Climb to Turbine Peak

Latitude: 43.3270073 Length: -4.7996588
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Located at 1.315 meters above sea level, the Turbina Peak (cataloged as one of the highest altitudes closest to the sea in the world), It is the highest point of the council of Llanes and the Sierra del Cuera; that long insurmountable wall with a lot to walk, of 40 kilometers in length, that clearly delimits two geographical spaces: the littoral llanco and the trascuera. The differences between one side and another of the Cuera are accused, both in landscape and in climatology and temperature. This mountain range causes the high clouds to collide with its limestone walls. The consequence is usually clear, sunny and hot days in its southern slope, and mostly cloudy days and even orbayu in its northern slope: Llanes.

Choose a sunny day

It is precisely its climatic condition that we must consider the most when attacking this summit. The route lacks technical difficulty, although it saves a considerable gap in its first part. The difficult thing to climb the Turbine is not to get to the top, but to be lucky enough to choose the right day for the ascent. The most advisable thing is to climb with a radiant sun on our heads (go well supplied with water and sun protection). Completely cleared, come on, with a blue sky that does not admit discussion. Otherwise we risk losing their wonderful views and risk losing visibility in the fog.

We insist: the Sierra del Cuera is very conducive to the thick mists and coastal clouds, being also a land of very difficult orientation in case of encountering these phenomena. The high area is full of hills that form a multitude of twists, is a karstic area full of scrub. In these areas the holes in the rock abound and they are very uncomfortable to walk if we get off the trails. These are only easy to locate if we have a perfect visibility.

Some route information

Difficulty: medium
Type of route: round trip line
Distance: 10 km
Time: 5.30 h (no stops)
Average slope: on an 14%
Type of road: path, road.
Cumulative unevenness: some 800 meters of rise and others as many of descent
Minimum height: 441 meters (in the Parking)
Maximum height: 1315 meters (in The Turbine)
Water: stocking up in population

The beginning of the route

We have to go to Arenas de Cabrales, taking the road to Arangas. A very lively village with a cattle-raising environment, located at 400 meters high and isolated from the noise, a basic enclave to access the ports and carry out cattle and cheeses for centuries. We pass Arangas, the road goes to the town of Rozagas. Before arriving at this one and after the 6 kilometer, we will see an asphalted track on our left. We entered it and after a few hundred meters we found an esplanade to park. We have to follow this track cemented until we find a cabin, the cabin of Trebes (715 meters), where the track ends. From here we continue on a dirt road. A few hundred meters later and below a well visible house there is a small path marked with a great landmark that goes up to the house and surrounds it on its upper part, we just have to follow this path that goes to a hill in strong slope .

Ascent to the Turbine Peak

We started to ascend the channel of the Gobiu. The marked footpath advances without rest by the slope of the mountain. This is, shall we say, the hardest part of the journey. The steep slope of the canal is saved with pronounced zig-zags that make the gradient more bearable. We arrive at Concha Gobiu hatch (1.060 meters), we have accessed the upper part of the Sierra del Cuera. This place deserves a rest. We are in a kind of plateau and we can already observe the nature of the mountain range, composed of limestones that form different jous and dolines. From that point we also contemplate our objective, the turbine peak. And much more. We can admire the wonderful summits of Cabrales and the two Peñamelleras. The emblematic peaks of the Western Massif of Picos de Europa such as Peña Santa de Castilla or the Torre de Santa María, Torrecerredo, the mass of "El Picu urriellu" or Naranjo de Bulnes, the Jou Lluengu, in the background Horcados Rojos.

Now we continue the path that borders on the right the mountain in front of us: Peña Llacia (1.236 meters).

Hidden in a small jou we found the Pretty Bear Stone (1.080 meters), a recondite place of great beauty. This braña, composed of around 10 cabins, is a surprise on the route. At this altitude, and with this slope, it seems somewhat unusual to run into this small valley, surrounded by trees and cattle.

We turn 90 degrees, skirting the sheepfold on its high part and taking NNE direction we will pass a kind of corral located at half hillside. The path is clear and well marked on the grass. We go in slight rise towards a hill that we have ahead, just in the base of the highest hill that we see.

The last stretch

Once in the pass, the path divides, one goes to the right, the other goes down a little following the same direction as we were, as if we were going towards a cabin that can be seen at the bottom, at the foot of the green slope that descends the left of the Turbine. Little by little, skirting and trying not to lose height, we reached the base of Turbina. Here we turn 90 degrees to the right (East direction), to face the last climb.

Es a terrain a little more chaotic and rocky than the one traveled until now, but without too much trouble if we follow the milestones and the somewhat trodden path. We continue like this, always along the most marked path and we will reach the summit. First we will come across the southern peak of Turbina Peak, where we find a booth with radio beacon antenna and the geodesic vertex. But we are looking for the northern peak, "the good one" (where there is a white cross), located a few meters beyond, so we continue. Once there an irreplaceable impulse forces us to sit down contemplate the coastal rasa: from Ribadesella (West) to Comillas (East).

And if that show was not enough, let's turn around: Eastern, Central and Western Massif of the Picos de Europa.

As is customary, we take the necessary photos of everything we see around us. We rest a little more eating a sandwich. We enjoyed the breeze ...

We only have left go down the same path. We descend without haste, because the ground carries some loose stone and causes falls. The descent is somewhat demanding by the unevenness and, just as to climb, it is convenient to be in shape.

How to get to the starting point?

We take the AS-345 road that from Arenas de Cabrales goes to Arangas, we pass this locality and in the hill the Cross (430 m.) located between Arangas and Rozagas (kilometer point 6), we will take a small asphalted road that ascends to our left and that a few meters passes next to some abandoned ships that in their time they were part of the extractor complex of iron and manganese ore, present in the Sierra del Cuera.