Natural Covadonga: the Picos de Europa and Spain’s first national park

The gateway to the Royal Site of Covadonga and the Picos de Europa National Park, the Repelao area, with its monumental entrance columns, its regal obelisk, its old railway station, its bridge and its atmosphere, tells us that we are in the presence of a significant historical site which also opens out onto a natural landscape of overwhelming beauty.

Just one and a half kilometres from the Basilica of Covadonga, El Repelao owes its name to Pelayo, as it is said to be the place where he was proclaimed king; and precisely as a symbol of this event, there stands an obelisk bearing the image of the Cross of Victory (the cross which, according to tradition, Pelayo raised at the Battle of Covadonga; this forms the body of the Cross of Victory, beautifully encrusted with jewels, and is now preserved in the Holy Chamber of the Cathedral of El Salvador in Oviedo).

The Parque del Príncipe is a true haven of peace right at the foot of the Holy Cave and the Basilica. This Garden of Eden boasts the lush vegetation typical of the Atlantic forest. What’s more, as if it were a scene from a fairy tale, it is criss-crossed by the River Covadonga, and on a peaceful stroll you’ll come across beautiful bridges, fountains and waterfalls of spectacular beauty – such as the one just below the cliff face of the Basilica – and a number of buildings of great architectural value, such as the old Pilgrims’ Inn.

The Parque del Príncipe is a delightful green oasis in the heart of Cuadonga/Covadonga, perfect for walking, relaxing or taking photographs.

On the road leading up to the Lakes, just a few metres from the start of this famous mountain climb, on the left-hand side, lies the viewpoint known as the Mirador de los Canónigos. The Mirador de los Canónigos takes its name from the fact that, in days gone by, it was one of the favourite vantage points of the canons of Cuadonga/Covadonga, where they could quietly contemplate the Sanctuary and enjoy a moment of rest and conversation amidst such lush and beautiful scenery.

Nowadays, the viewpoint is also one of the favourite spots for tourists and pilgrims to enjoy a different perspective of the Royal Site, appreciating the beauty of nature, whilst taking a breather on the climb up to the Lakes of Covadonga.

The Cross of Priena, also known as the Cross of Pelayo, is another of the symbols closely associated with Cuadonga/Covadonga. Situated at the summit of Picu Priena, a hill in the foothills of the Picos de Europa, it is clearly visible from Cuadonga/Covadonga.

Furthermore, the climb up to the cross is a wonderful hike offering splendid and unusual views of the whole of Cuadonga/Covadonga, as well as the Picos de Europa and other iconic mountains such as the Sueve, and even the Cantabrian Sea itself. It is undoubtedly one of the most comprehensive and beautiful vantage points from which to enjoy the natural wonder that is Cuadonga/Covadonga and the Picos de Europa.

Pedro Pidal was born into a family of the Asturian aristocracy and enjoyed the greatest comforts and the finest education that his privileged social position could afford him. From a young age, his long summers in Asturias turned him into a great sportsman — an Olympic medallist —, and a true nature lover, who explored the Asturian mountains—especially the Picos de Europa—inch by inch, to the extent that he is now regarded by many as Spain’s first mountaineer and one of the greatest promoters of mountaineering in our country.

He was a man capable of channelling his interests into politics, where he held positions of great responsibility at national level. A Member of Parliament from the age of twenty-six and later a life senator, his rhetorical skill and his unorthodox approach to parliamentary proceedings earned him the nickname ‘the Arniches of Parliament’.

Above all, he was deeply in love with Asturias; so much so that the profound affection he felt for Asturian nature led him to request that, upon his death in 1941, his remains be laid to rest at the Mirador de Ordiales, in the heart of the Picos de Europa.

As a life senator, Pedro Pidal was able to pursue his most passionate cause: the protection of nature and the implementation of legal measures leading to the creation of national parks in Spain, based on the American model. This explains why his first speech in the Senate in 1915 already set out the broad outlines of what would become his bill.

He presented this proposal for the creation of the legal status of National Parks in December of that year, and defended it in the months that followed:“A castle, a tower, a temple is declared a National Monument to save it from destruction. Why should there not be sanctuaries for Nature?” These efforts bore fruit with the enactment, in late 1916, of the National Parks Act, which many at the time wished to rename the ‘Pidal Act’.

And, as the first place where the Act was to be implemented, Pidal himself—a staunch Asturian, advocate of Asturian culture and devotee of Covadonga—sought to ensure that the Picos de Europa would be the first example of this new form of nature conservation. Thus, on 22 July 1918, the Montaña de Covadonga National Park was established (the first in Spain and one of the first in Europe), and was inaugurated by Alfonso XIII during his visit to Covadonga in September of that year, covering the territory of the Western Massif of the Picos de Europa, mostly in Asturias although part of its area lies in the neighbouring province of León.

The Covadonga Mountain National Park, established in 1918, remained virtually unchanged for almost eighty years. However, in 1995 it was dissolved to make way for a new, expanded boundary – though retaining the same classification – which encompasses the three massifs of the Picos de Europa, as well as significant woodland areas on the northern slopes of the Cantabrian Mountains.

This is the Picos de Europa National Park, the current name for this area, which has also been designated a Biosphere Reserve, and which incorporates into the traditional protected status a larger area of Asturias and León, and the newly incorporated territory of Cantabria, bringing its current total area to 67,455 ha.

The best way to enjoy the Picos de Europa National Park and its surroundings is to plan your visit in advance, allowing yourself plenty of time. To make your visit truly unforgettable, the Visitor Centres and Information Points set up by the National Park are very useful, including, amongst others, the ‘Pedro Pidal’ Visitor Reception Centre, situated at the foot of the old Buferrera mines and just a few metres from the lakes of La Ercina and Enol.

Furthermore, there is nothing quite like taking in the spectacular landscape of the Picos from viewpoints (more than twenty are scattered throughout the National Park and its surroundings), which offer dreamlike views, such as the Ordiales viewpoint overlooking the Angón valley or the Camarmeña viewpoint above Poncebos with views of Picu Urriellu, as well as the ‘Rey’ viewpoint, which reveals the magical beech forest of Pome, or the ‘Reina’ viewpoint, which offers views of countless valleys and mountains overlooking the Cantabrian Sea, and also the many birds that soar through these skies.

Like any historic site, the Picos de Europa National Park is steeped in the memories of the people who shaped its origins and development. As well as some very well-known figures such as Pedro Pidal, Gregorio Pérez ‘El Cainejo’ and Roberto Frassinelli, we can also mention mountaineers such as the Count of Saint Saud and José Ramón Lueje; researchers such as the geologists Casiano de Prado, Hugo Obermaier and Guillermo Schulz; and important authors and writers who have successfully showcased the beauty of this landscape, such as Guillermo Muñoz Goyanes, Joaquín Fernández Sánchez and Guillermo Mañana. They represent a remarkable, albeit small, selection of the men and women who shaped the history and untold stories of a natural landscape that is unique in the world.

Pedro Pidal was an expert and passionate mountaineer who explored much of what is now the Picos de Europa National Park on numerous occasions. It is therefore no surprise that he is credited with writing the first great chapter in the history of Spanish mountaineering: the ascent in the summer of 1904 of the Naranjo de Bulnes, or Picu Urriellu, via its north face, accompanied by a local shepherd named Gregorio Pérez, also known as ‘El Cainejo’, whom Pidal himself would later appoint as head gamekeeper of the Coto Real de los Picos de Europa. Together, they achieved one of the most fascinating feats of human resilience, particularly given that Picu Urriellu was the last major European peak to be conquered.

The Picos de Europa are well known in the world of sport thanks to their frequent inclusion as a stage finish in the Vuelta a España since the 1983 edition. It is a gruelling climb set against an unrivalled natural backdrop which, over the years, has become the most iconic climb of the Spanish tour. A stage which, due to its difficulty and beauty, never disappoints and has seen the Lakes of Covadonga bear witness to great feats in national and international cycling, making them a truly familiar setting for millions of sports and nature enthusiasts.

In the central massif of the Picos de Europa, at the foot of the Cuetos del Trave, in the municipality of Cabrales, lies an underground system comprising three interconnected chasms which, at a depth of 1,661 metres, makes it the second-deepest chasm in Spain. Discovered in 1982, it contains several underground watercourses and is an ideal setting for caving and scientific research. It has been designated a Natural Monument since 2005. Indeed, the rugged, limestone subsoil of the Picos de Europa, with its countless other chasms, makes this area a perfect testing ground for sport, training and research into the natural environment. The Picos de Europa, due to the abundance, depth and characteristics of its chasms and underground systems, are the true Himalayas of the ‘less-than-a-thousand-metre peaks’ (the equivalent of an ‘eight-thousander’ but into the depths of the earth).

Until a few decades ago, life in the Picos de Europa region was largely characterised by farming and livestock rearing, and by short-distance transhumance involving a constant, seasonal movement between the valley and the mountain pass. Depending on the time of year and the demands of production, families would live in the mountain passes in summer, tending their livestock, and in the sheltered villages in the valley in winter.

It was a life that unfolded between the bucolic and the necessities of survival, between imagination and duty, between tranquillity and the hustle and bustle of daily labour. Kilometres travelled through valleys and mountains in search of the livestock, hours spent making cheese in the huts and sheepfolds. Devotion and duty went hand in hand for centuries upon centuries, and still do, in the beautiful landscapes of the Picos, where one can get a sense of the increasingly rare pastoral way of life, and where time seems to have stood still, as if in an eternal dream.

The sound of the ‘lloqueros’ (bells) on the livestock echoes like a concert through the open valleys and sets the peaks of the Picos de Europa to music. Centuries of knowledge are encapsulated in every cheese and every hut, and in every gesture of gratitude towards nature.

In 1994, the then Prince of Asturias Foundation – now the Princess of Asturias Foundation – recognised the importance of the community living in this natural area, awarding the Exemplary Village of Asturias Prize to the ‘Shepherds of the Picos de Europa’. The jury recognised them at the time as a community that both inherits and passes on a centuries-old tradition – namely, seasonal shepherding in the sheepfolds and high-altitude pastures – with significant values and a distinct identity, governing bodies and ways of life characterised by a strong sense of solidarity and the voluntary preservation of traditional ways of life that have fostered a respectful symbiosis with the natural environment from which they derive their livelihood.

The shepherds of the Picos de Europa remain today – even though they are a numerically smaller group than in 1994 – a community distinguished by its values of coexistence and its unconditional love for an environment that has allowed generations upon generations of people to survive in a sometimes hostile natural setting, passing on a culture and way of life that is unique on the planet.

The pastoral culture of the Picos de Europa also constitutes an intangible heritage of great value, which must be preserved.

The traditional way of life in this region meant that shepherds had to spend long periods in the mountain pastures, so making use of the milk from their livestock was one of their main activities for both production and survival. Consequently, the Picos de Europa region is home to the largest concentration of artisanal cheeses in Asturias, such as Gamonéu del Puertu and del Valle, produced in the sheepfolds of Cangas and Onís, Cabrales, and Beyos cheese, all characterised by excellence both in their production and in their versatility in the kitchen, featuring in dozens of traditional recipes. Similarly, on the Cantabrian and Leonese sides of the National Park, cheeses of unique variety and quality are produced.

The artisan cheeses of the Picos de Europa enjoy a well-deserved and widely recognised reputation across half the world and form part of the great cultural legacy – both tangible and intangible – passed down since time immemorial by this unique community. Creations such as Gamonéu and Cabrales form part of the world’s gastronomic heritage.

Other tasty and healthy examples of making the most of this natural environment include the harvesting of honey or raw materials for herbal teas, such as rock tea, chamomile or wild lime blossom. Nor should we forget orujo or cider, great and characteristic products of Asturian culture.