FASTPACK THE PICOS DE EUROPA
NEW DATE: 24 - 28 JULY 2024
PRICE:
£1325pp ($1590)
BOOK WITH A 10% DEPOSIT & PAY OFF IN SIX INSTALLMENTS
SINGLE ROOM UPGRADE: £65 ($80) PER PERSON *ONLY AVAILABLE AT HOTEL LAGOS NATURE
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EXPERIENCE OVERVIEW
This circular fast packing adventure has everything and more: rocky crests, gorges, lush valleys, vast glacial lakes, and leafy forests. There is no doubt that you won’t be amazed by what you find on our trail running journey.
Over the course of four days on the trail we’ll fast hike/trail run a remarkable journey through a landscape above the clouds, as we look to make a circumnavigation of the Picos de Europa in northern Spain.
We’ll experience the very best of what the Picos de Europa has to offer, by staying in high mountain refuges and covering rewarding daily distances, all the while by being surrounded by blissful lofty peaks. It has a self-support element to it whereby you will need to carry a small pack big enough for a change of clothes, your water and snacks.
INCLUDES
2 nights at the Vegadonda & Vegabano Mountain Refuge including breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner (bunk room accommodation)
1 night at a guesthouse in the village of Cain including breakfast (twin room share)
1 night at the Hotel Lagos hotel in Cangas de Onis including breakfast (twin room share)
Fully guided circumnavigation with 3 Pure Trails Guides
All transfers
4 days of fast hiking/trail running on blissful trails
Trails & Trees: with every booking, we plant a tree
SHARE THIS TRIP
ITINERARY
+ DAY 1: ARRIVE BILBAO. DRIVE TO CANGAS DE ONIS. HIT THE TRAIL TO VEGADONDA
+ DAY 2: FAST HIKE TO VEGABANO
+ DAY 3: FAST HIKE/TRAIL RUN THE VALDEON VALLEY TO CAIN
+ DAY 4: FAST HIKE/TRAIL RUN TO COVADONGA LAKES, VIA THE CANAL DE TREA. RETURN TO CANGAS DE ONIS
+ DAY 5: DEPART CANGAS AND FLY HOME FROM BILBAO
OUR ROUTE
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OUR ITINERARY
DAY 1 | ARRIVE BILBAO & HIT THE TRAIL TO VEGADONDA
Fast hike/trail run approx. 8.5km
Welcome to the Picos de Europa!
Arriving at Bilbao International Airport (BIO). Please ensure you arrive on the morning flight as once collected we’ll arrange a group transfer to the mountain town of Cangas de Onis which takes 2.5 hours to drive.
We’ll relax in the town square over coffee, have some lunch (excluded) and have a full briefing about what the adventure has in store for us. We’ll also be able to drop our large luggage at a hotel we’ll be staying at in a couple of days. After that it’s time to get ready and head to the mountains.
We’ll take a bus to Covadonga Lakes and start this amazing journey by crossing the ‘vega de enol’ and head up towards the Vegarredonda refuge, surrounded by amazing mountain which is our base in the evening.
DAY 2 | VEGADONDA TO VEGABANO
Fast hike/trail run approx. 19km
We’ll leave the Vegadonda behind after breakfast and follow the trail as it continues upwards until we reach the Collado Les Merines (2,100m) which is a blissful peak with jaw-dropping views.
The terrain soon changes from lush grass to rocky limestone with plenty of rest stops planned along the way, particularly at the Prieta spring which is a perfect place to drink some cool mountain water.
Our trail traverses until we reach the Vega Huerta - a mountain shelter - and continues along the path southwards down the Canal del Perro to the Frade shelter. From here it’s an easy descent through beech forests where we pass some extraordinary beauty spots including the source of the Dobra River and a thousand-year-old oak tree at Vegabaño.
After a well-earned rest, we’ll talk about the stage and the next day. Before tucking into a mountain dinner and good night's sleep in the mountains.
DAY 3 | VEGABANO TO CAIN
Trail running approx. 15km
After breakfast, we leave the Vegabaño shelter behind us and enter a beech grove and virgin woodland which routes gently uphill.
The trail then begins to descend into the Valdeon valley, over babbling brooks and the trail becomes wider as we enter the village of Caldevilla.
Having reached this point we follow the course of the Cares river to the village of Posada de Valdeón. Afterwards, our journey heads towards the village of Cain, a beautiful 9km stretch along the Cares river which passes by extraordinary viewpoints, as well as a series of abandoned villages and a forgotten church.
The trail weaves its way impressively through a gorge until we arrive in the very pretty village of Cain. We'll drop our bags at the guesthouse, with the rest of the day to relax.
Spend the afternoon wild swimming and relax in the Cares river which cascades just a few minutes away from the guesthouse.
DAY 4 | CAIN - COVADONGA LAKES, VIA
CANAL DE TREA
Fast hike/trail run approx. 15km
We prepare for our final day on the trail. Very early on we enter the Cares Gorge, crossing amazing tunnels and bridges as we go.
Just before we reach the Bolin bridge, a sign indicates the start of the harsh Canal de Trea, a steep, long ravine that offers no respite until we reach the meadows of Vega de Ario higher up, where we will take a well-earned rest.
We'll make plenty of stops as we head up the route, taking water from a natural spring and resting in a large cave that gives shade from the sun.
We'll be pleased to reach the top, as the route slowly plateaus. The impressive views of the central massif from here are your reward. From here the route begins to descend to Ercina Lake which makes for easier running the further we go. The lakes of Ercina and Enol Lakes are famous glacial lakes of the Picos de Europa and make a perfect end for us to sit down to relax before heading to the bus stop.
We've completed our circumnavigation of the Picos de Europa. The ‘Anillo’ or the Ring is finished! From here we transfer back to Cangas de Onis by bus, checking into the hotel with time to relax before a celebratory dinner to toast our journey.
DAY 5 | CANGAS DE ONIS - FLY HOME
It’s time to pack up and bid farewell to your newfound trail friends and our local team.
Our group transfer will head back to Bilbao International Airport (BIO) after breakfast arriving at the airport late morning in time to connect with onward afternoon flights back home.
WHERE WE STAY
HOTEL LOS LAGOS NATURE, CANGAS DE ONIS
In the charming town of Cangas de Oni the Los Lagos Nature is a pretty little boutique hotel located at the heart of a historic square.
The hotel is just metres away from all of the towns sights and is a perfect base for accessing the Picos de Europa.
The rooms are all beautiful, spacious and also makes for a relaxing stay after our journey.
VEGADONDA & VEGABANO MOUNTAIN REFUGES
Located high in the mountains and above 1,400m we will spend two nights of the journey in cosy mountain refuges.
The refuges are maintained and operated by mountain wardens and our stay will be in bunk bed formation where blankets and sleeping bags are available.
Despite being high in the mountains the refuges offer warm showers and hot meals, as well as jaw dropping 360 degree mountain scenery straight from the front door.
IMPORTANT NOTES
+ FLIGHTS
Fly to Bilbao airport (BIO). This airport is well connected to Europe with many direct flights daily.
Please aim to arrive in the morning as we have a group transfer scheduled to depart at 12:30.
Your departure flight will need to be booked leaving no earlier than 12pm.
+ THIS IS A FASTPACKING ADVENTURE, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
Fastpacking is simply travelling on the trail carrying your own bag with all of your belongings in it to suit a multi-day adventure.
There are almost no roads where we are heading, which means we need to be semi-supported in our approach. You will need to carry a running bag suitable to carry between 20 - 30L of luggage. This means travelling light with only the essentials (spare running gear, light sleeping bag, small tower, water, snacks...)
If are unsure just pop us an email and we'll go over this in as much detail as you need.
+ WHAT WILL THE TEMPERATURE BE LIKE?
In July we expect long, summer days with blue skies and lots of sun. Being above 1,000m should mean that daily temperatures are perfect for trail running, but it must be stressed that given our journey routes around the Picos de Europa, we need to be prepared for all weather with the possibility of rain and foggy conditions.
At night/early morning temperatures outside will dip, but these soon vanish as soon as the sun comes up.
+ VISAS
British, America, and Australian citizens can enter and remain in Spain for a maximum of 90 days in every 6-month period without a visa.
A visa is not required for other EU passport holders.
+ WHAT SHOULD I BRING?
We will send you a complete packing list in advance of the trip beginning so you are clear on what to pack.
+ WHAT FITNESS IS REQUIRED FOR THE TRIP?
This is a challenging adventure which involves 3.5 long days on the trail which involves long, steep ascents, as well as steep descents which are away from civilization. The trails we travel will at times reach higher altitudes up to 2,000m and follows rough and more difficult terrain.
This adventure is ideally suited for runners & fast hikers who can comfortably be on their feet for up to 4-6 hours per day. You need to have a good level of fitness and be able to move to distances up to 20km in a day, as well as cope with back to back days. As this is a fastpacking adventure it also means you will need to be able to carry your own bag up to a weight of 5kg.
+ WHAT IS THE TERRAIN GOING TO BE LIKE?
Fast hiking & trail running on this circumnavigation of the Picos de Europa involves four long days amongst remarkable mountain scenery.
One of the joys of the Picos de Europa is that fewer travellers outside of Spain generally visit which means we benefit from relatively empty trails.
Our route is very challenging and involves distances of approx. 15km per day which includes long ascents uphill (particularly on day 2 & day 4) up to 1400m, as well as steep downhill sections (as much as -1000m).
We can expect to be on our feet for anywhere between 4 - 6+ hours.
The terrain is amazing with a real mixture of lush green grasses, beech and virgin forests to the rougher limestone rocks that characterize the central and western Massifs of the national park. It's worth knowing the higher we go, the more techincal and rocky the trail becomes, but we take our time to ensure everyone is comfortable.
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