Fuente Dé and the Cable Car

We woke to a glorious morning - calm, with blue skies and sunshine. The long-range weather forecasts, both Spanish and English, had predicted cloud and showers so we couldn't believe our luck. So this was our day for a walk in the mountains - Fuente Dé, El Cable, explore the limestone plateau (perhaps finding the elusive Wallcreeper), then a gentle descent via the Refugio de Aliva, Invernales de Igüedre, Espinama, then return to Fuente Dé. This follows most of walk number 6 in Teresa Farino's book.

We had breakfast at our hotel in Cosgaya then drove up the valley to the cable car station at Fuente Dé (1078 m), where the road terminates at a huge natural amphitheatre formed by an escarpment. We arrived at 0945h and parked in the free car park (it was free in May at least). We bought our one-way tickets for €7 each. A return ticket is €12.50 for adults and there are reductions for students, children and groups. The tickets are numbered and this determines the order in which passengers board the cable car. Ours were numbered 9 and 10.

We expected to buy some picnic food at Fuente Dé. There are no shops in Cosgaya, nor did we see any in Espinama. In any case, there isn't much open before 10am. The café at the cable car station was under reconstruction. We thus embarked with just chocolate, dried fruit and plenty of water to sustain us.

May is off season, so the first cable car was due leave at 1000h, with the last returning at 1800h. By 1015h, a queue of walkers built up and was snaking away out of sight. Many of those behind us were kitted-out for long walks; others wore high heels! Some of our fellow-travellers were clutching skis or snowboards - in 2006 there was still snow on the mountains in early May. We heard a firecrest in the pines nearby and passed the time trying to see it.

We shuffled onto the first cable car of the day at 1020h, along with boxes of frozen chips and other supplies for the café at the upper cable car station (El Cable). The car was full, there are no seats and everyone was squashed in. The car glides along swiftly for the first two minutes, but the last section is a near-vertical ascent, parallel to the rock face. The car slows down and seems to take forever to cover the last few metres. If you don't like heights or are claustrophobic you will have to follow Helen's example and close your eyes for the entire 3 minute trip!
 

El Cable

At El Cable (1834 m), you emerge from the cable car into the tourist centre. There is a souvenir shop, vending machines and a café offering sandwiches (boccadillos) and snacks (raciones). The centre is a honey pot for day-trippers, busy and brash, but the toilets are clean and may be the last you encounter for some time. Early in the day, the café was still being prepared for opening, so we grabbed a quick coffee then opted to commence our walk. We intended to stop for food at the Refugio de Aliva, which we thought would be open.

Take a few minutes to enjoy the magnificent view from the terrace, where there is a map identifying the peaks. A few brave souls stepped out on to a cantilevered platform, with an open steel grid for a floor that allows views straight down the rockface. It was perfectly safe but most visitors felt this was one step too far. Looking north across the rugged plateau towards the central massif of the Picos (Urrieles), snow remained in patches on the mountain slopes and lower ground.
 

Around the Plateau

A single well-maintained cart track leads north from El Cable, with foot tracks and smaller paths branching off. The track from El Cable climbs gently towards the base of Peña Olvidada, where it forks. To the northwest, the track follows the contours along the western flank of Peña Olvidada; the track to the northeast leads over a col then down to Refugio de Aliva.
 

The main track was busy with walkers, picnickers and occasional off-road vehicles as we left El Cable. Some people headed deeper into the central massif towards Cabaña Veronica; others strolled across the plateau to picnic at the deep blue pools of Pozos de Lloroza; some stayed at the El Cable view point.

This was the time for us to keep eyes and ears open. Small herds of Chamois slid playfully down patches of icy snow and, although they seemed to be accustomed to sharing the mountains with people, they dispersed into mountains as more people explored the plateau. There were a few butterflies and wild flowers. We got talking to a pair of botanists who commented that the flowers were late and that they had expected the plateau to be carpeted with flowers by early May. We recognised one bright blue flower as a type of Gentian and wished we had brought identification guides with us. Birds are our speciality and our knowledge of flowers and butterflies is sadly lacking.

With the sun behind us, we reached the fork in the track and made our way slowly along the western flank of Peña Olvidada and above Pozos de Lloroza. We were passed regularly by walkers heading for the Cabaña Veronica footpath as Peña Vieja loomed into view on our right (at 2613 m, this is the highest peak in Cantabria). A short time later we stopped near La Vueltona (1960 m), where the track became snowbound, then retraced our steps.
 

We spent about 2 hours birding on the western flank of Peña Olvidada and saw good numbers of mountain species, including brief but close views of a Wallcreeper, which was undoubtedly the star bird of the day. The birds seen here were: Griffon Vulture (up to 3 pairs), Booted Eagle (single bird, dark phase), Water Pipit (numerous), Alpine Accentor (numerous), Wallcreeper (single bird, on ground and in flight), Alpine Chough (numerous, scavenging around picnickers), Common Raven (several) and Snow Finch (single bird)

A Long and Winding Track

Returning south along the west flank of Peña Olvidada and over the col, by 1315h we were on the track down towards the Refugio de Avila. The rest of the human race suddenly disappeared and we had the path to ourselves (and the occasional off-road vehicle). In the distance we could see the red roof of a former Royal Hunting Lodge, the Chalet Real.
 

The wide track winds gently along below Peña Olvidada and Peña Vieja before heading down towards the green-roofed Refugio de Aliva. The track is fairly rough and there were sections where the surface was quite loose, but not as bad as further down the mountain. We took this part of the walk slowly, glancing back at the spectacular sunlit face of Peña Vieja and watching the abundant birdlife. Alpine Accentors, Raven and Wheatear were common. There are many large boulders on which to sit and rest. The Fuente de Resalao provided fresh drinking water.

We were now approaching the recently re-built Hotel-Refugio de Aliva. It looked bustling; there were lots of people sitting outside and we were encouraged by the thought of food. However, it was closed and we later learnt that it is open only from June until September. The people outside were a group of Spanish teenagers on a school trip eating their lunchtime picnic. There were Pied (White) Wagtails around the refuge, as well as good views of Northern Wheatear. Alpine Choughs scavenged noisily for food scraps.
 

The route down from the Refuge became less rocky and meandered through the Puertos De Aliva, lush meadows, filled with livestock later in the summer. Eventually it wound alongside Rio Nevandi and reached the edge of the National Park at Las Portillas de Boquerón - stone gateposts and a cattle grid. We turned a corner and suddenly we were level with the tree line. The entire forest appeared to plunge 500m into the gorge below. Directly beneath us were the old orange pantiles of the Invernales de Igüedri, barns where cattle live in the autumn and spring. Cows, calves and bulls were lazing and grazing in open fields, all blissfully ignorant of tired walkers.

At the Tree Line

Reaching the tree line fooled us into thinking we were near the end of our journey. Halfway? Perhaps. The rough track zig-zagged steeply, onwards and downwards, following the river and along the edge of woodland. You need to take care. It was tough on the calf muscles and, although there were more clouds in the sky, it was still dry, calm and the sun was deceptively hot. Nevertheless the scenery was lovely; behind us the Picos reminded us how far we had walked. Wildflowers carpeted the meadows. All we could hear was the tinkle of cow bells and the 'ciao' of some Red-billed Choughs.
 

Birds seen on this leg of the walk included: Common Cuckoo (heard near Las Portillas de Boquerón), Great Spotted Woodpecker (heard in the woodland), Grey Wagtail, Pied/White Wagtail, Common Blackbird, Red Billed Chough (near the Invernales), House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Common Linnet (small flock) and Rock Bunting (a single male bird near Las Portillas de Boquerón).

We were tired and sweaty but invigorated when the first houses of Espinama appeared at about 1445h, followed by the cars and bars of the real world. After you reach the first houses, bear right to get back onto the main road, near the main square. We downed a welcome coca-cola at a small café. Over the road, at Hotel Remoña, the barman doubled as a taxi driver and his lift back to the car park at Fuente Dé was 7 Euros well spent!