The Extrem Ring of Picos de Europa pass along Occidental and Central Massifs of Picos de Europa National Park. It’s one of hardest treks that you can walk in Spain and an awesome trek that can’t miss in the backpack of a mountain lover.

 

We’ll begin in Poncebos village, an awesome place between mountains and we’ll walk to Occidental Massif, that was the origin of the National Park and that has the most variety landscapes. We’ll modify a little the itinerary of to give it the Picos Outdoor stamp and improve it, visiting places that we think mandatory to visit as Trea’s Channel, Lakes of Covadonga, Vegabaño’s forest, Valdeon valley and others. Then, we’ll go to Urrielles Massif or Central Massif of the Picos de Europa, located between the valleys carved by rivers Cares and Duje is undoubtedly the most rugged, that higher slopes presents and where the highest and most representative peaks of the National Park of Picos de Europa are located, as Torrecerredo maximum altitude of these mountains and all the Cantabrian Mountains Range with 2,648 meters or Picu Urriellu (Naranjo de Bulnes), authentic symbol of the Asturian mountain and National Park and place where the most beautiful pages of mountaineering in the Iberian Peninsula have been written since its conquest in 1905. It is in this massif where these mountains reach its climax, with an insurmountable mountain environment, concentrating a large number of peaks in a relatively small surface, unmatched in any other mountains of the peninsula, where there are other highest mountains, but not so wild, and inaccessible.

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Will travel for seven days, from shelter to shelter, the most emblematic and beautiful places of Picos de Europa National Park, doing a hard but awesome and unforgettable trek that can’t miss in your backpack.

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Program:

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Meeting point: Hostal Poncebos, Poncebos, Cabrales.                             Duration: 6 days.

 

Day 1: On our first day of trekking, we’ll depart from Puente Poncebos (218m) to perform the famous, popular and spectacular Ruta del Cares, one of the most impressive gorges in the world, until the start of Trea’s Channel, our first and hard ramp to reach The refuge of “Vega de Ario”, to enjoy the impressive views towards Central Massif and the magnificient food and sympathy of the staff. We'll stay at the Refuge of “Vega de Ario” where we’ll spend our first night of trekking.

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Day 2: Our second day of trekking, we’ll descend to the magic place of the Lakes of Covadonga (1,100m). Then we’ll ascend to the Vegarredonda refuge (1.410m) where we spend our first night. Beautiful day passing through symbolic places of the Picos de Europa, as Covadonga Lakes or "Pozo del Aleman", place whose name comes from Roberto Frassinelli, exceptional person. Crosing sheepfolds and going into western mountains heights, we'll arrive at the Vegarredonda refuge, where we spend our first night. If the day is clear, we'll go to the Ordiales Viewpoint (1.750m), beautiful viewpoint to Amieva and Ponga, and where is buried Pedro Pidal, forerunner of the National Park and first climber, with Gregorio Perez "El Cainejo" (born in Cain village), of Picu Urriellu, the most significant mountain in the National Park.

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Day 3: During this long and hard day, we will walk one of the most classic routes of the massif, crossing the north to south, by the characteristic karst landscape of the heights of the Picos de Europa, where limestone rock chaos reigns between jous and hills, making the orientation is not easy. This is a good time to see Rebecos, ibex characteristic of the National Park. During this classic route, we will be accompanied by the highest peaks of the Massif, through Vega Huerta to enjoy the breathtaking view of the southern wall (600 vertical meters) of Peña Santa de Castilla, Cornión highest peak with 2,596 meters high. From here, we'll also enjoy beautiful views of the Central Massif and we'll descend to Vegavaño ​​Refuge (1,320m), located in a magnificent place surrounded by beautiful forests, to enjoy a deserved rest, after a long and hard day.

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Day 4: Beautiful and hard day in which we will enter the Central Massif. We’ll start in Vegabaño and we’ll go to the beautiful valley of Valdeón. From here, we’ll must to save a significant vertical drop, to the refuge of Collado Jermoso (2.046m). We’ll descend to the beautiful Valley of Valdeón, where we'll visit the "Chorco de los lobos", for entering in the Asotin Channel, through the beautiful beech forest of the same name that will leave us in the Asotin sheepfold, beautiful and spectacular place. From here we'll ascend to Collado Jermoso refuge, located in one of the most spectacular and beautiful places in the National Park. Located on the edge of a cliff and surrounded by the peaks of the Llambrión group, opposite the spectacular Friero Tower, and with magnificent views of the valley of Valdeón and the Cornión Massif, with Peña Santa always emphasizing. Despite the long day, everyone will be satisfied to stay in such a place.

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Day 5: This day will pass through the heights of the Central Massif, being rarely below 2,000 meters. We'll reach the busiest refuge of the Picos de Europa, located at the base of the most emblematic of how many summit are in the National Park, the Picu Urriellu, and in its most spectacular part, impressive west wall, with over 500 meters height, authentic reference of Spanish mountaineering. An unforgettable place, both as nice as symbolic.

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Day 6: We leave Urriellu refuge , to go Cabrones refuge, mountain sector where the highest summit of the entire National Park with 2,648 meters, Torrecerredo. Here we go, passing another landmark summit as Cabrones, to the refuge of the same name, where we get the last stamp of our passport. We only have a long and steep descent from the refuge of Cabrones (2.030m) to Puente Poncebos (218m). We continue down the slope of the Trave and Amuesa Channel to reach the beautiful village of Bulnes (648m), inaccessible to vehicles and only reachable by the Tejo channel or Pandébano hill, till the construction of a funicular from Poncebos. From Bulnes, we can only go down the Tejo channel to Poncebos, place where we'll finish our beautiful and unforgettable adventure.

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Included:

• Mountain Guide qualified with UIMLA accreditation.

• Five nights accommodation in shelters.

• Five half-board (dinner + breakfast) in huts.

• Special Map and passport of Anillo de Picos.

• Collective safety equipment.

• Accident insurance.

 

 

Not included:

• Transport.

• Any other item not mentioned as included.

 

 

Notes:

• In huts picnics can be purchased for each day, avoiding carry weight.

• There are blankets in huts. With a thin lead sheet sack or summer sleeping bag, its enough.

• The route can be altered depending on weather conditions, availability in huts and/or other things, always thinking about safety group.

 

Price: 590€* (VAT included)  * Price per person

Group 4 to 8 people

Picos Outdoor only gets profit from guiding service