Peaks of Europe

 

In addition to the beaches, the Peaks of Europe are the great tourist attraction of the East of Asturias. It is said in the area that European pilgrims who made the road to Santiago, were surprised to see such mountains, since such rock formations were not expected in the Iberian Peninsula.

 

The Peaks of Europe National Park is the oldest in Spain, declared in 1918. This park is divided between Asturias, Cantabria, and Castilla y León.

 

It is formed by 3 massifs: the Western or Cornion massif, the Central or Urrieles massif, and the Oriental or Ándara massif. All of them with deep valleys and gorges, due to erosion by glacier ice and rivers for thousands of years.

 

The highest point is 2,650 meters, and from several of its peaks you can see the coast, with points where it is only 15 km away from the mountain.

 

In this place we can not only find wild nature, there is also an ancient culture related to grazing, and with cheeses, such as the famous Cabrales cheese, Tresviso, etc.

 

As more emblematic places of the Peaks of Euorope, we can highlight Los Lagos de Covadonga and its basilica, the valleys of Orandi, Angon, the Naranjo de Bulnes or Pico Urriellu, the cable car of Fuente De, the Ruta del Cares, or the river Sella .

 

The mountain trails are the most accessible to soak up the beauty of the Peaks of Europe. There are several routes divided by difficulty and length, from high mountain routes, to routes through river valleys, or lush forests. As a more characteristic activity is the Ruta del Cares, a path that will take you through the Cares gorge, between Puente Poncebos (Asturias) and Posada de Valdeón (Castilla y León), passing through the town of Caín. The route is 11 km long and is recognized as one of the most beautiful in Spain.

 

In addition to the Cares route, there are dozens of routes through all the Peaks of Europe, in Los Lagos de Covadonga, Bulnes, Peña Vieja, Poncebos, Sotres, etc. The itinerary network is usually well signposted, but you can make the routes with guides, individually, or collectively.

 

The fauna is very diverse, highlighting the chamois. He usually lives in the highest areas of the massifs, surprising the traveler with his agility in such a steep terrain. In more accessible levels are deer, deer, wild boar, foxes, and even some bears. Rivers are another source of life, giving rise to animals such as otters, kingfishers, salmon, and trout. And although its area is more than the Cantabrian Mountains, there is also the peculiar grouse.