Cardes combines a designated Site of Cultural Interest with hiking and cycling routes that are connected to the village in different ways. The Cueva de El Buxu is known for its cave art; from Picu el Arbolín, the panoramic views extend across the basins of the Sella and Güeña rivers, the Cantabrian Mountains and the Picos de Europa. Two questions can help with your planning: Would you like to explore the cave’s motifs, or include Cardes as a destination or stop on a hiking or cycling tour? The routes described differ in length, course and connection to the village. This makes it easier to distinguish between the options rather than combining them into a single route.

Cave art in Cardes

The Cueva de El Buxu in Cardes, within the municipality of Cangas de Onís, is designated a Site of Cultural Interest (Bien de Interés Cultural). The cave contains paintings and engravings of horses, goats, deer and bison, as well as geometric and zoomorphic figures. Alongside depictions of animals, geometric and animal-shaped motifs are therefore among the cave’s themes. The footpath to the Cueva starts at the first houses in Cardes and takes a little over 20 minutes. Check the current access conditions before your trip.

Hiking: summit views or a route to Cardes

Picu el Arbolín is 575 metres high. From its summit, there are 360-degree panoramic views of the basins of the Sella and Güeña rivers, the Cantabrian Mountains and the Picos de Europa. The route to Pico el Arbolín is a 13-kilometre circular mountain hike of moderate difficulty. As an optional extension, the route descends to Cardes and then continues along the CO-3 road. The summit destination and possible extension can thus be considered together in your planning, without treating the extension as part of the 13-kilometre circular hike. Check the current trail and road conditions before setting out.

Other hiking descriptions give Cardes a different role. The GR-108 Travesía Andariega follows a trail in the direction of Cardes, but does not enter the village. The Villamayor–Espinaréu stage, by contrast, reaches Cardes through meadows and pastureland. If you are looking for a route that actually reaches the village, this distinction matters: on the GR-108, Cardes lies in the direction of the trail; on the stage, the route is described as reaching the village through the landscape. The meadows and pastureland characterize the section of the stage described here.

Cycling tours with different routes

The GR-109 BTT route is a 33.5-kilometre mountain biking trail of moderate difficulty, with an estimated duration of three hours. At the Cardes bridge, it crosses the CO-3 and then follows the Güeña River. The route therefore combines a clearly stated distance and duration with a specific description of its course through the area. The duration is an estimate; check the current route conditions before setting out.

The Cangas de Onís–Colombres cycling route reaches Cardes before climbing. After Cardes, it follows a quiet road through pastures and small rural villages. This differs from the described course of the GR-109, which passes over the Cardes bridge, crosses the CO-3 and then follows the Güeña. When choosing a cycling tour, you can consider whether arriving in Cardes before climbing, or crossing the bridge and continuing along the river, is more important to you.

Discover more destinations: Soto De Cangas, Soto De La Ensertal, Covadonga, Tornín, Caño, Llenín, Corao, Arriondas

For the main travel overview: Cangas De Onis.