Picos De Europa By Motorhome

Driving our large motorhome through the scenic, but rather winding, narrow roads of the Picos de Europa mountain range was a little challenging in places, but it turned out to be one of the best and most beautiful road trips we have done during our recently four months touring France, Spain and Portugal by motorhome.

Bordering Asturias, Cantabria and Castilla y León, the Picos de Europa (Europe Peaks) National Park is an absolute gem in Northern Spain. Being a lot less popular than other regions of Spain it is mercifully a lot less touristic and busy than the coastal regions, although during the summer months it will be a lot busier than when we visited.

There is about 300 square miles/482 km square of natural beauty, dramatic high limestone peaks covered with snow in the winter, but now (May/19) thankfully just dusted with snow on some of the higher ground or North-facing sheltered spots.

Leaving Santiago de Compostela behind, we stayed overnight off-grid at Ribadeo (GPS N43.53704 W7.03529), just next to the town port with lovely river views.

Continuing our journey North we stayed two nights at Cudillero, a charming small fishing village in Northern Spain. The weather was bad with a lot of rain, prompting us to stay put there for two nights at the excellent new campsite with great facilities (Camping L’Amuravela GPS N43.55513 W6.14355) and within walking distance, albeit uphill from the pretty Cudillero Harbour.

Worried about the rain and foggy weather forecasted for the Picos de Europa we decided to stay again for two nights at our next stop of Oviedo at the town’s free motorhome Aire (GPS N43.3830 W5.8237). There was a cancer charity race going on over the weekend and therefore there were lively with music bands and entertainment. Oviedo is an interesting city with a lovely historic centre, cafes and restaurants, two nights was enough to explore.

With sunshine now forecasted for the Picos de Europa, we drove towards the Covadonga Lakes and the start of five wonderful days of exploring this mountainous landscape.

Our route: From Oviedo, we drove to Covadonga for the Santa Cueva (Holy Cave) and Covadonga Lakes > Cangas de Onis >Arenas de Cabrales (for exploring Bulnes and Cares Gorge) >  Fuente De > Potes > Comillas > Bilbao (for our ferry home to England).

Covadonga Lakes

The road from Covadonga village up to the Covadonga Lakes is closed for private vehicles during the summer months, but there is a bus service that can be taken from Covadonga and will take tourists up to the Lakes. Some people will choose to trek from the Covadonga Santa Cueva up to the Lakes, but it is quite a steep and long hike.

We were visiting in May/19 and therefore the road was still open for cars and motorhomes (there are no bus services from Covadonga at this time of the year). The road is narrow in places and there are sheer drops at one side, but it is a very good road surface and not too narrow, so even with our 7 metres motorhome it was not a particularly difficult drive (according to Brian).

We gained about a thousand metres of altitude as we climbed our way up the 12 Km road to the Lakes. There are places to stop along the road with gorgeous viewpoints and sweeping views over the Picos, the green Cantabrian countryside and even the Atlantic Ocean in the distance. The main hazards here are the cows and goats wandering on the road.

Arriving at the top we parked at the site car park and chose to do a circular hike from Lake Enol to Lake Ercina. The idyllic mountain scene is complete with cows and goats carrying the heavy but melodic bells around their necks, the bell sounds echoing throughout the mountains, you can hear them from everywhere, a very reassuring sound. The lake waters are still as a mirror, surrounded by the grey jagged mountain peaks. Our short hike was just over one hour and packed full of great scenery.

There are various hike routes in this area, including one to visit the mines of Buferrera, which used to produce iron and magnesium in abundance between 1893 and 1932.

Cangas De Onis

Just as we were heading back from Lake Ercina to our home on wheels, the fog was rolling in. Therefore we decided to head straight down the mountain to our free overnight stay in Cangas de Onis (N43.35225 W5.12549) about 27 Km drive from the Lakes. The motorhome Aire there was conveniently located in the town centre, giving us a chance to explore the town before night time.

As history will have it, around the year 722, Don Pelayo established his court here. A replica of the famous Spanish Victory Cross can be seen hanging from the ancient bridge straddling the Sella River in the town centre. The Victory Cross represents the legendary victory over the Moors that is reported to have happened at Covadonga.

We left Cangas de Onis early next morning retracing our steps back to Covadonga, since we were keen to visit the Santa Cueva/Holy Cave (unfortunately we missed visiting it during our visit to the Covadonga Lakes the day before, it would have made more sense to visit both sites in the same day and avoid having to backtrack).

Santa Cueva and the Basílica de Santa María la Real de Covadonga

We parked at the main car park in front of the Basilica, arriving early and so managing to secure a good parking spot. The Basilica has striking pinkish limestone walls with the tower spires looking regal against the rugged mountain scenery.

In front of the Basilica, there is a proud statue of Don Pelayo.

After exploring the Basilica we walked towards the tunnel that leads into the Santa Cueva (Holy Cave), to the simple church built inside the cave, holding the statue of the Virgen of Covadonga, patron saint of Asturias. The name Covadonga means “Cave of Our Lady” and it refers to the sanctuary dedicated to the virgin.

The cave is also reported to contain the remains of Don Pelayo, his wife and also King Alfonso I.

Many believe the great Christian reconquest began here since when the Christians defeated the Moors around the year 722 the Holy Cave was the site of refuge before the legendary battle. Legend has it that the Virgin Mary appeared to the Christian army before the battle, therefore aiding their victory. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit and although it is a very touristic site, we managed to explore it before the many tour buses arrived.

From here we drove towards Arenas de Cabrales, where our home on wheels stayed parked at a really nice and friendly campsite for the following three nights (Naranjo de Bulnes Campsite GPS N43.29928 W4.80258). Our reason for staying here was its close proximity to the hidden mountain village of Bulnes and the incredible Cares Gorge hiking trail.

Bulnes Funicular

We did drive the motorhome to the Bulnes Funicular, managing to get a parking spot for our motorhome by the funicular’s entrance located near the tiny village of Poncebos. Not always possible, since parking here is very limited. The funicular is an easy 8 minutes ride that sets off every 30 minutes, via a tunnel carved through the mountain. Quite a feat of engineering.

The village of Bulnes standing at about 2,400 feet, it is one of the most remote in Europe. Before the funicular construction, it was only reachable via trails up the Mountain ranges of Naranjo de Bulnes, which could take 2 to 3 hours. Hikers can still hike the trails instead of coughing up the 22 Euros per person to ride the funicular.

The funicular has made the Bulnes village, which has a population of about 34 people, a lot easier to reach and it is now a popular tourist destination. Although there were only another 3 couples boarding the funicular with us when we visited, it can get very busy during the summer months.

It is a beautiful setting for this tiny village, we loved exploring and walking up some of the trails through the village which is divided into lower Bulnes and higher Bulnes. We ate a delicious homely meal at one of the little restaurants in lower Bulnes and then walked up to a viewpoint at higher Bulnes.

Some people choose to go up with the funicular and then walk down to Poncebos via the trail, but we were feeling lazy and so decided to return using the funicular again.

Poncebos has another great attraction, the amazing Cares Gorge hiking trail. We were to tackle it the next day, so we drove the motorhome back to the campsite where it would stay safe for the next two days, whilst we walked the Cares Gorge trail.

Cares Gorge/Garganta Del Cares

Also called the “Divine Gorge”, this deep gorge is one of the most breathtakingly beautiful one-day hiking trails in Europe. The 12 km path is in places carved at the side of the mountains with the Cares River raging at the bottom of the Gorge. A linear path surrounded by awesome scenery at every turn.

The original 1916 precarious path was not as good as it is today; at the time it was used as a maintenance track for a hydro-electric station so workers of the electricity company could monitor a water canal, which carried some of the Cares River water that supplied power to the hydroelectric. In the 1940s and ’50s, a better path was built to improve access for canal maintenance, and that is the path used by tourists today.

It is now a well-maintained path, easy to walk albeit narrow in places, but wide enough for a comfortable journey. There are vast rock walls on both sides of the river, with jagged limestone mountains towering above at almost 2,000 metres. The depth of the gorge is impressive and it can be about a 1,000m deep in places.

The most beautiful part of the trail is towards the Cain end, here the walls of the gorge almost converge. It feels like if you stretch your arms far enough you can touch the mountain wall on the other side of the Cares River.

There are caves, bridges, waterfalls, ruined huts, a water canal, a river dam and plenty of wild flora and fauna along the way. Just before reaching the Caín Dam, there is a tunnel-like stretch with large windows cut into the rock.

We arrived in Caín quite tired, after the 12 km long walk and we were glad to have a bed for the night here at the local hostel. Staying overnight for us was all part of a great experience and well worth the expense.

Most people just have a meal and a rest in Caín village before walking back the same route of 12 km back to Poncebos. It is not a difficult walk, most people can easily accomplish it (unless you suffer from vertigo or particularly scared of heights) and hence the beauty of this hike. Maximum enjoyment for not a huge effort.

Tips for Hiking the Cares Gorge

• The linear, 12 km walk can be started from either the Poncebos end (like we did) or Cain end. Many do the trek from one end and back again in one steady, but long day, altogether it will be a 24 km walk if done in its entirety.
• If walking from the Poncebos end, there are hotels/campsites to stay at nearby Arenas de Cabrales or at Poncebos itself.
• If walking from the Cain end, there are also some lovely hotels/hostels/Albergues here, the little village of Cain is gorgeous.
• There is a bus that operates during the summer season only, from Cain, the journey is about 2 hours to Cangas de Onis and then change bus to Arenas de Cabrales. By taxi, I have heard that it would cost about 120 Euros to get back to your hotel/campsite at Arenas de Cabrales or Poncebos. It is a long way around via the normal roads.
• My suggestion, if you don’t want to do the whole day round trek, just walk half of the way and then turn around and head back, knowing that it will take you the same time to return to the starting point. If just doing half of the trek I would suggest starting from the Cain end, since it is an easier and even more beautiful hike.
• The hardest part of the hike for us (we started from Poncebos end) was the first few km uphill. Once we reached the top, it was an easy downhill hike all the way to Cain.

Parking Options: There is very limited parking for cars at the Poncebos end. For motorhomes it is even harder, your best bet is to park at the small car park by the Bulnes Funicular and walk from there. Get there early to find a space.

We left our motorhome overnight at the Campsite in Arenas de Cabrales and got a taxi to take us to the start of the walk-in Poncebos. This option cost us 16 Euros return. We stayed overnight in Cain at some lovely lodgings and walked back to Poncebos next day and our taxi picked us up again at the chosen location. It worked very well for us. The lovely Hostel cost us 39 Euros + 32 Euros for dinner and breakfast.

It is free to trek the Cares Gorge Path, make sure to wear sturdy walking shoes, trekking poles can be helpful, sun hat/sun cream, dress appropriately for the weather (maybe a bikini is not a good idea…see if you can spot bikini girl in one of my above photos), take plenty of water and snacks.

It took us about 3 hours to complete the 12 km walk, with lots of breaks for photos and eating/drinking. If you are in the area and enjoy hiking, don’t miss this incredible place, it is a must.

Fuente Dé cable car

Our last day in the Picos de Europa was spent taking the Fuente Dé cable car into the heart of the Picos de Europa Mountain Range. The cable car ride takes just a few minutes to whisk you up to a viewing platform at the top of the mountain, with extraordinary views all around. There is a visitor centre, a restaurant and toilet facilities there.

From here there are many fantastic hiking trails, unfortunately, we did not have time for a long hike. Although we did walk along one of the trails for a short stroll into the snowy mountains. Later on, we decided to have our meal at the restaurant, the food was good, reasonably priced for such a place and the views incredible.

The large car park is free and it is possible to stay overnight with a motorhome there, but we had already decided to move on to Potes and stay overnight at the free parking area there.

Our first motorhome tour of Europe was fast coming to an end, we had a ferry from Bilbao in Northern Spain to Portsmouth in England, booked for the 29th of May/19. Therefore we did not linger for long in Potes since I had my heart set at visiting a very special house in the town of Comillas.

Comillas

Situated in the region of Cantabria, Northern Spain. Comillas was a summer destination for the Spanish Royal family and nobility in the 19th Century. This little unassuming town has a lot to offer (it was even the capital of Spain…for one day, 6th of August 1881).

There are Royal Palaces such as the Palacio de Sobrellano, a very charming historic centre, the University Neo-Gothic buildings, the eerily beautiful town cemetery with an Angel looking over it.

And my favourite of all and main reason for visiting: the flamboyant Art Nouveau “El Capricho” house. Designed by none other than the wonderful Catalan Architect Antoni Gaudí. One of his earliest works, built between 1983 and1885 (he was just 31 years old) as a summer house for Máximo Díaz de Quijano, brother-in-law of the Marquis of Comillas. It is one of the very few buildings of Gaudí that can be seen outside Catalonia.

Inside the house is airy and spacious with lots of wood, wrought iron balconies and beautiful tiles. A work of fantasy and originality, showcasing the work of a genius who was well ahead of his time (remember this is 1883). There are lots of strong colours and the sunflower motifs are seen everywhere. In the centre of the house, there is a glass greenhouse where beautiful plants thrive with light and warmth.

We loved having a nose around the house and the small outside gardens.  Apparently poor Mr Quijano only enjoyed 7 days in his new home before dying of some sort of liver disease in his master bedroom, he was just 44 years old.

Gaudí is of course most famous for the amazing Sagrada Familia Cathedral in Barcelona, which he started in 1983 and continued to work on it until his tragic death in 1926. The still not completed Cathedral is the most visited monument in Spain. Comillas played a huge part in Gaudi’s life, giving him mentors and connections that influenced his later work in Barcelona.

The Architect Joan Martorell who designed the Sobrellano Palace in Comillas was instrumental in Gaudi’s life since he got him the job of designing the Sagrada Familia.

We stayed two nights at the free car park by the seafront (GPS N43.38976 W4.28928) in Comillas, before moving on to our final stop at Bilbao.

Bilbao

With mixed feelings and torrential rain, we arrived in Bilbao, staying at a lovely Aire up on the hills overlooking the city (GPS N43.2593 W2.96338). There was a good bus service from there into the city centre.  We stayed only two nights, which is not nearly enough to see the many sites and experiences this great city has to offer.

The main attraction here is, of course, the Guggenheim Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art,  designed by Canadian – American architect Frank Gehry. Its construction has turned Bilbao’s fortune around, this once gritty and industrial looking port city has since become a centre for culture, art and innovation.

The Guggenheim Museum has been hailed a masterpiece of the 20th Century and called by many the greatest building of our time. It draws millions of tourists every year into Bilbao bringing wealth and prosperity.

We spent ages looking at its shining titanium armour, admiring every curve. It is stunning and well worth a visit, even if just for gawping the outside as we did. The exhibition inside the museum has had mixed reviews, the huge queue outside persuaded us to skip it this time.

We also loved the Puppy by Jeff Koons sitting in front of the museum, the giant West Highland white terrier was blooming with colourful flowers. The flowers are replaced twice per year with seasonal varieties. The huge structure has a network of pipes that water and feed the plants every 24 hours.

Feeling very hungry we headed towards a restaurant that was well recommended. One of the oldest in the city, it is like an institution offering typical Basque country fare. We ordered the 7-course sampling menu and loved every little morsel that appeared at our table. The perfect finale to our almost 4 months travelling around Spain and Portugal by motorhome.

It was time to go home, catch up with friends and family and get ready for our second motorhome tour due to start at the end of June/19 to Scandinavia. We caught our ferry home from Bilbao to Portsmouth. A comfortable 28 hours crossing with an en-suite cabin, thankfully the notorious Bay of Biscay behaved itself giving us a pleasant crossing.

Sometime in the near future, I will publish our costs for this motorhome tour of Spain and Portugal, but for now, it is “hasta la vista” from us.