Peaks of Europe

The Peaks of Europe or Los Picos de Europa (often called " los Picos "), massive highest of the Cantabric Cordillera (Torre de Cerredo, 2648 m), is located between the provinces of the Asturies, León and the Cantabrie, to about thirty kilometers of the Mer.

Its approximate dimensions 40 km length are (East-West) by 20 km broad (North-South) and a surface of 502 km ².

Origin of the toponym

The origin of the word comes owing to the fact that the marine coming from the West by the Atlantic Ocean sailed at sight and that Los Picos was the first grounds visible in the horizon. The name was given this time by the sailors and not by mountain dwellers of the area.

Environment

They are framed in North by the Sierra of Cuera and the Sierra del Escudo, in the South by the Sierra of Alba and in the West by the Sierra of Ave.

The Ebre which drains all the Rivière S of the South of the the Pyrenees takes its source there.

The principal tops are:

Pena Cerredo (2 648 m)
Pena Vieja (2 615 m)
Naranjo de Bulnes (2 519 m)

Throats dug by torrents with full of fish water circumscribe this block of true marbles and notch it, cutting out it in three solid masses, Westerner or of Covadonga, Central or of Naranjo de Bulnes and Oriental or Andara. Impressive processions cohabit thus with the high summits notched by erosion and capped with snow which constitute a splendid bottom of decoration.

The Turn Cerredo, or of Torrecerredo , with its 2.648 m, is the top highest of the Peaks of Europe.

The Southern slope with the softened profile opens on escarpés but more severe landscapes.

Its principal rivers are; the Rio Stamp which sprinkles Cangas de Onís, el río Cares , and the Río Deva. The majority of the rivers which traverse the Peaks of Europe, are in very narrow throats

Part of the Western solid mass became, on 17000 ha, the National park of Covadonga.

In addition to the traditional activities: breeding, manufacture of the “ cabrales ” (Cheese with the ewe's milk fermented to the manner of the roquefort), the solid mass has some mining resources.

Drive out

The Peaks of Europe constitute a reserve of Chasse (" Held Nacional de Los Picos de Europa ") where this one is strictly regulated.

The procession of Hermida

The great curiosity of this course is the procession which extends on 20 km on both sides from the basin where the hamlet of Hermida is placed. The narrowness and the darkness of the throats banished the vegetation of it. The Deva river exploited here all the points of less resistance of the wall, which gives a layout characteristic in teeth of saw.

Liebana

In the area of Pals, Liebana profits from a climate privileged with the shelter of the winds of the North-West: plantations of fruit trees (hazel trees, cherry trees, medlar trees) are met there while the vine settled with semi-slope of the terraces.

See too

External bonds

La last checking concerning the external bonds was carried out on July 22nd, 2006.

spain.info Some notes.
perso.wanadoo.fr Site with charts and very beautiful images.

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