Picos de Europa traverse – a thru hike from Lagos de Covadonga to Fuente Dé. We will spend 6 days hiking through Picos de Europa, passing by some of the most notable areas, like Picu Urrielu and Horcados Rojos.

July 22	Transfer Valencia – Cangas de Onís
	Accommodation: Hotel Los Acebos Cangas
July 23	Bus to Lagos de Covadonga
	Hike Lagos de Covadonga – Refugio Vega de Ario (10 km, 530m+)
	Accommodation: Refugio Vega de Ario
July 24	Hike ref. Vega de Ario – Poncebos (14 km, 200m+ 1200m-)
	Accommodation: Hostal Poncebos
July 25	Hike Poncebos – Refugio Terenosa (7.5 km, 1100m+)
	Accommodation: Refugio Terenosa
July 26	Hike Refugio Terenosa – Refugio Vega de Urrielu (4.5km, 630m+)
	Additional hike to Brecha de los Cazadores
	Accommodation: Refugio Vega de Urrielu
July 27	Hike Refugio Vega de Urrielu – Hotel Áliva (9.1km, 540m+)
	Accommodation: Hotel Áliva
July 28	Hike to Peña Vieja (11.4km, 950m+)
	Cable car to Fuente De
	Bus to Potes
	Dinner in a restaurant
	Accommodation: Hotel Toscana (Potes)
July 29	Return to Valencia

Note at night we are staying in mountain huts. The huts provide showers with hot water, meals and blankets. The rooms are bunk bed type, 6 people per room.

IMPORTANT. This trip requires certain experience in mountaineering/hiking. We will spend 6 days in remote location and hike in the high-mountain terrain.

Check out our previous year’s experiences in Picos de Europa here: Picos de Europa 2021 and Picos De Europa 2020

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Highlights of the Traverse

Naranjo de Bulnes

Naranjo de Bulnes (known as Picu Urriellu in Asturian) is a limestone peak dating from the Paleozoic Era, located in the Macizo Central region of the Picos de Europa. Its name Picu Urriellu is believed to be derived from the term Los Urrieles, which is used to describe the Macizo Central. Naranjo de Bulnes is part of the Cabrales region of Asturias, and lies within the Picos de Europa National Park. The mountain is a perfectly contoured silhouette in the physical center of the Picos de Europa. It has an altitude of 2,519 meters and is one of the emblematic peaks of Spanish mountaineering, especially for the 550-meter vertical wall of its West Face.

Lagos de Covadonga

The lakes of Covadonga are a jewel of nature within the Picos de Europa National Park, here are some of the most incredible landscapes that you have to visit at least once in your life. The lakes of Covadonga, Enol and Ercina, deserve your visit. These two Lakes of Covadonga have a glacial origin and are located more than 1,000 meters above sea level. In this place the Asturian nature seems completely intact by civilization. If you go to the lakes in autumn or winter, we advise you to dress warmly because in the proximity of the Picos de Europa the wind blows and it is very cold.

Horcados Rojos

The Horcados Rojos pass is located in the heart of the Massif Central, between the peaks of Pico Tesorero and the Torre de Horcados Rojos. It serves as a natural passage between the area of the Cabaña Verónica refuge and the Urriellu refuge (Naranjo de Bulnes), being a very frequented passage in the famous Crossing of the Massif Central from north to south or vice versa. The climb to the pass is already a wonderful excursion, as its location and altitude (2,343 m.) make it a magnificent viewpoint. Horcados Rojos Viewpoint is one of the essential excursions in the Picos de Europa National Park and is marked with white and yellow markings under the name “PR-PNPE 23”.

Ruta del Cares

Known as the Divine Gorge, the Cares route dwarfs us, fascinates us, overwhelms us with its rocky landscapes, its trees in impossible places, its almost inaccessible cliffs, the depth of the valley excavated by the green and crystalline waters of the Cares River, under the watchful eye of Picu Urriellu (Naranjo de Bulnes), which (with luck) we will see at the beginning of the route, in the Poncebos area.

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Mountain Huts

Vega de Ario

Vega de Ario refuge is placed in a privileged spot for the mountaineers who hike the long routes of the area, as well as for those who would like to visit it following the marked route from the National Park starting point, PR PNPE4, which climbs 530m and it takes aproximately 3 hours. Once in the shelter you can enjoy homemade food, local produces such as “gamoneu” cheese, home made ecological bread, and cold and hot drinks.

Vega de Urrielu

The Refuge is located at about 1960 m at the foot of the mythical “Picu Urriellu”, also known as “Naranjo de Bulnes”. Access from Collado Pandébano via Terenosa and Collau Valleju follows a pedestrian path that was opened in 1986. Until that date, access from Cabrales was via Cambureru, and access from Fuente De was also widely used. Merchandise was carried from here with backpacks the guards of that time.

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Sign Up

The price of the trip is 690 Euros per person (180 euros paid in advance to reserve the spot), with transportation from Valencia. The price includes 5 nights accommodation in mountain huts/hostels (meals included) and two nights in hotels, insurance and a professional guide.

It is possible to sign up till 1st of July. Payments by Bizum or bank transfer are accepted.

You can use the button below to reserve your spot / get more info about the trip or contact us by e-mail to info@valenciamountainenthusiasts.com