The Picos de Europa are mountains so called because they were the first peaks that sailors saw when they saw the European coasts. They hide within them amazing landscapes that give rise to the most traveled routes by any mountaineer. The Cares Route, located between the Cornión and Urrieles massifs, is the most famous. Faced with such expectations, we could not contain ourselves and decided to embark on this new adventure and get to know both the center of the gorge and its surroundings. p>
But first we bring you a little closer to the aspects that identify this area, so that you can get to know it and be prepared before making the trip.
- Climate. The Picos de Europa are essentially rocky, predominantly calcareous rocks formed in carboniferous times. There is also evidence of the area's glacial past. As a consequence there are deep depressions, channels and craters.
- Geography. The altitude of the area conditions the climate, increasing the cold and rain as we increase the altitude. The summits usually have perpetual snow in some shady areas. The weather in the area is not stable due to its proximity to the sea. In winter, snow covers practically everything, making many areas inaccessible at this time.
- Fauna. The entire Cantabrian mountain range has a common fauna, the chamois being the most representative species along with the roe deer. Other relevant species are badgers, genets, cattails, wild cats, capercaillies and of course, bears and wolves, although the latter are not very numerous.
- Flora. The Picos de Europa have very exuberant vegetation, there are large forests throughout the territory, highlighting the beech forests. In the central massif there is not much vegetation. Relevant species are chestnuts, ashes, oaks and hazelnuts, mixed with lichens and mosses.
The starting point of our route is the Church of Santo Toribio de Liébana, a hermitage in which different styles and eras are combined. But it is not this variety that makes thousands of people come to this chapel every five years. Thanks to the fact that inside is the "Lignum Crucis", the largest piece of the cross where Christ died, the Holy Year has been celebrated since 1512.
After the visit to the Church, we take the only road that takes us to Potes. To get to know this town we let ourselves be guided by the route of hiking that the different brochures propose to us. We start with the Torre del Infantado, which stands in the center of the town. It is considered the symbol of the entire Middle Ages in this area. Hundreds of battles and wars have passed before the watchful eyes of this 14th century building. Along Independence Street we head towards the old Church of San Vicente, the main center of attention in Potes. It is a set of additions from different periods although it dates back to the 15th century.
The House of Culture, the Orejón de la Lama Tower or the medieval bridge are some of the things that we can find walking through these streets. But this is a part of everything the villa offers. There are more monuments distributed throughout the city. We recommend that after seeing all this you head towards Calle Cántabra where you can find typical products from the area.
Taking the road towards Vega de Liébana, we arrive at Valmeo. In this town located next to the Quiviesa River, the ancestral house of Colmenares stands out. As we advance on our path, we enter the green and natural space that characterizes the Picos de Europa. An example of what I just said is Vega de Liébana, capital of the municipality that bears the same name. The parish church next to the cemetery, the belfry that served as a bell tower for the residents of the council to attend mass and the mill are the main elements.
The landscape is the product of the simplicity of its towns and the green fields that extend to the mountains, which has made the place famous. Small stone constructions that make up the towns, a humility and kindness typical of its people, the classic beauty of nature... A world apart that can be seen reflected in any nearby town such as Enterrías, Bores, etc., all of them. arranged along the length and breadth of the path that takes us to the next stop: Llánaves de la Reina.
Later on we leave behind the comfortable road that we had followed until now and continue along the inhospitable paths that make following the route an adventure. But since it's already getting dark, we choose to stop and rest in any hotel that will give us shelter. Tomorrow, with the clear light of day, we will travel what we have left and we will finally get to know the famous Ruta del Cares.
There are two options to make the journey: either start at Posada de Valdeón, from where the river and the true Cares Route originate, or start from Caín, seven kilometers ahead, where the divine throat begins, the most spectacular part of the route. We, unable to endure our curiosity to know Cares any longer, headed directly towards Cain.
Once in Caín we parked the car and headed towards the entrance of the route. The narrow gorge that appears before our eyes reveals the wonderful combination of water and rocks that give rise to the Route. The flat path that starts from there runs sandwiched between vertical walls and vertiginous falls that seem to have no end. A succession of caves and tunnels open the door to the world in which the Cares River is king.
Despite it being only 12 kilometers from Caín to Puente Poncebos we turned around before arriving since we had left the car in Caín and we did not have time to tour the gorge twice : one going and one returning. For this reason, we recommend that you either dedicate a whole day to the route or take two cars in such a way that you leave one at each point to be able to move from one town to another without difficulty.
So much coming and going has whetted our appetite. And, taking advantage of the fact that we are in one of the richest areas of Spain gastronomically, we head towards any nearby town where we can enjoy a good meal. We leave it to you to choose. But don't worry because any of the towns in this area will satisfy all your appetite, leaving you with a good taste in your mouth. Take advantage!
