Thursday 20th May 2010
Another great day in prospect, early alarm call for 0700, up bright and early, and the sun already seemed hot overhead...may be a warm one today..
Drove to Poncebos, then turned onto a narrower track up towards Sotres, an old mountain village, and turned down an old rough track just short of the village, heading for a place called Pandebano (which I couldn't find on my map) intending to do a route up from there, along the Uriellu valley, to the Refuge Uriellu, at the base of the Picos most famous mountain...Naranjo de Bulnes. http://www.vivirasturias.com/asturias/cabrales/pandebano---vega-de-urriello---pandebano/es it may be classed as a 'walking route' but you'll find out (as usual) it was anything but !
As the track came to a sign saying...'agricultural traffic only,rural route' I thought I'd best park Wally on a roadside verge, near a collection of dilapidated buildings, presuming this must be Pandebano...
I set off up the rough track, which immediately climbed up a set of zig zags, higher and higher, and I knew I was in for a rough/tough day ahead, within minutes I was soaked to the skin from perspiration, and it was still just 10 a.m. !
After 40 minutes of steep climbing, several cars passed me - whoops I thought, maybe I could have brought Wally up here, although the track was fairly rough, and she's a tender old girl, who likes being pampered ! Around 50 minutes after i set off, and having climbed about 250 mts in the morning hot sun, I came upon the place where people obviously park..ah well, I'll just have to add it on to the route.
Leaving the rough track I set off across the plains of the Tenerosa, quickly catching and overtaking the only other people already on the track.. the gradient eased slightly and the views opened up both across the plain, and down the valley towards the village of Bulnes ,http://www.el-caminoreal.com/cabrales/funicular.htm, an interesting hill village.
I settled into a good pleasant pace across the plains, and around the hillside on my ever upward journey.. As i got to the top of the pass,the views opened up for me towards the distant objective,which seemed to be surrounded by an awful lot of snow - I was well prepared, shorts and summer boots,no gaiters, altgough I had my two walking poles which I would need !
As I was drinking in the view,looking forward to crossing the distant snow patches, a couple of spaniards caught me up, saying something like ' It's too snowy from here, dangerous, we should turn round' Not Likely, it looked great...so thanking them off I went, up the hillside and towards the snow line..
As initially I just had to cross banked snow across the track, I wondered what the bloke had been worrie d about, but as I turned the corner, I looked above to see a vast expanse of snow surrounding the mountain, and my objective...
Onward and upward I carried on, as the snow got deeper, and deeper, and softer, the track had dissapeared beneath the snow, although I could generally follow it because of the paint flashes on the rock.
I trudged ever upwards, no one seeming to have come this way during the season, which I couldn't beleive, there must just have been fresh snow, and I was having to make the trail ( again!)
The sun by now was overhead, and beating down on me, reflecting back off the snow, and was very hot..
Eventually, having to work out which way round the mountain I needed to go, I found the Uriellu Refuge at 1960 mts, it was 1-40 p.m. by then..the key was in the door, and no one around !
As I sat and took a breather, I was able to wring out my socks and boots, lay out my shirt to dry, and have a well earned rest and refreshment !
I had the place to myself, apart from some birds seeking the crumbs..until around 2 p.m. when a young couple surfaced having followed my great trail!
and eventually another 5 people..all grateful for my trail - at least I think that's what they said !
At 2-30p.m. whilst the wine was being poured in the refuge, I set off for my return journey, back down the same trail (although I had some diversions)
and back to Wally for 5-50 p.m. ! Exhausted to say the least...
A great day had been had, 1200 mts of climbing, 7 hours and great fun !
As I was getting changed, a Spanish chap came sadly down the road,looking pretty fed up - until I offerred him a lift down to Poncebos, which he took with Relish, even though I refused his offer of a drink in the Tavern. as the roads were a bit scary to drive down after drinking !!
I celebrated with a meal at the nearby bar that night, and slept soundly !!
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