Problogue....Getting hyped!

PICOS MOUNTAINS 2018

Well it is spring (almost summer) and that means it is hiking season again!!!!!  Yippee!!!!  Our small but mighty group has spent many dark winter days planning and dreaming about this year's long distance hike  because.....drum roll...... it is in Spain!  Actually, not so dark here in Tucson.

We are taking a slight deviation from the yearly hikes in the United Kingdom, too much happening there right now; babies, weddings, blah, blah blah.  We wanted a sunny and hopefully warm walk so naturally it is SPAIN!

Below I have attached a map of Spain with the region highlighted that we are tackling this year; namely the Picos de Europa.  The national park sits in the northern part of Spain, generally much cooler than the rest of Spain during the summer months so that should just about be perfect for a mid-June hike.  Our only concern as for every walk, rain!  They say it falls, mainly on the plains....so here's to hoping!

This second map shows some of the most popular routes of the Picos de Europa area.

And what walk would not be complete without the obligatory wildlife sighting!

Is he not cute!!!

Now for a bit of history:

Long before we had GPS to show us the way, sailors approaching Europe from the north, first sighted land in the form of the Picos de Europa mountains or "The Peaks of Europe" as they are a mere 20 kms from the north coast of Spain, and with their peaks raising 2650 metres or 8690 feet above sea level, were easily spotted by approaching ships.  The weather here is influenced by both the interior and the coast with some snow remaining on the peaks all year round.

The significance of the mountains and the uniqueness of their forms led the area to be designated as the first National Park of Europe in 1918.  How fitting that we will be discovering them on the 100'th anniversary of the National Park!

Our Picos adventure is from Inn to Inn.....just can't see us carrying all our kit or missing a good meal and that end of day drink we spent all day working for!...and will transverse the entire region.  From the meadows and forests of the Liebana Valley in the south, across the high Central Mountains and through the Cares Gorge, emerging on the northern side of the range.  We will walk through three  of Spain's provinces (Cantabris, Asturias,  and Leon) .  We think by foot is the best way to travel......

Shall we get started????????