In May 2025 our family did an 6 day trek in Picos de Europa – a mountain range in Asturias in northern Spain. It was a rather random trip – dictated by date and conditions constraints. Our free period was the last week of May / first week of June which meant too much snow for an Alaska / west coast backpacking trip – yet at the same time it was too hot for a southwest trip and so we began looking internationally.
After some research we settled on a trek in the Picos de Europa – a small range which is further south and lower in elevation than the Pyrenees which meant we could avoid snow as long as we avoided the high passes which are typically snowy until late June. To make things even easier there is a sizable industry devoted to walking tours in Europe so for planning all we had to do was coordinate with a booking company (S-Cape Travel which based out of Arenas de Cabrales – the start of most Picos de Europa treks) who handled all transportation and accommodations for us. They provided us with an itinerary and even gave us app with maps and notes – so all we had to do was look at our phone to figure out where to go each day. It was as easy as it gets for travel!
Picos de Europa is a small range and much of the range lies within Picos de Europa National Park. There are two main treks that people typically do: the main trek, which we did, follows a collection of trails that loop entirely around the park – most of which climb up to a viewpoint and then descend to a small communities where you can stay in a small inn for the night. Later in the summer you can do a high route which pieces together high passes and scrambling routes. There are 9 refugios (shelters) within the entire park and piecing them together would make for a wonderful alpine route which I’d love to do one day.
And so, after correspondence with the booking agency, a trip to the local bookstore (for a guidebook and copy of Don Quixote), a download of Google translate and then travel (Alaska Airlines Anchorage > Seattle then Aer Lingus Seattle > Dublin > Bilboa) we finally reached Spain and spent an evening eating tapas and walking along the Nervión River.
A good nights sleep, breakfast and coffee and then our driver picked up us and drove us 3 hours to Arenas de Cabrales where we spent the afternoon sleeping off jetlag, walking the streets, eating and packing for our trek before finally turning in for bed after fighting to stay awake for a late night Spanish dinner (we were the first in the restaurant at 8pm).
Ruta del Cares.
Day 1: Ruta del Cares > Cordiñanes
We were up early and packed and ready to go when the taxi showed up at 9. It was a short drive (15 minutes) from Arenas to the start of the route in Poncebos and at 9:15 we hefted our packs and were walking. The tour agency had planned to transport our luggage to the village of Sotres, which we would reach at the end of day 3, so we packed extra clothing for the first few days and set out.
The start of the trek followed the stunning Ruta del Cares. This is one of the most popular hiking trails within Picos de Europa. It ascends a trail above the Cares River for 7.5 miles. Oringally designed as a maintenance path for the Camarmeña hydroelectric plant, the route was expanded in late 40s to accommodate hikers. It is considered one of the most beautiful natural sites and Spain and the route follows bridges, tunnels and exposed pathways above huge drops. Even in late May – which considered early season – there was a steady stream of people hiking up and down the gorge.
The first day would be our longest day – about 15 miles and 3,000 ft of elevation gain – and the day we hiked the route it was hot (80 degrees) which for Alaskan kids is akin to torture. Isabelle about died as we hiked, the brutal Spanish sun beating down with little shade for respite. We hiked on, lingering at water crossings and in wherever we found shade. At time the exposure was wild with a rock wall on one side a 500′ drop on the other with sheer limestone walls rising close to 3,000 ft on the opposite side of the river.
We reached the end of the gorge in just under 4 hours and took a nice long break at a restaurant before heading out for the next leg. The subsequent portion of the hike wasn’t that great. The route veered onto a road for a couple miles before peeling off and following an overgrown trail through the woods. It was an additional 7 miles of slow walking and the afternoon heat was oppressive.
Eventually we reached the turnoff to our inn was was in the village of Cordiñanes. A short hike up a road to El Tombo, a charming small inn run by a wonderful family that was eager to please. An afternoon siesta, a late dinner (Isabelle never got used late Spanish dinners and fell asleep during every meal) and then an evening walk to the next village before turning in for the night.
Above Posada looking back at the peaks in the Western Massif of the Picos.
Day 2: Posada > Espinama
The next morning a taxi driver picked us up and shuttled us 3 miles from our hotel to the next town and start of the route (Posada de Valdeón) so we could avoid walking on the road first thing in the morning. Posada de Valdeón was a charming little town that we would have liked to explore more, but afternoon thunderstorms were predicted so we found a bakery, grabbed some lunch and then set off. A 15 minute walk through town and soon we turned off on a dirt road that led into the hills above town.
The climb from Valdeón to the pass above town took around 2 1/2 hours. It was an easy grade on a good path that wandered through pastures and then side-hilled across alpine meadows to a pass. Treeline in the Picos region is between 5,600 ft and 6,5000 ft and our 5,800 ft pass was just above the trees. It was a quiet climb – the only person we passed being the inn proprietor who was also out for a morning walk. In the distance we heard a Common Cuckoo calling – but we also heard distant thunder and upon reaching the pass we could the clouds building in the distance.
The approaching storm made us apprehensive and we increased our speed and began dropping to town, passing through pastures and then down forested roads to the valley. The storm never materialized and the humidity and heat continued to climb as we descended. In total we dropped 3,000 ft to the valley below – and upon reaching the village of Espinama the storm let loose and the winds, thunder and lightening whipped through town as we cowered under a store-front trying to stay dry. This was followed by another late dinner with a very tired child and then in bed and asleep by 9:30pm.
Hiking down valley towards Sotres.
Day 3: Fuente De > Sotres
Day 3 started with another taxi ride. Our guidebook had suggested we hike to Fuente De but the route paralleled the road and didn’t seem very aesthetic. A 10 minute taxi ride deposited us at the Fuente De cable car where a $20 teleférico ride took us to the ridge. We were there at the day of the annual race and the cable car already had a line. The race ascends 1.6 miles with 3,188 ft of elevation gain. The 2025 winner was Marcos Villamuera Izquierdo who ran the route in 33:21 for a new record!
The teleférico deposited us at 6,000 ft in a basin surrounded by sheer limestone peaks. Later I would buy an inch thich guidebook for the Picos which details hundreds of rock routes ranging from 10 pitch 5.13r horror-shows to 10 pitch well-bolted 5.10a sport routes. The well used trail lead out from the station and we walked beneath the limestone walls peering up intently.
The trail, which was more akin to a road, dropped down and curved northeast. We followed this for 10 miles, descending a total of 3,500 ft down valley. The road passed by several old huts built by shepherds hundreds of years ago to keep their livestock during the winter. Some of the huts are still in use and we passed by mastiffs guarding flocks of sheep and goats.
Down and down until realizing that our final destination lay above us. A final climb to the village of Sotres where we sat outside and feasted on plates of cheese and bread until evening.
This section of the trek was outstanding. The alpine terrain around Fuente De invited exploration and I wished I had spent more time there. The hike down to Sotres was beautiful and passing through the old settlements and under the limestone walls was mesmerizing. The village of Sotres is charming with several small restaurants, bars and cheese shops, old stone buildings and small winding streets. Our hotel – the Hotel Sotres – was perched on the edge of town and the view looking down valley was magnificent.
High in the Eastern Massif of the Picos.
Day 4: Pico del Sagrado Corazón
This was scheduled as a layover day in Sotres with a hike in the Eastern Massif. It was rainy and Isabelle was feeling tired and wasn’t excited about a bonus hike so she and Yvonne opted to stay in town while I set out for a hike.
A 2 mile taxi ride up the road to a trailhead put me on an old road that lead into the alpine. A hour of walking brought me to Refugio Casetón de Ándara where I refilled my water bottle and continued on. The old mining road turned into a trail and eventually I climbed out of the clouds and worked my way up Pico del Sagrado Corazón – a 6,970 ft peak with greats views in all directions.
I scrambled around along the ridge for a while and then descended back to the refugio via another path and eventually dropped down through pastures and worked my way back to town.
Fire Salamander (Salamandra salamandra fastuosa) near Urriellu.
Day 5: Sotres > Urriellu
Up and walking early the next morning en-route to Vega de Urriellu. This was supposed to be a bigger day (9 miles and almost 4,000 ft of elevation gain) and clouds had moved in and it was raining lightly so I was tad apprehensive about route finding. However the hiking ended up being very straightforward and we finished the hike in less than 5 hours.
The hike began with a descent down the road below Sotres and then a climb up through the woods to gain the upper road which we followed for 3 miles until turning off and working our way up through pastures until reaching Refugio de la Terenosa. Terenosa is a small refugio with only a few beds but it has a great porch with a roof where you can get out of the rain with views down valley.
We ate a snack and had another cup of coffee and then continued on. It was misty and chilly which meant moral was low… until we saw our first salamander. And then Isabelle was giddy and excited and the rest of the hike was spent searching for (and finding many) the beautiful black and yellow Fire Salamander (Salamandra salamandra fastuosa). There are several subspecies of Fire salamanders all over Europe but the fastuosa and bernadezi, both of which can be found in northern Spain, are the only viviparous subspecies which means females either lay advanced larvae with small gills or fully developed small salamanders. We encountered about a dozen of these all the way up to roughly 5,000 ft.
After climbing up and out of the pastures the trail turned into an exposed walkway above steep drops with towering limestone walls above us. As we neared the hut we wandered through areas of large boulders and at one point we passed a chamois resting on top of a large boulder in the mist. The hike went quickly and we reached the hut by early afternoon. It was still cloudy and chilly so we sat inside for a while eating cheese and bread (and drinking more weak coffee) until the clouds blew off.
In the late afternoon I hiked above the hut and where I managed to climb fully above the clouds for great views of the iconic Naranjo de Bulnes (Picu Urriellu) which towers above the hut. I wandered around for a while gazing at the peaks and attempting to get close to a herd of chamois.
Back at the hut I discovered that Isabelle, who is quite shy, was not adjusting to European hut culture. To her surprise she would have to spend the night with sixteen snoring Spaniards – and not only would be all be sleeping a single room, we’d all be sharing a single giant bunk bed! To top it off we had to have a communal dinner with multiple strangers who would all be sitting with us and sharing food.
Being Americans we were hyper-aware of global tensions and were wary of the conversations that might arise. However being that we were from Alaska and at a mountaineering hut, conversations never touched politics and instead quickly drifted towards climbing and skiing – and I spent the entire dinner attempting to explain to ridiculously fit Euro climbers (through poor Spanish and google translate) why you needed 3 weeks to climb Denali when the route can be skied in a day. After dinner we sat on the front porch and watched the sunset while chatting with folks from Scotland, Poland, Spain and Belgium. Sleeping in the same room with sixteen snoring Spaniards wasn’t as bad as Isabelle feared and she, and the rest of us, fell asleep quickly and joined in a chorus of snores.
This was a really special place and the highlight of the trip for me. I’ve only stayed in a couple European mountain huts and I’ve always found the the culture to be inviting and comfortable. Staying here made me yearn for a longer trip with more time spent at similar spaces instead of dropping back down to villages each day as we had been doing.
Likewise the rockclimbing around Urriellu looks amazing. The rock is impeccable and there are are dozens of peaks with Class 3 and 4 routes up them – and hundreds of rock routes that range from easy / moderate 5th class to extremely difficult free climbs. I’d love to return with a rope and gear and spend some time in the higher peaks.
Bulnes.
Day 5: Urriellu > Poncebos
This was the last day of our trek. We’d drop from 6,000 ft all the way down to 750 ft over 13 miles. We woke early with everyone else, had our meal and said goodbye to our new friends and set off. It was clear up high, but as we descended we once again dropped into the clouds. Down the same route as before carefully working our across the wet rock back to refugio Terenosa. We stopped for a drink (yet another weak coffee) and then dropped down through wet pastures. It was a steep wet slick trail and walking was slow. After a couple miles we reached the main trail – which was steeper, wetter and slicker and not so fun. 3 miles down to the refugio – and then 3 long wet slick miles to the town of Bulnes.
Bulnes was the most picturesque town of the trip. It is a small village situated in the mountains with no vehicle access. There is a funicular that deposits tourists, locals and supplies a half mile from town – but other than that the only way into town is via steep trails. The proximity to the funicular has turned the town into a popular lunch place for day visitors, and we arrived to find a bustling lunch scene. We pushed our way into an open table where we ordered cheese, bread and beer.
Historically the route past Sotres and Bulnes is part of the Route of the Reconquest. The 8th century Muslim conquest of the Iberian Peninsula was the start of Arabic rule of what is now Spain and Portugal which lasted until 1492. In 722 the Arab commander of Spain sent an army to Covadonga to demand the surrender of a holdout of Christians who had taken refuge in the mountains. The refugees refused to surrender and instead attacked by shooting arrows and throwing stones from the slopes of the mountains onto the army below. As the army began to withdraw, a group of soldiers who had been hiding in a cave attacked and drove the army to retreat. The Muslim army retreated from Covadonga to the Cares river, then up the gorge to Bulnes and Sotres. They then turned south and retreated to Cosgaya where they were supposedly killed in a landslide. Along the way locals attacked and killed them and local tourist handouts read: “screams of the overwhelmed army still echo off the walls of the canal.”
Isabelle and Yvonne, not really wanting to hear the 1,300 year-old screams of lost soldiers, opted to take the funicular down while I ran down the gorge. I was down in less than an hour. I didn’t hear any screams, just goats, the rush of water and the cries of an alpine chough calling from the rocks above.
Isabelle in the North Atlantic.
Afterwards
Afterwards we were regular tourist. We spent a night in the coastal town of Santander where we ate pastries and seafood and jumped into the North Atlantic. Then we flew to Dublin for a layover night and rented a hotel room in Temple Bar. We went out for a meal then Yvonne and Isabelle fell asleep and I drank Guinness in Temple Bar until 1 am. This was followed by a day of tours at St Patricks, Christ Cathedral, Trinity College and a pilgrimage to the Yeats memorial. We caught a taxi back to the airport in late afternoon and were on the plane that night heading home already thinking about where to go next.
Resources
This was a very easy trip to plan. We flew Aer-Lingus from Seattle to Dublin and then Dublin to Bilbao. On the way back we overnighted in Dublin which broke up the trip. We used S-Cape and chose from their list of pre-planned self-guided tours (we chose the 8 day which is actually only 6 days of walking). If you want to plan your own trip use thepicosdeeuropa.com website for general info and reservarefugios.com website to book refugios. Fly into either Santander or Bilbao and rent a taxi or take public transportation to reach Arenas.
The high season is July but May is fine for lower zones and June is fine for upper zones as long as you carry a mountain axe. If you want to rock climb find a copy of Modern Classics – Climbing in the Massif Central Picos de Europa by Eduardo De Deus and Noelia García. If you want to mountain climb check out Peaks of the Picos de Europa (164 peaks – 255 ascents) by Alberto Boza and Juan Luis Guilluy Arenas.
Likewise it’s an great intro to trekking for kids who otherwise would have a hard time carrying gear for 5+ days. Our route is embedded above – but if you look on Gaia you can see hundreds of variations. Reach out directly if you have questions. Good luck planning!