Picos de Europa & Basque - suggest some peaks

[matt_outandabout]

We're fortunate enough to have booked a fortnight in Spain next July.

Week 1 in the North Basque country.
Week 2 on eastern edge of Picos de Europa just outside Potes.

The bikes are with us, I've some MTB trips and road pedals already planned.

Peaks I'm struggling to get much other than either the mass tourist places, or ones where longer days are made using the huts.

We're happy on steeper scrambles, prefer interest and quieter peaks to having to tick list the highest ones.

Happy to find our way around - one of our best holidays has been the Polish Tatras.

Looking at things we may do a couple of days by using the FunteDe cable car, a pedal then walk.

I'll get a map and perhaps the Cicerone guide ordered.

Who has been, and what hills did you enjoy?

[grahamyarr]

I went to the Picos with a mate two years ago and we stayed in Potes the night before. There was an early bus that got to Fuente Dé in time for the first cable car trip up. We went up in the cable car and walked for about an hour/90 minutes and went up El Tesorero. It was in August so it was pretty straightforward with a bit of scrambling at the top. I would class it with the easier Cuillin Munro's. We were just walking through to Covadonga on the other side so that was the one and only summit. I also don't know about buses back to Potes from Fuente Dé

Cheers,

Graham

[grahamyarr]

Should maybe add that it was an hour/90 minutes to reach the point where you have to leave the main path for El Tesorero. Was at least another hour to get to the summit (although we were faffing around in the mist a bit!)

[matt_outandabout]

Thank you.

I have maps arriving for Christmas, so more excitement shortly. Looks like we have a peak behind where we are staying as well as a day or two up the cable car, one on foot, and one to descend on bikes.

We are also a week up on Basque end of the Pyrenees.

If anyone is interested- ferry from Plymouth to Santander is significantly faster and a bit cheaper than Portsmouth to Bilbao or Santander. Cost around £1k for family of 5 and car loaded with bikes and kit - so cheaper than flying when we don't have to rent kit in Spain to cycle... Accommodation is relatively affordable.

I have wanted to go to Picos since I missed a university trip 27 years ago - and am surprised that the mountains of northern Spain being but a ferry ride away are not more frequented by us UK dwellers...

[Munro22]

I have been there - years ago.
I remember Porrua and Llanes.