Texu Canal Route: from Bulnes to Poncebos

Texu Canal Route on the map

Latitude: 43.2354202 Length: -4.8195829
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This route detailed here makes the road from Bulnes to Poncebos along the mythical Canal del Texu path.

We will leave from Bulnes, La Villa neighborhood or Bulnes de Abajo crossing The bridge and turning left we go under The Teya (linden) that is next to the church, to continue between this and the Bulnes CemeteryThis cemetery was One of the few in the world that was covered to be able to bury the dead during the winter due to the old and heavy snowfalls that occurredIt is also worth mentioning that "El Cuco," the first person to die on the walls of Picu Urriellu or Naranjo de Bulnes, was buried there. A plaque dedicated to this ill-fated climber can be seen on its walls. Further on, to our left, are the ruins of the old Rectoral House where the priest of Bulnes lived (655 m.)

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We leave the village passing in front of the Fausta House for a few meters below, leave on our left a path that crosses the river (The Abarcadoriu). Little further, to our right The Toyu Pío. We continue walking down a straight section of the road, to the left of it and on the other side of the river there is an old texiu (yew) next to the current treatment plant. For this place there was one of the four mills existing in the town. Likewise, to our left and on top, we see the other neighborhood of Bulnes: The Pueblu or the Castle neighborhood. We will now pass in front of La Posa el Payariegu for a short time to reach the upper mouth of the funicular passing through "The Parariegu or Concha del Payariego", next to a transformer. Next, and to our left La Metida Rosalía (a meadow) and After the Sedín. We continue by The Llosa de Lola (a rectangular meadow to the left between the road and the river) and continue to reach a crossroads where on our left is the bridge of the Jondeyón or Puente de Colines (590 m.) That gives access to Bulnes de Arriba or El Pueblu. We are in Colines de Arriba. On our right a block for cattle and a rock on our left, in which you can see the remains of where a plaque was placed by the Spanish Mountaineering Federation dedicated to the residents of Bulnes with the inscription: "Bulnes, village friend of mountaineers "for their collaboration in the rescues that took place in the Picu Urriellu or Naranjo de Bulnes.

We continue downhill and go through a place where on the river there are two large stones on a water well. Formerly there was a bridge over these stones and next to a mill: The Molin del Cuetu. Further down we come to a place known as Colines de Abajo: on our right a rectangular stone and well placed to seat our buttocks and known as La Posa de Colines. On our left, an old oak tree almost dead, next to which, and among the bushes, springs a spring of drinking water. On the right a small cave, The Cave of Colines (545 m.) Where they were found the oldest remains of human life of the council of Cabrales. Continue the road horizontally, having on our left a meadow next to the river and in it the remains of a dam once made by Electra de Viesgo to calculate the flow of water in the river.

Now the road goes back a short distance and then continue horizontally and give sight to the town of Camarmeña. From here we can see a long stretch of the route of the Texu Canal that goes down quickly. We descend a sharp curve in The Sedo of the Lisar o Seu Lisar where on our right we have a small cave formed by a huge rock, a place known as The Cagadoriu (quite clarifying word of what was done in that place) we went through The Becerralón, area of blocks where the calves were locked when separated from the mother. We continue along a horizontal stretch and arrive at another curve that has a rock ceiling. Just a few meters before this curve there are five crosses carved into the rock on our right, we are in the place called "The crosses" and that they remember five neighbors of Bulnes who were dragged and killed by an avalanche at the beginning of the 20th century. Down in the river a narrowing of the same where the bodies were thrown by the snowfall, is known as The Voluga of the Dead (Voluga: narrowing in the river). After the aforementioned curve we come to After the Crosses. We continue going down and we go under a concrete construction to channel the waters in days of great rains, we are in the Water of the Texu. (465 m.) The road continues and passes through places known as: The Possession (where the people "posed" their accoutrements and sat down to rest) where the present road connects with the old one that clearly glimpses going down directly in turns and revolts towards the river. This old road is dangerous because of the possible falls of stones that are sometimes thrown by imprudent walkers. And so we go through Martiñano, The Pardu la Robre (for the brown color of the rocks) and The Calzada del Pontigu.

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Go down the road quickly in a series of turns and revolts to approach the river, before reaching it, we will pass through The Paré de Quiñones (335 m.) And then by The Cabezu the Bridges. Already at the height of the river, The Bridges (for the old bridges that existed there before opening a new path on the road). We cross now by a horizontal section carved in the rock and known by Where Celesto openedThis name is due to the name of the person who opened this section by hammer and blast. We climbed again and reached the top of the Cueilla Codilla (315 m.) Where on our right is The Toyo Manuel where you see a stone wall that forms a sedo and that seems to be an attempt to continue the path through that place. From here you can see the road to Poncebos and the town of Camarmeña. We keep going down The Lamps of Codilla to reach The Zorera, this place where it was entered to a narrowing in the river and where the road used to go. We arrived at the Bridge of the Garden (250 m.) Crossed east, we passed through The Corridor of Jéndigos (This section must cross quickly and with attention for the possible fall of stones that sometimes produces the cattle located above). We reached in our walk "The Colladin over the house" (for the existing block a little further down) from where we look at the road and the medieval Bridge of La Jaya already known in the chronicles of Alfonso X El Sabio, which remains for us to cross over the crystal clear waters of the Cares River to finally go up a last section that takes us to the paved road 250 m. We will take about 45 or 60 minutes walking from Bulnes.

How to get to Bulnes on foot?

We've detailed the reverse route here, a three-kilometer route that connects the towns of Bulnes and Poncebos. The difficulty of the route is medium, so all you need to do is put on some good hiking boots and set off on a route that's sure to leave you speechless. Whichever direction you take, toward Bulnes or Poncebos, the experience will be very pleasant.

Funicular to Bulnes

If you can't walk the route, which we recommend, you can always take the funicular up to Bulnes. A 7-minute ride takes you deep into the heart of the Picos de Europa. You can find all the information regarding schedules, fares, and pets in the link we provided.