Picu Urriellu is more than a peak: its west face, rising over 500 metres, is one of the major venues for European climbing and rock climbing. At the same time, the mountain shapes the views from several viewpoints in Cabrales. The region is partly within Picos de Europa National Park and therefore has landscape, ecological and cultural value.

See Picu Urriellu from different viewpoints

Picu Urriellu, also known as Naranjo de Bulnes, rises to 2,519 metres in the municipality of Cabrales, within Picos de Europa National Park. Several miradores offer views of it, but each has its own local reference point. Mirador del Urriellu is near Bulnes and can be reached via the path to Collado de Pandébano. Mirador de Camarmeña is above Poncebos, in the village of Camarmeña.

Other viewpoints place the mountain in a different geographical setting: Mirador del Pozo de la Oración lies outside the national park, near Poo de Cabrales on the AS-114 road. Mirador Pedro Udaondo is in Asiego and also offers views of Picu Urriellu; Asiego can be reached from Arenas de Cabrales via a local road. This lets you connect views of the same peak with different place names without confusing the miradores with one another.

Poncebos and its network of routes

The three limestone massifs of the Picos de Europa meet in Poncebos. From there, the Cares Gorge, the Canal del Texu to the village of Bulnes, and the gorge of the River Duje continue on. The route to the Ruta del Cares from Cabrales also goes through Poncebos. If you plan to take this route, check the seasonal transport arrangements, as they can vary.

Bulnes has no road access and can only be reached on foot or by funicular. Check the funicular’s operating status before your trip.

Discover Cabrales cheese in two parts

The Cueva Exposición Cabrales introduces visitors to the past and present of Cabrales cheese on guided tours lasting about 45 minutes. The first part takes place in a natural cave. It explores cheese production, the surrounding landscape and the lives of shepherds in the Picos de Europa. The focus is therefore not only on the stages of production, but also on the landscape and way of life associated with the cheese in the exhibition.

The second part features an audiovisual presentation of modern production at a cheese dairy and ends with a tasting. Together, the two sections take visitors from the natural cave and its surroundings to cheese production today. Anyone interested in Cabrales cheese can thus explore both its artisanal production and its landscape and cultural context.

Cave art and how it is brought to life for visitors

Cueva de Covaciella preserves paintings more than 14,000 years old from the Magdalenian period and is part of the UNESCO World Heritage property Cave of Altamira and Palaeolithic Cave Art of Northern Spain. The cave itself is not open to visitors. However, in La Casa Bárcena in Carreña, you can visit the interpretation room dedicated to the cave; check access again before your visit.

Another way to explore Covaciella is the Ruta de los Artistas de la Covaciella. It starts at the Museo Casa Bárcena, where visitors can see a replica of the bison from the cave. The cave paintings, interpretation room and replica offer different ways to engage with the subject: the original paintings remain inaccessible, while the interpretation and replica can be experienced elsewhere.

Cheese origins and the festival in Arenas

Cabrales cheese has a clearly defined production area: the milk must come exclusively from registered herds in this area. It includes the municipality of Cabrales and three villages in Peñamellera Alta. This geographical rule is part of the product’s description and its origin.

The Festival del Queso Cabrales takes place in Arenas every year on the last Sunday in August. It is recognised as a Fiesta de Interés Turístico. If you would like to include the festival in your travel plans, check the programme for the relevant year.

Another route option from La Molina

The Ruta del Río Casaño starts in La Molina. Unlike the viewpoints that focus on Picu Urriellu, this route is named for the river; water levels can affect conditions. So check local conditions before your visit. Together with access to the Ruta del Cares via Poncebos, this starting point shows that routes in Cabrales are associated with different places.

Discover more destinations: Puertas, Berodia, Carreña, Ortiguero, Asiego, Inguanzo, Tielve and San Martín Del Rey Aurelio.

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