The route maps in this guide are derived from publicly-available data, databases and crowd-sourced data. As such they have not been through the detailed checking procedures that would generally be applied to a published map from an official mapping agency, although naturally we have reviewed them closely in the light of local knowledge in the preparation of this guide. If you spot any errors or possible improvements please let us know by email to [email protected].
Stage grading
The pleasure of ‘through-walking’ – walking every step of the way from A to B – is not universally shared. Not everyone has the time or inclination and will want to choose which bits of the route to do with the time they have available. To help you make that choice, a grading system has been used. The first element measures the quality of the waymarking and the second the wow factor – a necessarily subjective judgment.
Quality of waymarking goes from 0 to 5:
0 = non-existent
1 = occasional signs only
2 = poor, rarely helpful
3 = helpful but use with care
4 = good with only occasional gaps
5 = excellent, proceed with confidence.
Wow factor goes from 1 to 5:
1 = poor, only a through-walker, completer-finisher would do it
2 = OK, but could be avoided if time is short
3 = good, fine walking including memorable highlights
4 = excellent, not to be missed but with occasional lesser stretches
5 = excellent, worthy of an international trip in its own right.
Olite (the end of Section 3 and start of Section 4)
1 PUERTO DE TARNA TO REINOSA
Peña Espigüete from the southeast (from Stage 1.4)
In terms of landscape the first stage of the walk is one of the best. The route crosses the southern flank of the Cantabrian Mountains, skirts the Picos de Europa and passes through two protected areas: the Regional Park of the Picos de Europa and the Natural Park of Fuentes Carrionas and Fuente Cobre-Montaña Palentina. It’s a stunning limestone landscape and includes a number of summits over 2500m high. The star of the show is Peña Espiguete, passed on Stage 3. Although it’s not the biggest mountain (at 2150m) it is the most admired and the one that attracts the climbers. It has an almost perfect shape, stands slightly apart from the rest of the Cantabrian Mountains, and dominates the scenery for most of the section.
Although the scenery is dramatic the trail is easy and the waymarking excellent. The GR1 is supported by the Castilla y León regional government and there are signs and information boards from the Puerto de Tarna through to Brañosera where the route crosses into Cantabria. It is, however, remote: services are few and far between and accommodation, particularly at the western end, is sparse. For this section booking in advance is essential if only to check that the accommodation is open.
From a historical perspective and compared with the others, Section 1 is perhaps less interesting but the landscape and natural habitat provide a ready compensation. Although you’re unlikely to see one of the resident Cantabrian brown bears you will see the Cantabrian Chamois, possibly otters and wild cats, and definitely vultures, particularly the huge Griffon vulture.
Access and Accommodation
The best way to get to the start of the route – Puerto de Tarna – is by bus from Oviedo. Oviedo is a lovely city particularly famous for its pre-Romanesque buildings the best of which – Santa María del Naranco and San Miguel de Lillo – are located just out of town. These both featured in the Woody Allen film Vicky Cristina Barcelona and Allen’s praise of the place means he is now a local hero and honoured with a city centre statue. The easiest way to get to Oviedo for international travellers is via Asturias airport or, a bit further away, Santander. Alternatively you can fly to Madrid and catch a train.
Reinosa is much less interesting than Oviedo and, for most travellers, would not justify an extended stay. It is, however, particularly well connected: to Santander (a bus every hour); to Bilbao and León one bus each way a day; and Madrid (two trains a day). If you are continuing on the GR1 from here, you could easily press on to Corconte (the start of the second section) by bus when you finish walking Stage 6.
SECTION 1: KEY INFORMATION
| Distance | 158.5km |
| Total ascent | 4950m |
| Total descent | 5650m |
| Alternative schedule | Consider staying in the hostel in Trilollo and exploring walks around the Curavacas – see Stage 2. |
STAGE 1
Puerto de Tarna to Salamon
| Start | Hospedería de Salamon, Puerto de Tarna (1509m) |
| Distance | 28km |
| Ascent/Descent | 560m/1040m |
| Grade | 4/4 |
| Walking time | 8hr 50min |
| Maximum altitude | 1585m |
| Access | From Oviedo, by bus up to Bezanes (in the Alto Nalon and Natural Park of Redes) and a taxi up to the pass itself. All being well you should be able to start walking by 11.30am. From Bezanes, ask Rafael, the taxi driver who owns the casa rural there (see www.clubrural.com), to take you up in the morning. |
An excellent first day, great scenery, long with a pass to climb over in the middle but not a tough walk. There is a bar in Manaña but it doesn’t provide food. If you want a shorter first day than there is accommodation at Manaña.
Puerto de Tarna is a pass that sits on the regional boundary between Asturias and Castilla y León. On the right-hand side of the road at the pass is an information board about the Regional Park of the Picos de Europa (easily confused with the National Park of the Picos de Europa which is located immediately to the northeast and contains the main part of the Picos de Europa range). The highest mountain in the Picos, Torre Cerredo (2648m), is about 6km from the pass as the crow flies.
Although there is a restaurant it is not always open and not to be relied on.
Follow a path for 600 metres heading directly south from the pass on the right-hand side of the valley, parallel to a road on the left-hand side, and descend for 600 metres across open moorland to the unoccupied hamlet
