Before starting the route, it is advisable to inform yourself about the route, its difficulty, points of interest, and possible hazards. There are many doubts referring to this unique route, especially concerning how to turn around once the course has been completedWe're detailing the questions we continually receive from many travelers and hikers, in a series of questions.
Is the Cares Route circular?
The Route of the Cares it is not circular, so we will have to make a complete round trip on the same route, or consider the possibility of turning around if our physical condition does not allow us to make the double journey.
Can you get from Poncebos to Caín by car?
From Caín to Poncebos: the essential road trip to connect the two ends of the Cares Route.
Although Caín and Poncebos are separated by just 12 kilometers on foot, linked by the mythical Cares Route that winds through gorges and tunnels dug into the rock, The road trip between these two Astur-Leonese towns is a very different story.To cover the same distance by car, it is necessary to give a large detour that borders the mountain range to the south, crossing high mountain landscapes, deep valleys and several regions of two autonomous communities.
The car journey between Caín (León province) and Poncebos (Cabrales district, Asturias) It is about 100 to 120 kilometers, depending on the exact route chosen. Under normal conditions, The journey takes between 2 hours and 20 minutes and 2 hours and 50 minutes., although it can easily become longer if you make a stop or if there is traffic in narrow sections.
Route 1: from Caín via Riaño, Potes and Panes to Poncebos
- Cain's departure towards Valdeon Inn, along a very narrow and winding mountain road, which ascends through the Pandetrave pass.
- From there, it connects with the N-621 towards Riaño, bordering the reservoir and crossing spectacular landscapes of the Montaña de Riaño and Mampodre Regional Park.
- In Riaño take the road towards Puerto de San Glorio, a key point for crossing into Cantabria through the mountain pass.
- Once past San Glorio, goes down towards Potes and from there you can access the La Hermida gorge, which leads to Panes.
- From Panes take the AS-114 towards Arenas de Cabrales, and later the AS-264 to Poncebos.
Itinerary summary:
- Estimated total distance: 121 km
- Approximate duration: 2h 50 min
- Type of road: mountain, with narrow sections and many curves.
Route 2: from Caín via Oseja de Sajambre and Cangas de Onís towards Poncebos
- Cain's Exit address Posada de Valdeón along a very narrow and winding mountain road.
- We continue through the LE-2711 and the N-625 towards Oseja de Sajambre, it is 26 km.
- We go down the Puerto del Pontón towards Cangas de Onis.
- We follow the route from Cangas de Onís to Arenas de Cabrales along the AS-114, passing through Benia de Onís.
- From Arenas de Cabrales we take AS-264 and in about 6 km we will have arrived at Poncebos.
Itinerary summary:
- Estimated total distance: 105 km
- Approximate duration: 2h 20 min
- Type of road: mountain, with narrow sections and many curves.
Why all the driving?
The reason for this apparent contradiction – short distance on foot, long by car – is due to the abrupt orography of the Picos de Europa, one of the steepest mountain ranges on the Peninsula. There is no direct road through the heart of the Massif Central., where the Cares Route is located, which requires a detour that skirts the Picos to the south and west.
What options do I have if I do the Cares Route one way?
If you're doing the route walking one way (from Poncebos to Caín or vice versa), there are several options for organizing your return:
- Take two cars and leave one at each end.
- Hire a taxi or private transfer, especially if you're traveling in a group. It's a good idea to book in advance.
- Sleep in one of the two villages and return on foot the next day.
How to get from Caín to Poncebos by public transport?
There is no direct public transport between Caín and Poncebos.. Yes, we could take several buses by transferring.
While there is no direct connection, you can take a bus from Caín to a nearby point like Unquera and then take another bus to Poncebos, but this can be time-consuming and quite complicated.
How much does a taxi cost from Caín to Poncebos or vice versa?
There are taxis for the Caín-Poncebos and Poncebos-Caín trips, although few and always subject to prior reservation. The price round from €160 per vehicle, depending on the season and demand.
What is the most beautiful part of the Cares Route?
Without hesitation we would tell you that The most beautiful stretch is the one that runs near Cain, due to the landscape itself, the tunnel sections, the passageways and bridges built give a great spectacular nature to the route in that area.
To know more details of the Ruta del Cares We invite you to visit our report, where we tell you how it transformed from a pastoral path to a popular route, and how things changed in 1916, when a winding path began to be demarcated so that workers from the Electra de Viesgo company could monitor and maintain a water channel, a canal that transported part of the Cares River's flow for hydroelectric power at the Camarmeña Power Plant. Many interesting things can be found in the link below.
The Cares route
Following the course of the River Cares in its high sections involves entering a calcareous throat ... Read more
