Camijanes can be explored through two distinct themes: the Nansa River Trail leads into the village, while the church, bridge and traditional houses offer a closer look at local architecture. This gives you various points of focus for planning your trip, which you can choose according to your interests.

The Nansa River Trail: path and river landscape

The Nansa River Trail is 7 km long and ends in Camijanes. It is part of the Camino Lebaniego and runs entirely through the lower section of the Río Nansa Special Protection Area. This brings together two distinct aspects: its inclusion in a named route and its entire course within the protected area. For your planning, its length and endpoint provide practical reference points, while its protected-area status describes the landscape setting of the trail.

The path runs through riparian woodland with a variety of trees. Its features include wooden walkways and three fishing huts with fireplaces, as well as sections alongside rocky outcrops, paths, climbing walls, quiet pools and waterfalls. The quiet pools and waterfalls offer a clear contrast in the river scenery, while the walkways and huts are the built features along the trail.

Church, bridge and traditional houses

The Iglesia de San Facundo stands in the Los Llanos area of Camijanes and dates from the 17th century. The freestanding building is made of masonry, has ashlar blocks at its corners and a single-wall bell gable. The ashlar blocks are dressed stones at the building’s corners; the bell gable consists of a single wall. Inside the church is a popular-style Romanist altarpiece from the mid-17th century. The dates therefore refer to different parts of the church: the building and its furnishings.

In La Vega, near Camijanes, the Puente del Tortorio crosses the Nansa. It has a single opening and a humpback profile made of dressed masonry. The profile rises towards the middle, so the bridge can be described by its shape as well as its location. An engraved stone beside the bridge gives 1761 as its construction date. It is considered one of the landmarks of the municipality of Herrerías. Unlike the church, the Puente del Tortorio is a structure over the river, described in terms of its opening and rising profile.

Camijanes has groups of traditional Montañés houses, arranged in rows and facing south. The rural housing complex of Camijanes is one of the significant monuments in the municipality of Herrerías. Its rows and shared orientation set it apart from the individually described church and bridge: here, the focus is a group of homes. The complex thus complements the two individual buildings with another form of architecture in Camijanes, arranged as a community.

Discover more destinations: Camaleño, Miera, Orzales, Gibaja, Olea, Bareyo, Luey, Uznayo.

For the wider travel guide: Cantabria.