This walk begins at Alto de la Farrapona at the the very top of Valle de Saliencia among the high heather and broom. The drive to the starting point is breathtaking. Today we walk our way back to La Pinietsa in Valle de Lago, our longest walk of the week. The first stretch takes us down to Lago de Cueava, a beautiful lake and  site of  an iron ore mine now removed. The steep slopes running down to the lake on three sides offer grazing to thousands of sheep who walk across Spain to get here every year in the migration known as the”transhumancia”

The path beyond the lake takes us upwards through rocky territory, (stained red by the presence of iron), to the spectacular green plains that continue for several kilometres across the mountain top. These mountain pastures form a corridor enclosed by cliffs that echo with the sounds of cowbells and the call of birds. Herds of chamois can be seen grazing the slopes either side of the vegas. There is often a lot of signs of wolves up here. The feeling of being in such a vast, tranquil landscape is expansive. The wild orchids are lovely in the early summer. We walk the whole length of the plain until we break the ridge above Valle de Lago. The views of the valley, both up to the lake and down towards the village are extraordinary. We head down towards the lake for a while then beyond the scree we cut back down the side of the mountains and take the path that keeps us up above the valley floor most of the way back to L’Auteiro and home.

Magical moment above Valle de Lago