In Dobres, a protected historic ensemble, buildings from different centuries and trails into the mountain landscape come together. Along with Cucayo, Dobres is recognised as a Bien de Interés Cultural in the “historic ensemble” category. The history of the area can be traced through early written records as well as churches, heraldry and traditional buildings.

Historic traces in Dobres and Cucayo

Dobres is first mentioned in writing in 945 in the cartulary of the Monastery of Santo Toribio de Liébana. The first recorded mention of Cucayo dates to 1188 in the cartulary of Piasca. These dates point to different historical sources and mark early written records of the villages.

In Dobres, you can see a house bearing three coats of arms associated with the Bedoya, Corral and Salceda families. The present-day parish church of San Mamés also has a clear date: it was built beside the road in 1925. Its main altarpiece dates from the 18th century.

The hermitage of San Esteban is in Cucayo. The single-nave building consists of three sections covered by an eight-part vault. Other features include a prismatic tower, an 18th-century sculpture and two 19th-century paintings. The buildings thus differ not only in location, but also in their architecture and the dates of their artworks.

Trails with views of the mountain landscape

The Cucayo–Puertos de Riofrío route begins at the entrance to Cucayo and leads to the high mountain passes of Riofrío. From there, the view extends as far as Peña Prieta. The Bárago–Las Retuertas–Cucayo trail at Collada de las Ánimas offers a different perspective on the two villages of Cucayo and Dobres. This trail was once the only connection between Dobres and Bárago.

The Cucayo–Puertos de Riofrío route also passes Sierra Llon. There, the deeply cut Río Frío once powered two small mills. They served the residents of the Dobres municipality until a few years ago. The route therefore links the mountain landscape with a tangible trace of everyday work in the past, without limiting either theme to the same period.

Circular route, high pastures and summit trails

Las Praizas de Cucayo is listed as the self-guided CA-ENP25 route in Vega de Liébana, with a length of around 6.9 kilometres. The circular trail loops around Pico Mamozán and crosses the two river basins that converge in Cucayo: those of the Río Requejada and the Río Frío. The entire route lies within the Liébana ZEC and ZEPA protected area. From the lower edge of an extensive beech forest, there are panoramic views of Pica de Casanzo. Naturea routes are regularly checked and maintained; check the latest route information before setting off.

A route description from 2021 also covers the Altos de Ríofrío route. It begins in Cucayo, climbs along the Río Frío to the high pastures and reaches an altitude of 1,700 metres at the Puertos de Pineda. The descent returns to Cucayo through birch, beech and young oak forests. The description therefore emphasises different features from the Las Praizas circular route: here, the focus is on the climb to the high pastures and the stated altitude.

Pico Mamozán rises 1,331 metres above Cucayo and divides the watercourses of the Río Frío and the La Requejada stream. From Collado de Sierra Lamoa, a trail leads over the Riofrío passes to the summit, which offers panoramic views. The gorge of the La Requejada stream can be used for the return journey: an old trail runs through the canyon between Peña Ginesta to the east and Pico Mamozán to the west. The Cantabrian brown bear occurs in the Puertos de Pineda and Río Frío, accessible via Las Praizas; the area is designated as a protected area for the Cantabrian brown bear.

Discover more destinations: Enterrías, Vada, Tollo, Tudes, Cucayo.

Back to the main travel overview: Vega De Liébana.