UKC

Hola
Thinking might take kids to PdeE for 10 days over summer. Not been before and have just ordered some guidebooks. Anyone have any recommendations as to where to use for a base? Ideally looking for a gite with pool, will have a car so can travel about to enjoy walks etc. Kids are under 10 but fit. Just looking for gudance if anyone can make some suggestions. Apologies mods for double post.
Thanks

In reply to Bluebird:
Look at Potes, and links to Fuente De "chairlift" ....stunning scenery, enjoy!

In reply to Bluebird:

Hi

Don't want tot rain on your parade... but that's pretty likely in PdeE. It's pretty rainy and foggy (think Skye). That said, in the breaks, it's stunning and there are no midges.

I only mention it because of the kids. Go to the Ariege instead and you'll have similar stunning scenery, and a MUCH better chance of sunshine

J

In reply to Bluebird:

Hi,

I've been to the PdeE four times -three walking trips and last year family camping.

Our family base was Potes (South East corner) Nice little town. As JJL said, it does rain often. I have been storm bound high up, baked in the sun and pelted with hail in the summer months.

Potes has good facilities (shops, restaurants etc) we camped so can't speak for Gites -campsite had a pool, bar etc though. Fuente De is definitely worth the money.

One thing to beware of though is the misleading distances on roads. Potes isn't that far from the coast but to get across the range N-S takes AGES because the road is so very twisty!


Jay

In reply to lordyosch:

We went for the first time last year in September with Paddy Cave and a local friend of his, Simon Loughlin. We ticked some impressive climbs....

We stayed in Potes and in a gite which was very nice. We also drove to the beach on the last day.

It only rained once!So i guess we were lucky.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127905765@N08/sets/72157649280452771/

Thanks

Avi

In reply to Bluebird:

We went in July about 10 years ago - it was hot (not really a surprise) and shockingly busy. Spanish summer holidays - campsites full and lots of queueing (1hr+ some mornings for the cable-car), plus lots of late night noise. We stuck it for 10 days then headed for the French Pyrenees,


Chris

In reply to Bluebird:

We did 4 days walking in May/June 2014

We flew to Santander, & stayed in Tielve, which is a little village in the North of the Picos national park:
http://www.toprural.com/Casa-rural-alquiler-%C3%ADntegro/El-Collad%C3%ADn_2...

The nearest big town was Arenas de Cabrales, which has supermarkets & stuff. If you were based in or near Arenas, it wouldn't take long to drive into the park.

We had two guidebooks, but they didn't help very much.

The park has a website with the walking routes:
http://www.magrama.gob.es/es/red-parques-nacionales/nuestros-parques/picos-...

There's a board with the routemap, & distance/time at the start of most of the walks. The times are for a fit party with no stops to gawp at the amazing scenery, take photos every 100m, bath your feet in the amazingly blue water of the River Cares, etc (I'm sure you get the idea - realistically add 25%)

The 'official' paths are pretty much the only viable routes without climbing gear. They take sometimes improbable lines through bands of limestone cliffs. They're reasonably well signposted, but you will need the 1:25k Adrados map.

Ruta De Cares was the highlight of the trip. If you do it, take care to locate the path that heads up & off to the right almost before you've left the carpark, don't follow the one down by the river (it comes to a dead end after about 2 miles... as we found out).

You can walk up to the Urrieles hut & back down in a day if you start from the Col between Sotres & Bulnes (drive up the off-road track from Sotres till you run out of track & just can't go no further). Or you could do an overnight in the Urrieles hut starting from Poncebos bridge (via Bulnes).

Other people we spoke to had done the Lagos de Covadonga walk, & recommended it.

We only visited a small corner, & I'd definitely go back, so I'm sure you'll enjoy yourself!

In reply to Bluebird:

We did 4 days walking in May/June 2014

We flew to Santander, & stayed in Tielve, which is a little village in the North of the Picos national park:
http://www.toprural.com/Casa-rural-alquiler-%C3%ADntegro/El-Collad%C3%ADn_2...

The nearest big town was Arenas de Cabrales, which has supermarkets & stuff. If you were based in or near Arenas, it wouldn't take long to drive into the park.

We had two guidebooks, but they didn't help very much.

The park has a website with the walking routes:
http://www.magrama.gob.es/es/red-parques-nacionales/nuestros-parques/picos-...

There's a board with the routemap, & distance/time at the start of most of the walks. The times are for a fit party with no stops to gawp at the amazing scenery, take photos every 100m, bath your feet in the amazingly blue water of the River Cares, etc (I'm sure you get the idea - realistically add 25%)

The 'official' paths are pretty much the only viable routes without climbing gear. They take sometimes improbable lines through bands of limestone cliffs. They're reasonably well signposted, but you will need the 1:25k Adrados map.

Ruta De Cares was the highlight of the trip. If you do it, take care to locate the path that heads up & off to the right almost before you've left the carpark, don't follow the one down by the river (it comes to a dead end after about 2 miles... as we found out).

You can walk up to the Urrieles hut & back down in a day if you start from the Col between Sotres & Bulnes (drive up the off-road track from Sotres till you run out of track & just can't go no further). Or you could do an overnight in the Urrieles hut starting from Poncebos bridge (via Bulnes).

Other people we spoke to had done the Lagos de Covadonga walk, & recommended it.

We only visited a small corner, & I'd definitely go back, so I'm sure you'll enjoy yourself!

In reply to Bluebird:

I've neen a few times. I'll only echo the comment that have already been made. The roads!!

Its not necessarily that the odd one or two are bad. They are exceedingly twisty and getting just a few miles takes ages. And ages. And ages!!