altitudeA wonderful walk with huge open stretches dominated by views of the Peña Espigüete. There is nowhere to eat on the way so either take lunch or plan for a late one at Camporredondo de Alba.
The main street through Prioro is called Ctra Pedrosa. At the junction with Calle la Iglesia head east (opposite the Calle la Iglesia) and follow the road as it swings north on the west side of a valley to a dirt road and GR1 waymarks.
After 400 metres the dirt road divides. Take the right-hand fork over a bridge and head east. After a further 50 metres, cross another small bridge, ignoring a road to the left, turn right and leave the main dirt road (that continues on along the valley). Cross a bridge over the river and climb up the farm road on the southern side of the valley. After nearly 3km and 200m of climb the route reaches the top of the pass.
Crossing the pass the waymarks are a little confusing but the GR1 runs east down the valley and parallel to a road visible from the top. From the pass it dives through a gap in some gorse bushes and then turns down the valley before eventually meeting the road that takes you into Besande.
Besande has a fine 13th-century Romanesque church and an example of an hórreo, an ancient wooden grain store built on a stone plinth. There are also signs to a restaurant but it wasn’t open the last time I visited.
Leave the village on its eastern side, cross a bridge over the Río Grande, head northeast along the valley, parallel with the main road on its the western side. After about 3km the trail veers east into a wider valley dominated at the end by Peña Espigüete. The next village, 2km further on, Valverde de la Sierra, appears to sit underneath the mountain.
Valverde de la Sierra has a pretty Romanesque church but no services. It sits on the boundary between Parque Regional de Picos de Europa and the Parque Natural de Fuentas Carrionas y Fuente Cobre.
Take the road east out of the village (it turns into a dirt road and swings east) along a flat-bottomed valley. After about a kilometre, the road disappears and the route follows a trail through scrub up the side of the valley to the ridge. Head north along the ridge to the pass, the Collado de Cruz Armada, enjoying amazing views of Peña Espigüete.
Looking east towards Peña Espigüete from Collado de Cruz Armada
The GR1 then stays high, heading southeast for another 5km on an easy-to-follow dirt trail before making on a gentle descent down to Camporredondo de Alba. The views on this last part of the walk are excellent.
Camporredondo de Alba is a pretty village located immediately beneath a dam to the reservoir named after the village. It has two restaurant/hotels: the Meson el Abuelo (979 86 60 34); and the Hostal Restaurant Tia Goya (979 86 60 32). Both serve local food and the Tia Goya is open all year round.
STAGE 4
Camporredondo de Alba to Cervera de Pisuerga
| Start | Meson el Abuelo, Camporrendondo de Alba (1250m) |
| Distance | 30km |
| Ascent/Descent | 680m/900m |
| Grade | 4/4 |
| Walking time | 9hrs 20min |
| Maximum altitude | 1433m |
Apart from a 5km stretch of road walking, this is another excellent stage with great views, particularly early on. There are several options for lunch stops (and wild water swimming), particularly towards the end.
From the hotel(s) head east to the trees in the village centre and down the bridge over the Río Carrión. Watch out for otters in the river. After 200 metres take the left fork before a bridge over a stream and head along a dirt road up the valley past a series of buildings containing beehives. Follow the dirt road as it turns north and head downhill over a cattle grid to a junction with other paths, cross it and carry on into ever-improving scenery.
Peña Espigüete (2150m) is now to the west of the trail and Curavacas (2525m) to the north. In the foreground is the Embalse de Camporredondo (reservoir).
The trail continues north above the banks of the reservoir, crosses a bridge and then splits with a variant heading onto Triollo.
Triollo has one hotel, the Hostal Rural La Montaña (979 866 171) 3km to the north of the village and Hostel Curavacas (979 866 223) which is a available through Booking.com.
The main GR1 turns right at the junction with the variant and heads east across open moorland to La Lastra, a hamlet with no services. Turn right in the centre of the village and follow a small road heading south and take the first left along an old tree-lined trail going east along a shallow but pretty valley which, depending on the time of year, will be full of cattle. The route passes underneath power lines and becomes a little steeper as it climbs up to a road, a picnic spot and some information boards at the Col Alto de la Varga.
The Col is at the foot of Peña de Santa Lucía a steep limestone mountain with views of the Río Carrión valley and the Montaña Palentina range to the west. To the south is the Peña Redonda, the bear reserve and Tosande, a remote yew forest.
The route then turns abruptly south and for about 400 metres follows a ridge before turning east again. It then descends along a steep path into a densely wooded gorge. The cliffs above the gorge provide an ideal place for nesting vultures and there is every chance they will be out patrolling the skies.
From Rebanal de las Llantas, join the road for the next 5km to the other side of the village of San Martín de los Herreros. Unfortunately neither village has any services to compensate for the hard surface walk.
Looking north to Curavacas
Turn right off the road 300 metres after San Martín de los Herreros, cross an old bridge and follow the edge of a water meadow along what must have been the old road to Ventanilla. On the north side of Ventanilla is a bar but if you can wait an hour the options are much better at the next village, Ruesga.
Instead of crossing the main bridge, head through a farmyard immediately to the south of the road and climb up onto the path just next to one of the farm buildings. Follow the path alongside the Embalse de Ruesga (where, if it’s hot and the weekend, the locals will be having a swim) all the way to Ruesga.
Ruesga is a pretty village sitting underneath a dam and has a bar and two restaurants. The Hotel Rural Casa María (979 870741) is a particularly good place to eat, serves local specialties and has rooms. One of Spain’s famous parador hotels, the Cervera de Pisuerga, sits high above the village with famously great views.
Cervera de Pisuerga is only 2km further on, has lots of accommodation and, because of the distance to Brañosera (the next stopover), is perhaps the better place to aim for. To get there head east for 300 metres along the road, turn left onto a dirt track and follow it to the town.
CERVERA DE PISUERGA POPULATION 2461
Cervera de Pisuerga is a scruffy town but if you’re travelling
