Head for the Hills: Caín de Valdeón

19 April 2018

Picos Spain 19-4-2018 Portilla de la Reina

Before setting off this morning I greased the steering while Helen "powdered her nose". Me getting dirty; her getting much more presentable.
A super day we enjoyed together, having spotted a Pine Marten and a wild cat as we drove slowly along the back road to Portilla de la Reina . Here was a roadside stable peppered with holes and crevices busy with masonry bees. At the foot of the wall I managed to catch a lizard.

Returning to Posada de Valdeón we later continued on to Caín de Valdeón. A super meal was had and a quiet few quiet moments in the sun, doing nothing very much.
At Cain frequent taxis appear to pick up walkers at the head of the defile and 12k path that follows the Rio Cares.

The river was thundering, gushing and gurgling down along the rock strewn beds. Even above the exhaust note of the Morgan we could hear that roar echoing between the walls of the canyon.

Excellent food served here

Fortunately the rain flooding down had fallen the previous week to our arrival.

20kph max speed through this corner !

Mini Buses & Morgans yes - Coaches no.

Thundering along the torrents go downhill as we go uphill

Rio Cares followed by a rock cut footpath for 12 k. We walked along it for two or three kilometers before turning back. The path is uneven and sometimes cuts into the rock face with low headroom tunnels. Decent walking shoes needed if you wish to go much further down along here.

17 April 2018

Picos 17-04-2018 Snow & Sun

Caín de Valdeón is a small village a short drive from our B&B so we chose to explore and pleased we did so. The Rio Cares carves a deep gorge along which there is a footpath hewn by men, over many centuries, out of the limestone rock. It weaves a tortuous path through tunnels, beside steep drops and clinging to the rock face.
In all, the path is 12k long but we managed only the first 2k before the legs began to "wither on the vine" so to speak.

A beautiful days circular tour subsequently taken from Posada deValdeon anti-clockwise through Riano and back to Valdeon via Portilla de la Reina. At Riano the only Filling station for miles around enabled a top with Sans Plomb 95 octane.