OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
AND ADVENTURE SPORTS
Cycling, climbing, via ferratas, canyoning, canoeing… All adventure sports available to you in stunning surroundings.
MOUNTAIN BIKES
In the National Park, bikes are only allowed on tracks for 4×4 vehicles. However, there are other routes outside the Park for you to enjoy mountain biking.
S-cape Travel Turismo Activo
33554 Arenas de Cabrales (ASTURIAS).
676 293 945 / 669 063 506
Bike rental, repair service, cycling shop, and information on routes.
SOME OF THE CLASSIC ROUTES
A few companies offer the possibility of hiring bikes and doing routes with guides.
RELATED PACKAGES
CLIMBING ROUTES
The climbing routes in the Picos are countless, but here’s a selection of the most interesting rock-climbing ones, either because of their characteristics, rock quality, interest of the route, or beauty of the setting. You will not be disappointed by any of them.
The National Park Administration can temporarily close climbing routes for environmental reasons (generally bird breeding seasons). In such cases, you will find notices at the sites and park wardens will be monitoring the area.
OUTSTANDING VIAS
CLIMB SOUTH FACE OF THE NARANJO DE BULNES
Verticality, emotion and adventure.Climb the symbol of mountaineering in Spain.
A unique experience in an alpine environment.
VIA FERRATAS
A via ferrata is a vertical or horizontal itinerary equipped with different material (bolts, metal rung steps, holds, hand lines, chains, hanging bridges, and cable walkways) that allows walkers and non-climbers to access difficult areas safely. Security is provided by a steel rope installed the length of the via ferrata that you are secured to, using carabiners connected to energy dissipating lanyards attached to the safety harness worn.
LA HERMIDA GORGE
La Hermida, Peñarrubia (CANTABRIA)
La Hermida, Peñarrubia (CANTABRIA): These via ferratas have an 800-m elevation change, and are almost 6 km long. They follow a trail that shepherds used to take goats from the low areas of the gorge to Cueva Ciloña. There are four vias, and can be done individually or altogether. There is a 45-m Tibetan bridge and the longest wooden hanging footbridge in a via ferrata in Spain (90 m long and more than 100 m high). The descent is made following a trail that goes through a holm oak forest until arriving to the starting point again, the Hermida Gorge. The access is free of charge, but material and the services of a guide can be hired nearby.
LOS BEYOS GORGE
Puente Vidosa, Ponga (ASTURIAS)
The Vidosa Multiadventure Park has seven via ferratas, seven zip-lines, four different Tibetan bridges, a climbing wall, abseils, and areas to practice climbing.
To access the via ferratas, you must pay 6€ to enter the Adventure Park, which has itineraries of various difficulties. To descend, you can pay to use any of the installed zip-lines, as well as hire material or the services of a guide.
LOS LLANOS
Camaleño (CANTABRIA)
This via ferrata has two options: One that joins the three main walls that go to the summit, and a more complicated one that, halfway up the third wall, goes with difficulty towards a Tibetan bridge, and has a challenging exit on a steep wall to the summit.
For this second option, it is essential to be experienced and/or hire the services of a guide. It is a 190-m ascent and a 240-m descent, with an elevation change of 160 m. The via goes to different walls that are connected through the safety line. There are horizontal sections where it’s necessary to do some crossings. There is a medium-levelled section and another section for beginners.
Users do this activity under their own responsibility, since it’s a free entry and a free of charge access. The minimum safety equipment required is a helmet, a safety harness, and a double-anchored lanyard with carabiners and a via ferrata certified shock absorbing device. People without this material can hire it at the reception centre. The area has been equipped with climbs of grades III-V to enjoy and complete a good day’s activity.
VALDEÓN FERRATA
Cordiñanes (LEÓN)
Via ferrata managed by the local government of Valdeón, consisting of 1200 m of routes of various difficulty levels. The access is free, but prior registration is necessary, because from April to July access is restricted to 50 people per day. The local government has a website with a system to confirm registrations and validate access on completion of a personal information form. Access is prohibited for children under 10 years old. The groups using the via ferrata cannot be of more than 6 members, and need to keep 15-minute gaps between each of them for security. It can be used an hour after sunrise and up to an hour before sunset, based on the official timetables of Orto y Ocaso (AEMET). You can hire material and the services of a guide in the area.
LA HERMIDA GORGE
La Hermida, Peñarrubia (CANTABRIA)
La Hermida, Peñarrubia (CANTABRIA): These via ferratas have an 800-m elevation change, and are almost 6 km long. They follow a trail that shepherds used to take goats from the low areas of the gorge to Cueva Ciloña. There are four vias, and can be done individually or altogether. There is a 45-m Tibetan bridge and the longest wooden hanging footbridge in a via ferrata in Spain (90 m long and more than 100 m high). The descent is made following a trail that goes through a holm oak forest until arriving to the starting point again, the Hermida Gorge. The access is free of charge, but material and the services of a guide can be hired nearby.
LOS BEYOS GORGE
Puente Vidosa, Ponga (ASTURIAS)
The Vidosa Multiadventure Park has seven via ferratas, seven zip-lines, four different Tibetan bridges, a climbing wall, abseils, and areas to practice climbing.
To access the via ferratas, you must pay 6€ to enter the Adventure Park, which has itineraries of various difficulties. To descend, you can pay to use any of the installed zip-lines, as well as hire material or the services of a guide.
LOS LLANOS
Camaleño (CANTABRIA)
This via ferrata has two options: One that joins the three main walls that go to the summit, and a more complicated one that, halfway up the third wall, goes with difficulty towards a Tibetan bridge, and has a challenging exit on a steep wall to the summit.
For this second option, it is essential to be experienced and/or hire the services of a guide. It is a 190-m ascent and a 240-m descent, with an elevation change of 160 m. The via goes to different walls that are connected through the safety line. There are horizontal sections where it’s necessary to do some crossings. There is a medium-levelled section and another section for beginners.
Users do this activity under their own responsibility, since it’s a free entry and a free of charge access. The minimum safety equipment required is a helmet, a safety harness, and a double-anchored lanyard with carabiners and a via ferrata certified shock absorbing device. People without this material can hire it at the reception centre. The area has been equipped with climbs of grades III-V to enjoy and complete a good day’s activity.
VALDEÓN FERRATA
Cordiñanes (LEÓN)
Via ferrata managed by the local government of Valdeón, consisting of 1200 m of routes of various difficulty levels. The access is free, but prior registration is necessary, because from April to July access is restricted to 50 people per day. The local government has a website with a system to confirm registrations and validate access on completion of a personal information form. Access is prohibited for children under 10 years old. The groups using the via ferrata cannot be of more than 6 members, and need to keep 15-minute gaps between each of them for security. It can be used an hour after sunrise and up to an hour before sunset, based on the official timetables of Orto y Ocaso (AEMET). You can hire material and the services of a guide in the area.
CANYONING
Canyoning is not allowed in the National Park, but you can enjoy this activity in various locations in the surrounding area. Canyoning is authorized in the following rivers:
- Vallegón
- Carangas
- Vivoli
- La Molina
- Ruboó
- Cueva del Tinganón
There are several companies in the area that offer canyoning trips of different difficulty levels. Before hiring the services of any of these companies, we suggest you check they have been authorized by the Tourist Board to do this activity and their guides have the required qualifications. These companies generally provide you the necessary technical equipment, and they have certified guides that take the groups. Clients are taken by a company vehicle to the start of the canyoning tour, and are picked up at the end of the activity.
RECOMMENDED COMPANY
Do you want to practice canyoning in Picos de Europa?
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Embrace the stunning beauty of your surrounds and conquer the fun challenges of a descent through the narrow walls of the canyon, jump into pools, water slides, swim narrow passageways, abseil/rappel waterfalls, etc.
CANOEING AND RAFTING
RAFTING
Rafting is an activity that consists in descending a river in an inflatable boat. To do it, you need to avoid rocks and other obstacles that you might find in the river. The rafting participants are taken by a guide and equipped with helmet, life jacket, wetsuit, and suitable footwear. Rafting can be undertaken in two rivers close to the Picos:
- River Deva
This river is one of the most important ones in the Picos, and goes through the impressive Hermida Gorge. - River Cares
A tributary of the River Deva where rafting can be done in several sections, with various technical difficulty levels: low Cares (Niserias-Panes), middle Cares (Mildón-Niserias), and upper Cares.
There are several companies that you can do this activity with. They will give you the necessary technical equipment (individual canoe-raft, wetsuit, helmet, life jacket…).
CANOEING
Another option is to go down the rivers Sella or Deva in a canoe. In this case, it’s not necessary to go with a guide. You can do this activity independently, hiring the equipment and the transfers to and from the start and end of the trip. You can stop at the edge of the river for a rest, to eat, or to take pictures. The trip in general allows you to move with the flow of the river without major efforts.
- River Sella
The descent goes between the towns of Arriondas and Llovio with a total of 16 km of which you can do sections: Arriondas-Toraño (7 km), Arriondas-Llordón (13 km), or Arriondas-Llovio (16 km). The whole descent takes 3-4 hrs. - River Deva
After the Sella, the Deva is the Asturian river in which most canoeing is done. It consists of a 12-km descent that joins the towns of Panes and Unquera. It takes 3-4 hrs.
There are many companies in Arriondas and in Unquera that do canoeing on both rivers.
RAFTING
Rafting is an activity that consists in descending a river in an inflatable boat. To do it, you need to avoid rocks and other obstacles that you might find in the river. The rafting participants are taken by a guide and equipped with helmet, life jacket, wetsuit, and suitable footwear. Rafting can be undertaken in two rivers close to the Picos:
- River Deva
This river is one of the most important ones in the Picos, and goes through the impressive Hermida Gorge. - River Cares
A tributary of the River Deva where rafting can be done in several sections, with various technical difficulty levels: low Cares (Niserias-Panes), middle Cares (Mildón-Niserias), and upper Cares.
There are several companies that you can do this activity with. They will give you the necessary technical equipment (individual canoe-raft, wetsuit, helmet, life jacket…).
CANOEING
Another option is to go down the rivers Sella or Deva in a canoe. In this case, it’s not necessary to go with a guide. You can do this activity independently, hiring the equipment and the transfers to and from the start and end of the trip. You can stop at the edge of the river for a rest, to eat, or to take pictures. The trip in general allows you to move with the flow of the river without major efforts.
- River Sella
The descent goes between the towns of Arriondas and Llovio with a total of 16 km of which you can do sections: Arriondas-Toraño (7 km), Arriondas-Llordón (13 km), or Arriondas-Llovio (16 km). The whole descent takes 3-4 hrs. - River Deva
After the Sella, the Deva is the Asturian river in which most canoeing is done. It consists of a 12-km descent that joins the towns of Panes and Unquera. It takes 3-4 hrs.
There are many companies in Arriondas and in Unquera that do canoeing on both rivers.