Picos de Europa - Sunflower Books

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.

The maps have been revised where necessary, and free downloadable GPS tracks are now available for all the walks.

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.

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

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

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