UKC

Hi 

We are travelling from New Zealand in mid June and have booked refugios to complete a 6 day Hiking circuit around the western and central massifs in Picos re Europa. We start from Poncebos and travel anticlockwise to Refugio Vega de Ario night 1, Vegarredonda night 2, Vegabano night 3, Collado Jermoso night 4 and Vega de Urriellu night 5.  

Has anyone done this trip and can you answer the following questions...

- what is the difficulty? the western range is medium and central,difficult  on the park website but does this mean scrambling or hard scrambling? Does it require ropes, crampons or ice axe?

- What is best way to navigate here? Is it well marked and signed? 

any other advice is appreciated 

Should you not have checked this all out before booking the rifugios?

Hi there - we did read about it and it looked fine but we have had conflicting reports so we thought we'd see if some of you in the UK have done this recently and can reassure us its managable.

thanks 

I can't comment on your whole itinerary but I have done one section you're planning to do 

Similar to your day 4-5 from Collado Jermoso to Vega de Urriellu.

We set off from Fuente Dé and took the cable car up onto the plateau, the path then I think picks up close where you would join from Collado Jermoso and heads up and over to Vega de Urriellu.

In terms of distance I think this would be a perfect moderate stage for a multi day walk. We got to Vega de Urriellu for a late lunch and would have been a lovely place to stop. Instead we powered on down to Bulnes which was doable but too far to be enjoyable and turned into a bit of sufferfest, I had such bad DOMS the following day I could barely get going! 

The paths for the most part are very easy to follow, think an unmissable superhighway of scree tramped down into a clear path with cairns and little daubs of paint. The daubs of paint have the route number written in them so like "781". However, you definitely would still need a map and compass just to make sure you're picking up the right junctions but once you know you're on the right path you could enjoy the hiking with just the odd glance at map. We went very end september and about lunchtime got caught by very poor visibility in the first snow flurry of the year and had to using pacing and micro-nav to find the Vega de Urriellu. It's definitely some of the most serious navigation ive done. That said in June you are unlikely to have any snow storm issues. But as always, if you expect the best and prepare of the worst you'll be well set. 

There are hiking paths which are marked 'hard' some of these have a few very short scrambling sections but some are totally unremarkable and not all 'hard' paths are equal. On the way down to Bulnes we met 3 guys heading up to Vega de Urriellu, all in their 70's and one guy was blind. Absolutely still loving it. There was one section of the path down to Vega Urriellu (down the back of horcados rojos) which felt sketchy, but it's hard to make a comparison with summer as when we went it was covered in a couple cm of snow so felt very insecure, in summer might be a total jaunt. There were certainly no technical difficulties, maybe just about qualifying as very easy scrambling but it was very exposed and if you did some trip and stumble you could fall fatally. You'd want a head for heights but definitely no where to use a rope or technical equipment. 

Got me reminiscing about one of my most treasured holiday memories, i think you'll have a blast!

(Definitely would recommend a set of walking poles) 

Thank you very much for coming back with your experience. That is really helpful and your description of what it was like for you is just great. I must admit it's what we had thought it would be like but good to hear.

We'll also take your advice re poles and I'll get a set to match Chrissie's.

Thanks again 

cheers Dave

Not in June but we hiked in August, the main issue was the heat not snow! The upper parts are fairly barren with little shade or surface water available.  I just looked at a website on the climate for the Picos, the temps specified must be in the shade! We bailed on a hike as it was so hot.

...and in June at 'bare rock' altitude you'll get badly sunburnt if you're not careful. Snow blindness is also a possibility, my ex had that in the Dolomites from the sun reflecting off late snow and light-coloured rock.

I have been in June and there was quite a bit of snow still high up. No problem walking from Fuente de to Caban Veronica but you were crossing snowfields but well tracked. However the descent from Caban Veronica to the Naranja or Uriellia would have been very interesting without ropes as there is one cabled section which was completely snowed up. I’ve been down that way in August and with no snow it’s just an easy scramble, in the June we were there, there would have been no chance without equipment (axes and crampons)- the warden at Veronica was busy shouting at various people who intended to do it but backed off - he still shouted anyway!

I’m not sure if your route goes that way but if it does you might find it a no go unless you are equipped for very steep ice/snow, walking poles would be an absolute minimum. Fantastic place and I’m sure you’ll have a great time. With global warming any snow may well be long gone by June, we were there about 20 years ago.

It's been over a decade since I've been to Picos, so disclaimer that i don't have up to date info (or the freshest memory)

The western range should be a lot quieter than the central one. I haven't done the exact route you describe. My memory of hikes in Picos is of paths that range from the v easy to follow to those where map & compass (or gps) is very helpful to have, and essential with low visibility. 

Usually central will have more trodden paths/more people.

Terrain is typical steep mountain. You shouldn't need a rope. Whether crampons needed would depend on the year. Usually by June you should be fine without, but no guarantees (I would personally go with approach shoes and no crampons and would change my route if needed due to conditions). 

Have fun, gorgeous mountains!

I have friends who have a place above Potes the east of Picos. Been a couple of times in the autumn. Terrific walking. Did Pico San Carlos and de Samalar last October. No water on the tops!

thanks for that - will ensure we have plenty of water 

yes cheers - thank you 

interesting - thats good to know - we will be taking walking poles and crampons.

The whole park looks amazing and we feel lucky to be able to go there 

Great info - thank you for that. I think we'll have crampons but have thought about route changes as mountains can be unpredictable.

We'll have GPS and hopefully will get a detailed map when in the area.

thanks for this - It does look terrific.  will take pleanty of water 

cheers

This made me chuckle. Growing up in Spain, my experience of mountains was that there would not usually be water on the tops. My first experiences walking in the UK were in Scotland. Why oh why was there so much water on the tops? The bogs at the bottom i could understand. But on the hillside? And on the tops?! Hadn't gravity been invented by Newton on these very shores? Why didn't all that water flow down?

To get back on topic: yup, it can be pretty dry up top in Picos in summer. All limestone and a lot of scree makes for good drainage and no bogs. In June there should still be water sources around to fill up from, but many dry through the summer. Water and walking poles both good advice as others have said.  

Thanks very much Juan. We will heed your advice given thats for sure. Have you done any of the sections of our planned trip and if you have what was your experience? 

I have, but most as day hikes from a hut, rather than hut to hut circuits. 

It is stunning with good weather, and navigation is easier. You can often get fog, which makes navigation much harder. I use gps tracks on a mapping app. You can download tracks for all these routes from free from Wikiloc.

The rock is very sharp limestone. You'll leave a bit of your shoes behind...

Some sections are scrambly. If you've got time and like scrambles, you've got optional peaks along the route. Again see wikiloc for gps tracks.

The scree sections are hard going and care is needed, specially on the downhill. Poles really help.

It's wonderfully different, in just one stage. From pastures with cows and forested areas to alpine rocky barren areas. The huts can be more basic than in the Alps.

I've never been to New Zealand so can't compare. Route finding is harder than in most hut to huts in the Alps I've done.

One of my favourite parts was Vega Huerta underneath the Peña Santa de Castilla face (which I'd love to climb one day)

Have fun!

Thats super helpful Juan. Thank you very much. 

We found the huts in the alps very plush. In New Zealand they are generally really basic and you do all your own cooking except for guided walks so I'm sure we will be very happy with the Spanish ones.

Thanks again - kind regards