Author Topic: Picos de Europa, Cantabria, Spain  (Read 7302 times)

Trenchfoot

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Re: Picos de Europa, Cantabria, Spain
« Reply #15 on: 11:52:38, 07/10/12 »
Thanks for sharing One F, really great photos of an area in Spain of which I know little about.  O0

Gonna have to put something in motion and catch up with my family in Spain me thinks! ;)
roll on the weekend

One F in Foreigner

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Re: Picos de Europa, Cantabria, Spain
« Reply #16 on: 18:35:42, 07/10/12 »
Hi One F,
 
What are the logistics of a trip to the Picos?
 
- Where does one fly from and too?
- What is the transport infrastructure like?
- What are the (budget) accomodation options, if ones wishes to trek from place to place?
- Is it easy to re-stock with supplies?
 
My mind is in motion...

Hi Joe,
 
I usually fly from Stansted to Santander (Ryanair) - daily service most of the year with a flight time of approx. 1hr 40 mins. Costwise I have paid between £25 and £70 return (depends on when you go and when you book and whether you put a bag in the hold etc. but then I guess you know the Ryanair system if you have used them before). Santander is the nearest main transport hub to the Picos, although you could fly to Oviedo (from Stansted with Easyjet) or Bilbao (from Manchester withEasyjet) but both are further away from the central Picos and with Bilbao the flights are not daily.
 
Travelling into the Picos from Santander - if with a group (as on this thread) then car hire from Santander aiport (take your pick, all the main ones are there) and rent a house for the week (Casas Cantabricas http://www.casas.co.uk/ lots of other good info there as well ) driving to and from walks daily. If you want to take a 'tour' from hut to hut, then there is a regular airport bus into Santander bus station (about 10 minutes €2.20) where the Potes bus leaves from (Palomera web site http://www.autobusespalomera.com/1a.htm   ) - but note the times are different for some days of the week.
 
Potes is the main town for the Picos central massif and has a bus service (summertime, not sure when it ends for the season but it was running the week we were there) to Fuente De where the teleferico will take you up into the massif. Other than that it is either taxi or foot. If you wanted to start in other towns (Arenas de Cabrales in Asturia for example) then the ALSA bus service is the one to use - both from Santander to Arenas and, to access the mountains, from Arenas to Puente Poncebos.
 
I have only used local buses from Santander, Torrelevega and Suances so cannot comment on the services offered by Palomera or ALSA. Both the buses and local trains I have used have been clean and on time, so if that is anything to go by then I would guess that the services are reliable.
 
Refugios (mountain refuge huts - including Cabana Veronica shown in the pics above) are dotted around the Picos and info can be found here http://thepicosdeeuropa.com/index.php/national-park/huts-refuges/8-central-massif-huts.html for the central massif. For either of the other 2 massifs just click 'Next' on the web page. A multi-day trek can be planned using the Refugios, or a mixture of refugios and other types of accommodation as shown next. Some of the towns and villages dotted around the Picos will  have accommodation in the form of Albuerges (Hostel types), Posadas (Guest House), Hostals or Hotels.
 
Restocking with supplies is fairly easy outside of the 3 main massifs as most villages will have a shop (or bar with shop) of some sorts - most but not all!!. Inside the main Picos mountain area there are, of course, only the Refugios.
 
Maps of the area - Adrados were recommended to me. Three maps at 1:25000 for each of the 3 massifs. These show main tracks and paths as well as the refugios. For route planning at a larger scale, there is a 1:80000 Adrados map of the Picos showing the refugios but not all of the paths. These can be bought from Stanfords. I also now have (bought in Potes this year) 2 Editorial Alpina 1:40000 maps of the Picos - they look a bit like the Harveys style but not quite as colourful. And for good measure I have a 1:25000 card, covering the whole of the North of Spain, for mi Satmap.
 
Time to go - snow can be a problem on some of the higher tracks and passes until June or later if significant snow has fallen. Having said that I went up into the mountains last June and there was no snow at 2000m and only slight coverings higher up. I have also walked in November (not in the high mountains) and it has been in the mid 20C range. July and August can be very busy, more expensive and hot. Mid September onwards is my preferred time to go for a week as the weather is usually still good (but it is a mountain area so usual caveats apply) and the accommodation prices are in low season mode. It is also quieter with less tourists around - can still be bsuy at weekends though.
 
More Picos info at http://thepicosdeeuropa.com/
 
I would recommend a trip to the Picos and if you won't take my word  ;) for how good it is, just ask the others who have been.
I prefer the folly of enthusiasm to the indifference of wisdom. (Anatole France)

bear.cub

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Re: Picos de Europa, Cantabria, Spain
« Reply #17 on: 19:08:03, 07/10/12 »
Wow O0 O0 O0 O0 O0
I've never known such a bear for getting in a mess. Mr Brown referencing Paddington Bear

sunnysky

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Re: Picos de Europa, Cantabria, Spain
« Reply #18 on: 15:18:06, 29/10/12 »
Lovely photo's guys, it looks like you all had a great time!
 
Tracey

Sprout

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Re: Picos de Europa, Cantabria, Spain
« Reply #19 on: 15:35:46, 29/10/12 »
Lovely photos of a really lovely place AND good weather.  Looks like you had a good time.
Now, where can I get a pair of those shoes?

ptarmigan

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Re: Picos de Europa, Cantabria, Spain
« Reply #20 on: 23:37:00, 29/10/12 »
Looks fab!  On my to do list, maybe next year!  :)
“The things you do for yourself are gone when you are gone, but the things you do for others remain as your legacy.”
― Kalu Kalu

 

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