a metal grill over the top o the mountain, well wasn’t that scary enough. We then started the proper mountain walking. Once we had gone up the steepish start then came the views b-e-a-utiful sunshine on the mountain.

Once the pictures had been taken we started the walk down the snowy hot mountain ( now that is something i didn’t think i would be saying.) The snow is very deep so you don’t want to put your feet in the wrong place and guess what Chloe put her feet in the wrong place on many occasions yet I was still standing strong except for once or twice. Now we have found flat ground we smelt something not very nice ( cow poo ) anyway at this point we have this couple who did’t really know were they were going so they decided to go and follow us. We soon got back to the start muddy and hot. All together that was one of the bests walks I have ever been on and the best pictures I have ever taken, even though there was some ups and downs ( pun ) thanks Bob for organising one of many trips amazing trips. 🙂

There are more photos in the Spain Album

A quick drive to the car park at Puente Poncebos where we managed to get a space big enough by arriving before the rush – we would recommend getting there early as the car park was filling up at 9am and we are here out of season. All kitted up (although with everything except the warm weather stuff we would have appreciated later in the day!), we set off along the made up road and then to the track that climbed a bit……well I say a bit, I mean quite a bit.

I will state here that the guide book said ‘this walk had little in the way of ups and downs except for a 250m/820ft accent / decent at the start beginning / end of the route’. That, your worships is my defense along with the promise, from the same guide book, of a 20km / 12.5 mile round trip – we clocked about 28km on the phone.

The route is easily followed and is a beautiful walk; I would go as far to say that it is one of the most stunning I have ever walked. The path was constructed in the 1940’s to assist in maintaining the hydro electric canal that runs between Cain and Camarena. There are sections of this canal that are open and somewhat log flume like (in Bob’s mind anyway….).  Warning for anyone who doesn’t have a head for heights as the path doesn’t run at river level but at some height above it – upto a few hundred metres at various points. 

There are refreshments and facilities at either end but be prepared to walk the return route or give away 120 Euros for the taxi back. It is a 2 hour 30 drive and it only took us an extra hour and half to walk back…saving enough to fund the ice cream budget for two or three days

Amy’s view on the walk: On the way to the walk you could just tell this was going to be a good one. Once parked and ready to go we set off on our meant to be flatish walk. First of all we went up the road and then on to the beautiful mountains we walked up a steep part of the mountain for about 1 mile which I thought was just a little climb to the flat ground. Wasn’t I wrong the walk was all together 18 miles long ( 28 km ) and about 14 miles of it was the up and down of the mountain yet all of it was worth it as at the end of the walk we got to have an ice cream , which makes it all better. All together we had an amazing walk seeing beautiful surroundings and having nice food. 🙂

Some of the data is a bit ‘sus’ as the gorge sides are very steep and I am sure blocked the GPS signal now and again.  However, it does give the general route on the map below.

In just a few days, with my eldest son entrenched in the house ( well it gives his mum a break and we leave the house with a built in security guard- win-win) we are off to Northern Spain.

This should give us a couple of really good looking walks and a few days just bimbleing.

We are planing to walk along the Cares Gorge and a round trip from the cable car at Fuente de Bulnes.

So far we haven’t booked a camp site as those we have tried have not replied. Still there are quite a few about that area. The one I really would like to stay at is the one 200 yards or so from Fuente de cable car. Fingers crossed.

The trip down was fairly uneventful and we didn’t even get lost in Rouen where we stopped to stock up in Carrefour and give the credit card a little bit of exercise in Decathlon.  Chloe managed to find a new BFF before we even crossed the channel – something to do with the band t-shirt she was wearing and with Amy crying at every film she watched, we could probably have sailed across rather than taken the tunnel!  One little hiccup on the fuel front almost curtailed the journey in France but other than that we made Bordeaux as we hoped and then into Spain on Sunday morning.  One day we will have the time to travel properly around France rather than a quick splat through it on our way elsewhere.

First campsite in Spain was Camping Naranjo de Bulnes in Arenas de Cabrales, a real little gem on the banks of the Cares river (although we were on the part of the site across the road as the riverside pitches were closed). Various sized pitches, clean toilet/shower facilities, washing machine/drier and located only a short walk into town ticked all the boxes and we’d go back again.  I would say though that we are visiting out of season and although there are plenty of people around, things could be very different at peak holiday time.

After three nights, we moved from the western to the eastern Picos although there’s no driving through the mountains and the only road goes around the edge of the National Park so it was back to Panes and then on the road to Potes, a beautiful town with a medieval look although I imagine a lot of it has been rebuilt over time.

 We had no campsite for the next three nights but were heading to a site at Fuente De where we had tried calling ahead but without luck as many of the sites were just opening for the season.  No joy though as the site was closed when we arrived and having taken a quick walk down the entrance we are not sure that we’d actually have got the van on to the site.  After the obligatory coffee stop we headed back to Potes and to Camping La Viorna which turned out to be another excellent campsite, set on terraces on the valley side overlooking green fields and forests to the front and surrounded by snow covered peaks behind.  Apart from the location, the facilities were spotless and the site had a restaurant, a bar and terrace and a reasonably well stocked shop.  The town of Potes is about a mile away – an easy downhill walk on the way there but slightly more challenging on the way back with shopping and in the heat of the sun!

We have both been fortunate to have travelled a reasonable amount but the Picos have grabbed us with their stunning scenery and picturesque towns; we both agreed we could live here and are going to find it very hard to leave.  We will be back for another fix!