Autumn in Ucieda

A selection of photos from the woods around Ucieda in central Cantabria.

After the unusually high temperatures and lack of rainfall here over recent weeks it was noticeable how the flora has been affected, with lots more green leaves on the trees than is normal almost a fortnight into November. Oaks would usually have lost most of their leaves by now :

and most beech trees would be looking like this one:

but from what I saw they were in a minority - still very beautiful though:

The path occasionally came into the open making its way between bracken and gorse

The previous weekend it had rained heavily, which meant that the many streams I had to cross were looking very healthy

In the centre of the photo you can see the path I took to come out of the wood

A fallen oak tree

and from the other side

Can you see Monty waiting for me while I took this picture?

This walk is called the "route of the bridges" because of the many streams you have to cross

After an hour and a half or so I decided to leave the path I was following and take in the views from the higher ground

The steep incline took me to the Cotero Pandiuco, just opposite Turdías. I decided to walk along the grazing land, with the Sierra de Peña Sagra (which I went to on my last walk) in the distance

Luckily the sun came out - it felt so good to be here

When I got to a place called Alto de Piedrafiesta, according to my map, I turned back - not before taking another shot of Peña Sagra

The clouds were hugging the hilltops towards the north

On the way down into the woods again these oaks caught my attention

Not far from the path was this strange hut

More photos of trees that took my fancy

Out into the open again and a chance to see where I'd come from

By now afternoon was turning to evening

This is the last photo I took with enough light