When Carmen and I moved to Cantabria in '95 we did the "Saja Reserve Walk" covering 90 km in four beautiful September days, crossing from the centre to the west of the province. Well not four actually, but three beautiful days, because the other one it rained and the mist prevented us from walking up the hills from La Lastra to Polaciones. Luckily, that was also the only day there was a road providing an alternative way for us to get to our destination.
I'd always meant to explore that "missing link" in the Walk - called the "Camino del Potro", or Colt's Way - and last weekend I used it on my way up to the Pico de las Astillas.
The first part is a gentle ascent up through an oak forest called Monte de Ruistromeo
The Cohilla reservoir lies below the path, with Cueto la Jaya on the other side
Low-lying cloud meant it wasn't a day for good views - here the summit of Cueto Jelgueras opposite became visible for a moment
Just after the Mirador del Potro I decided to head up the steep hillside through gorse and broom
to the top of Las Astillas
Once at the top, there were no views of Cueto Cucón, immediately to the west, as it was enveloped in cloud; happily, there was something to see to the N-W
The coastline away to the north:
The reservoir below Cueto la Jaya
Pico las Astillas from the nearby hilltop of Hazas
From the col at the base of las Astillas I discovered there was a track that led down to the Camino del Potro, which would have saved me a steep climb earlier on had I bothered to look at a map. Still, it's always good to go back via a different route - here looking back up towards Las Astillas (and Hazas on the right)
The Polaciones valley
Looking towards Piedrasluengas - the border between Cantabria and Castille
From the col at the base of las Astillas I discovered there was a track that led down to the Camino del Potro, which would have saved me a steep climb earlier on had I bothered to look at a map. Still, it's always good to go back via a different route - here looking back up towards Las Astillas (and Hazas on the right)
The Polaciones valley
Looking towards Piedrasluengas - the border between Cantabria and Castille
A couple of photos taken on the way down:
Las Astillas on the left, the Mirador del Potro on the right
Jelgueras and Cuetu Concilla behind it still finding it hard to shake off the clouds
And so back to the car - a first outing with Carmen's camera.
Las Astillas on the left, the Mirador del Potro on the right
Jelgueras and Cuetu Concilla behind it still finding it hard to shake off the clouds
And so back to the car - a first outing with Carmen's camera.
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