Trekking the traverse of the Picos de Europa, Spain

Close to Spain’s northern coast, the Picos de Europa is a region of steep-sided valleys, isolated villages and rugged limestone peaks. Picking out the highlights of Picos walking, this trip is a logical and continuous west to east traverse of the 3 separate massifs that comprise this dramatic mountain range. From the pretty country town of Cangas de Onis, you'll hike by way of the Vegarredonda Refuge to your first objective, Pico Cotalba (2026m). You'll then descend the 1500 metre-deep Garganta del Cares, following a spectacular cliff-side path that is one of the great Picos walks. Climbing back up into the central massif, you'll overnight at a refuge beneath the awe-inspiring Naranjo de Bulnes and continue across a lunar landscape to the superb viewpoint summit of Pena Vieja (2613m). A picturesque final day's hike to Potes at the eastern end of the range concludes this gem of a walking holiday.

This is real mountain journey with significant amounts of ascent and descent on most days. The trails are predominantly good but there are sections on scree and bare rock. You will be walking for between 5 and 8 hours each day. This trip is suitable for regular hillwalkers, looking for an excellent week’s mountain walking in a relatively quiet region. Three of the refuges that we use during the trip are not accessible by vehicle and this means that group members will need to carry some personal equipment for the first 5 days of the trek, with access to your main baggage at the hotel in Puente Poncebos after the first 3 days.