Picos de Europa by Philip Beck
In Northern Spain about 2.5 hours west of Bilbao airport is a special mountainous region called Picos de Europa. The mountains in this region rise up to over 2,000 meters. The Picos are made up of three different massifs in three different provinces. About twenty five times per year Exodus runs either Grade B or Grade C hikes on a centre based trip in a village called Arenas de Cabrales.
My group ran with fifteen. The maximum on this is sixteen. We were on a Grade B trip. We hiked 5 full days…to the top of limestone peaks, through high mountain pastures, we walked along a Gorge, jumped over streams , did a bit of bushwhacking, and hiked between villages on old Roman roads, goat trails , cow paths, and marked trails.
Hiking usually started at 10:00 AM. Some hikes required a 45 minute to 1 hour drive and others started out the front door. On my trip the hiking days ended between 4:30 and 5:30 PM. This allowed us to get in take a hot bath or shower and wander around the village to take in the local beers, cider, patisseries or chill in the bar with a book before 8:30 PM dinner.
This part of Spain is not the flamemco, paella, olive grove and bull running part of Spain. This part of Spain is right out of the film “Pan’s Labyrinth”. The rushing streams, high mountains, oak forests, mists, caves, old churches, and villages evoke a sense of mystery. Sure enough we walked past springs where there are legends of wood fairies turning into Princesses and hillsides where Dragons did battles with Kings. We walked past caves where you were sure bears live, we walked in high mountain pastures past lonely huts where surely a witch lives (but turned out to be Rosa – a 78 year old woman living alone making blue cheese in a smoky hut). We often shared our tracks with goats and cows and donkeys. This part of Spain shares a Celtic past the same as Scotland, Brittany, and Cornwall. Local music featured bagpipes and they have a local dish similar to haggis. The area is truly unique.
The stay is at the best family run hotel I have ever stayed at called Hotel Torrecerredo. If you like: small, owner-managed places brimming with character and run by caring, direct, unpretentious, humorous hosts, and fantastic staff with great food, great views, the lived-in, the unexpected, the artistic, and even the eccentric. This hotel is for you.
The hotel was completely refurbished in 1992. There are 19 en suite bedrooms each fitted with TV, telephone and central heating. Each room has been individually decorated.
Each day the Hotel offers a different set menu including local specialities such as Fabada Asturiana, chickpea stew, and the famous blue cheese “Queso Cabrales”. All evening meals are served in the panoramic dining room and are accompanied by wine. Breakfast is buffet style and includes cereals, fruit juice, tea or coffee, “Sobaos”, toast & marmalade and eggs. Packed lunched were provided for the days activities. This consisted of a good sized roll with various fillings, a piece of fruit and a bar of chocolate. Vegetarian meal requests were easily accommodated.
I loved the centre based trip. I could unpack once, develop friendships with the owners and staff of the hotel, and I felt at home while I was on vacation.
Other activities in the area include Birding, Flowers, Cycling, Climbing, and Caving. At various times of the year there are family trips.
The best part of the trip was the camaraderie developed by the group itself. The whole group was very social and fun. The ages ranged from 27 – 60. My trip had 13 single people who came with a friend or on their own and 1 couple. There were nine men and 6 woman on the trip. We were all pretty much at the same hiking level. It rained and snowed and was sunny and it was muddy and we walked under waterfalls and around fast flowing rivers but we were all prepared with proper hiking gear. Don’t forget that Swiss Army knife to enjoy bread & the excellent Calabres Blue cheese for an extra snack. In the summer don’t forget your bathing suit for a swim in a river pool after a hike.
The owners, staff, guides, and drivers were super friendly and all would bend over backwards if necessary. Genuine smiles were there 100 % of the time. You could tell everyone was proud to be there and work there. Safety on the trails was paramount. Local knowledge meant we got to feel included.
Group Airport transfers were provided to and from Bilbao. Special individual transfers can be arranged.
On our own after the trip some of us took in Bilbao and the Guggenheim museum collection and the fantastic architecture of Frank Geary.
The trip was truly remarkable. The trip would be best suited for someone who is outdoorsy, flexible, and enjoys the company of like minded travellers in an off the beat area of Spain.
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