Tuesday 3rd June 2014
We left Santillana del Mar after breakfast, were transferred by taxi to the train station for a short ride to Unquera. From here a bus picked us up to go the Picos de Europa - the first National Park in Spain.
Picos de Europa ( Mountains of Europe) is a range of mountains about 20km away from the shores of Northern Spain. It is located on the borders of Asturias, Cantabria and Castill y Leon. It was believed that the name came about as it was usually the first range of mountains seen by sailors returning from the Americas.
The range consists of 3 major massifs (mountain mass) - Central, Western and Eastern - the Central and Western massifs are seperated by a 1.5 km deep gorge with a stream running in it. The stream is being tapped at some places for hydro-electric generation. A path along the edge of the central massif offers the opportunity to walk and appreciate the fabulous panorama of the park.
The highest peak stood at about 2600 metres high. Our bus took us to the base of the park to a village called Poncebos where we disembarked and took the funicular train which moves through a 2400 metres tunnel that bore through the centre of the mountain.
the train station at Unquera
Poncebos, at the base station of the park
we stopped for coffee at a restaurant before taking the funicular
cold and cloudy day
crystal clear stream in a deep gorge
Funicular de Bulnes
the funicular train
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