Pendilla can be explored through two themes that offer different perspectives when planning a trip: the history of La Carisa and trails through the mountain landscape. The Mina Colón on the slopes of Pendilla has been used to extract copper since the Bronze Age. This long mining history offers its own way of discovering the area and complements the view of the Roman remains in the region. If you are interested in historical connections, you can explore Pendilla beyond a tour of the mountains.
Village History and Historic Traces
In the village itself, the parish church stands in the upper part of the settlement. A heraldic stone carving from 1704 adorns a façade in Pendilla. Together, these details provide concrete points of reference for the village’s history: the church’s location and a dated work of stone carving. By comparison, the Mina Colón has been used to extract copper since the Bronze Age. These different time markers give Pendilla’s cultural history its distinctive breadth.
La Carisa is also part of this historical picture. A section of the Roman road more than fifteen kilometres long survives between Tonín and the area around the Curriellos camp. There is also a Roman fort along the route, which is currently being excavated. Those interested in archaeology will encounter more than the name of an ancient road here: there is also a surviving section and a fort undergoing excavation.
Explore La Carisa on Foot or by Mountain Bike
The route starting in Pendilla begins beside a sign for the Calzada Romana La Carisa. A track follows the original Calzada de La Carisa over the Collada de Propinde and on into Asturias. The Vía de La Carisa from Pendilla is signposted and officially approved as the GR 100 Vía de la Plata / Vía Carisa. You can walk the route or ride it by mountain bike.
These details can help you choose between different interests: you can focus on the course of the old road or choose a route that makes the mountain itself a destination. On the Pendilla–La Carisa–Tres Concejos route, a livestock trail at Propinde provides access to Pico Tres Concejos. The summit is 2,020 metres high. A climb starting in Pendilla de Arbás follows the old Carisa road through the Bustamores valley to the Propinde pass.
Waterfalls on the Easier Return Option
The Pendilla route also offers an easier return option. Several waterfalls can be seen in the Bustamor valley on this return route. This is a practical difference when choosing a route: the trail over Propinde passes a livestock-trail access point to Pico Tres Concejos, while the easier return option on the Pendilla route offers a different highlight, with waterfalls in the valley. This makes it possible to compare the routes by their course and respective destinations, without combining the summit climb and the return route into a single tour.
Which of these aspects shapes your stay depends on whether you would rather focus on the historical traces or the trails.
Discover more destinations: Villanueva del Condado, Villaobispo de Otero, Villablino, Colinas Del Campo De Martín Moro, Ocero, Santa Colomba de las Arrimadas, Sésamo, Riego De Ambrós.
For the overview of the wider region: León.
