Picos de Europa, Caín - Sotres, Spain
May 30-31See photos below
Day 3: When we woke up to the beautiful mountain peeking through our skylight, we didn’t know it yet, but today we would be slogging a bit more than we pictured. After an overpriced and undernourishing breakfast of bread and cheese in town, we started the hike back to Poncebos to take off from the trailhead for the day ahead. It happened to be directly next to where we started from the day prior. This route would take us through Bulnes, a tiny mountain town, on the way to our final destination for the evening; Sotres.
Getting an early start for a long day of hiking is always recommended, and this morning was no exception. This is done to avoid excessive midday heat and direct sun, as well as arriving at your destination before dark. We knew we made the right decision as we topped out a difficult section as the temperature started, seemingly, increasing a degree a minute. Either way, we were determined and excited to be on the gorgeous trail that hugged the steep side of a vertical valley. Near Bulnes, a mature-looking billy goat was perched majestically on a rock looking out over the canyon, stealing glances back at the various hikers that passed him, us included.
Upon entering the town, I was overcome with a sense of calm. The small cobblestone street led up a hill to a few other paths with a few restaurants and homes straddling the sides. It was such a peaceful atmosphere in the middle of the mountains. Taking a moment to reflect on the journey put into perspective how amazing that moment was and how lucky I am to have the privilege of this once in a lifetime experience. We didn’t stay for too long though, just enough time to scarf down a lopsided PB&J. With quite a lot of ground still to cover, we didn’t want to risk being caught on the trail after dark. With that we continued the uphill march, now entering a much different terrain than we had seen anywhere else. The trail was quite steep and meandered through, what looked like, a small jungle which (positively) shaded the path but (negatively) accumulated lots of mud. This made for much slower progress in the dense landscape. Not long into this arduous incline, an army of dark clouds began to roll over the mountains and suffocate the sky. Luckily we were protected by the forest cover, but once we peaked beyond the tree line, we were completely exposed to the elements.
Although the sky looked treacherous, we still enjoyed the stunning surroundings that we had stumbled into. A small, ancient, dilapidated, farmhouse stood off to our right surrounded by grazing cows. The faint clanging of cowbells being carried to our ears through the valley stood between us and the massive peaks that lay beyond. The landscape was, to put it simply, immaculate. The clouds covering the peaks made for an evermore awe-inspiring spectacle. The trail guided us past small houses and villages whose time had come and gone, with only the deserted structures to show for the lives that were once occupying the space we were moving through. This gentle and hilly section of trail was quite different than the jungle-like uphill trudge that we completed not long before. I was loving it, even as a faint rain began to fall.
This part of the trail continued for a few miles, leading us to a small herd of cows basking in the grass. Near where they were lying was a crest that looked down into an extension of the valley we were hiking parallel to. We made our way down the hill and suddenly came across three wild donkeys walking straight at us. As they strolled up to and then past us, the rain really started to come down. We hurriedly threw on our rain jackets and continued on towards the mountain town, which we could barely make out against the rain-choked horizon. Eventually, we got to a point where we had a clear view of our destination, which was both a relief and a slap in the face because we then had to hike down into the valley and back up the mountain that separated us from the town.
Our legs did not enjoy the steep downhill, and weren’t too fond of the subsequent uphill either, but we finally, after eighteen miles, arrived in the town of Sotres. It was one of the most beautiful settings I have ever found myself in. The sweeping mountain views made for a dramatic backdrop to this small village/town perched on the top of a mountain. Small family-run shops, bars, and hotels lined the small cobblestone streets. Our hotel for the night was just ahead which was a welcome sight. We checked in, seemingly the only people in the twelve room hotel, headed straight up to the room and plopped on the bed. Before a much needed shower, we admired the insane view from our balcony. After an extremely long day, there was no place I would have rather been than exactly where I was.
It felt amazing to wash the day off. After catching up with friends and resting for a bit, we wandered to the “lobby” of our hotel and ordered a tall, crisp beer to enjoy on the patio. We talked about the day we had just had. How sore our feet, calves, quads, and hammies were. How great it felt to start and finish that long hike. How thankful we were for every second of the adventure we were enjoying. How good the beer was. After said beer, we set out to walk, gingerly, around the beautiful town of Sotres. Just down the street we scouted out the restaurant we would eat at. Turning left, we walked up a winding hill between houses and a few first floor businesses. A higher vantage point of the small town really put into perspective how small of a blip it was in comparison to the vast mountain range in which it resides. After a few minutes of admiration, we walked down to the main bar right off the street where some British motorcycle fellows and a Scottish hiker were enjoying a pint. We chatted with them for a few minutes about their plans as well as ours, and our idea for how to get out of the park and to a bus the next day. After some laughs we made our way to the restaurant to replenish what we had depleted. Nothing sounded better than a burger and another beer, so that’s what ended up in front of me a few minutes later. My oh my was that Spanish Mountain Burger a godsend, and one of the best burgers I have ever had. I contemplated ordering another one, but wisely decided against it. After a short walk back to the hotel, it was time to hit the hay and rest for another long day ahead. We would, somewhat unknowingly, be hiking about the same distance. Before sleep completely consumed me, I made sure to capture the blue hour that enveloped the sky, showing the town in a different light than before. It truly was a sight to behold.
