Full Description
The go-to Picos de Europa travel guide for discovering the best walks and car tours.
Strap on your boots and discover Picos de Europa on foot with the Sunflower Picos de Europa travel guide. And on the days when your feet may have had enough, enjoy some spectacular scenery on our recommended car tour.
The Sunflower Picos de Europa guide is indispensable for hiking in Picos de Europa or seeing Picos de Europa by car. The Picos de Europa, one of Europe's last mountain wilderness areas, are the high point of a long ridge of mountains which runs along the north coast of Spain, the Cordillera Cantabrica. Rising to 2648m, about 8700ft, the Picos are divided into three spectacular limestone massifs separated from one another, and from the surrounding ranges, by precipitous gorges - a truly spectacular area in which to walk or tour.
Inside the Sunflower Picos de Europa guide book you ll find:
26 long and short walks for all ages and abilities - each walk is graded so you can easily match your ability to the level of walk
Topographical walking maps - give you a clear sense of the surrounding terrain with a scale of 1:50 000
Free downloadable gps tracks - for the techies
Satnav guidance to walk starts for motorists
1 car tour and fold-out touring map - for easy reference on your tour
Strolls to idyllic picnic spots - enjoy our recommendations for where to picnic along the way
Timetables for public transport - ideal if you want to link two walks or avoid hiring a car on your holiday
Online update service for the latest information
Covers the entire range (all three massifs): Urrieles (central Picos), Cornion (western Picos), and Andara (eastern Picos)
It contains a wealth of information about the dazzling array of plant and animal life you can expect to see when exploring the range. The author, an all-round naturalist, has been living and guiding walking tours in the Picos de Europa for almost 30 years. Together with Mike Lockwood, she has also written Sunflower's guide to the Costa Brava. Whatever your age or ability we ve got some glorious walks and a fascinating car tour to ensure you have a memorable holiday in Picos de Europa. Whether you tour the region by car or explore on foot, we look forward to showing you around.
Contents
Preface 5
Authors' note 7
Acknowledgements 8
Recommended books 8
Getting there and getting about 9
Picnic suggestions 11
A country code for walkers and motorists 14
TOURING
Car tour 1: THE VINHO VERDE CIRCUIT 24
Car tour 2: HISTORICAL PURSUITS 29
Car tour 3: PENEDA-GERÊS NATIONAL PARK AND SIERRA DE XURÉS NATURAL PARK 35
Wine tour: PORTO AND THE RIVER DOURO 46
Plan of Porto (Ribeira) 48
Useful contacts 49
WALKING
Guides, waymarks, maps 51
What to take 51
Where to stay 52
Weather 53
Things that bite or sting 53
Portuguese for walkers 54
Organisation of the walks 56
THE WALKS
1 Serra de Arga (Montaria · Alto das Cocanhas · Pedrulhos · Montaria) 58
2 Serra de Arga (Arga de Baixo · Porta do Lobo · Arga de Cima · Arga de Baixo) 64
3 São Miguel · Sobredo · Germil · Froufe · São Miguel 74
4 Ermida · Bilhares · Ermida 80
5 Brufe · Cutelo · Carvalhinha · Cutelo · Cortinhas · Brufe 86
6 Brufe · Casarotas · Chã do Salgueiral · Marco de Anta · Cortinhas · Brufe 92
7 Branda de Travanca · Currais Velhos · Lage Negra · Bicos · Branda de Travanca 96
8 Bouças Donas · Branda de Bostejões · Vitoreira · Bostelinhos · Bouças Donas 101
9 Soajo · Branda da Bordença · Adrão · Bogalheira · Rio Adrão · Soajo 107
10 Soajo · Trapela · Murça · Soajo 114
11 Vilar - Avelar circuit 118
12 Circuit of Penameda from Nossa Senhora da Peneda 123
Bus timetables 126
Town plans 128
Ponte de Lima ·Ponte da Barca · Arcos de Valdevez · Viana do Castelo · Braga
Index 134
Fold-out map inside back cover
