Pena Prieta (1)

Today was a fabulous mountain day for the ten of us who climbed Pena Prieta, in the Cordillera Cantabrica. The return trip took nine hours, plus nearly an hour's drive each way. So we haven't had much spare time as we've also enjoyed a most sociable final evening here in Tama.

I will add more, but for the moment a picture taken near the summit of Pena Prieta, looking in the direction of the Picos de Europa, may whet your appetite for this area.

Pico Jano and a Monastery

On another fine morning with high cloud, all five of us enjoyed this short 9 km stroll from Dobargans including 500 metres ascent. (Yesterday's stats were about 27 km with 600 metres ascent.)

We were soon joined by another chap who we named "Go Away". In time, however, this friendly soul was renamed "Dog" or "Mutt", and Andrew protected him as we passed a herd of goats that were guarded by a couple of fierce looking Pyrenean Mountain Dogs.

The route was marked with at least 38 carefully positioned wayposts, so there was no chance of losing Dave. A proliferation of flowers and Sue's discovery of a Tasty looking Boletus mushroom illuminated our journey to the prominent summit at 2446 metres for a minor European convention with a Belgian mountain biker, a Dutch/German couple and several others. We got on fine once we'd all nailed our 'Remain' flags to the trig point.

Yesterday we saw Crag Martins and Short-toed Eagles, as well as the usual vultures and wheatears. Today's birds were tuneful but well camouflaged songbirds.

There were great views from the summit of both the Picos de Europa and the Cordillera Cantabrica mountains to the south.

An easy descent led us back to the car in 4.5 hours including lots of long stops.

Afternoon tea at Posada El Corcal was enhanced by the last of the brownies and a big slab of one of Cary's birthday cakes. We were joined by Nicol and Lorna, guests from Inverness who are warming up for a hut to hut traverse of the Picos arranged by KE.

Sue and I then visited the nearby Monasterio de Santa Toribio. It allegedly contains part of Christ's original wooden cross in an elaborate display. A nice chapel, and pleasant cloisters, briefly held our attention before we returned to base in keen anticipation of beer o'clock, which tonight was in Potes as Collett's have Wednesdays off.

Dinner at the La Sol Ore Ria restaurant rounded off an excellent day.

The Cares Gorge

The Cares Gorge is a 'must visit' for anyone on a Picos de Europa holiday.

The five of us headed to Poncebos, just over an hour away, and enjoyed a coffee whilst hordes of folk set off on the path to the gorge. It took all morning to pass them.

Apparently the cloud was down to around 1800 metres, but this didn't hinder us on what was another fine day.

We met other Collett's clients as we progressed towards Cain, on the southern end of the deep cleft through which a canal runs deep and fast, providing hydro electric power for the area.

The gravel path is wide but it has steep drops that are reminiscent of Madeira's leads.

Lunch was taken by a busy bridge, from which Andrew retraced his steps, armed with instructions on how to order two (one would apparently be too hard) beers on his return to Poncebos.

Meanwhile, the rest of us found an ice cream shop in Cain. Sue found a cuddly cat. Then we returned by the same route past goats to join Andrew and his two beers.

Later, another lovely evening was spent on the Collett's table at Posada de Curcal. 

A Circuit from San Pedro and a Walk to Potes

On a drizzly morning we elected for an easy walk in the woods. As did all the other clients apart from Mike and Sue, who needed a dentist. (For once, not me!)

The two Emmas from Collett's joined their 15 clients on this pleasant 4.5 hour stroll. 10 km with moderate ascent. The cloud slowly lifted and the drizzle stopped. Vultures soared high above whilst a buzzard lounged on a nearby roof beyond a cannabis van.

Lunch in a churchyard was a leisurely affair, as was the walk back to the cars past cherry trees and vineyards. Much fruit was devoured.

The afternoon brought a walk in Potes and back. This brings us to the bottom three images:

1. Looking bak to our hotel.
2. Graffiti en route.
3. Strong beers in Potes.

We never really recovered from those beers!

A Circuit from Fuente Dé

Today the fine weather held for yesterday's foursome plus Collett's Oscar and a new guest, Andrew.

Whilst 'our Andrew' enjoyed a shorter outing, the six of us spent 8 hours on an anti clockwise circuit of 14.5 km with over 1000 metres ascent. A fair proportion of the 8 hours, unlike yesterday, was spent on our backsides. Resting. Eating. While Sue took pictures of flowers, and chamois froliced on distant snow slopes.

Occasionally Griffon vultures soared overhead. A flutter of snow finches swarmed past at one point and choughs chattered on their training flights with their youngsters. Blackbirds sung melodiously and wheatears and stonechats worried about our presence on their patches.

The wild flowers were wonderful. They will be paraded at some point in a slideshow, but for the moment you will have to make do with the images above, which summarise the day as well as any words I could concoct after enduring a Brexit debate and a failed attempt to get interested in a football match.

Well done Andy Murray and Lewis Hamilton. We were lazing in the mountains whilst these two tried to relieve the continuing post Brexit depression. 

A Circuit from Colio

Colio is a small village 4 km up a side road from Tama. Whilst Andrew went on a Collett's amble - 'Lon Circular', the four of us, me, Sue, Dave and Cary drove up to Colio and enjoyed an 8 hour circuit, covering just over 16 km. The first half was uphill and the second half was downhill. There wasn't much 'flat'. The GPS showed 2002 metres ascent and 2002 metres descent. You could describe the going as 'arduous', albeit not 'difficult'.

The wild flowers today were wonderful, even as seen through the haze of vaporising sweat as it dripped from our foreheads.

Our original plan was slightly curtailed when we observed a small group ahead struggling to find the way. We were joined briefly by an Andrew from Rochdale who had been observing them. Prudence dictated a shortcut to our planned route.

Just for the record, we went from Colio up to Los Riscos > past Los Castros > the 1843 metre Collado de la Llaguna. Here we went to and fro for a while, rising to above 1900 metres, before deciding on a short cut down grassy slopes to return to Colio on good tracks past Fuente Prado.

A fabulous day out. Welcome tea then beer back at base before another good meal in excellent company at the Corcal restaurant.

There will be more about the route and the flowers etc in due course. I hope that in the meantime that you enjoy the pictures.

Thanks as always, especially to AlanR, for your comments. I'm keeping my responses to a minimum as they seem to be coming up in triplicate, resulting in time consuming deletions.