Route from Bulnes to Picu Urriellu [By Camburero]

Latitude: 43.2354431 Length: -4.8197250
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To go from Bulnes to Vega de Urriellu by Camburero, we must pass Bar Bulnes and take the road that runs after La Casa del Chiflón. A few meters from this house we left the town and just after a boathouse very close to the river, we have the La Reguina fountain. It consists of a tube almost at ground level, but drinking water.

We left Bulnes, keeping the river to our left , and began climbing along a faint path, soon reaching the Las Mestas Waterfall. A beautiful waterfall that practically dries up in summer. Take care here: standing right by the stream at the waterfall, which will be on our right, we'll see a very steep and slippery path beside it. Abandon any attempt to climb this way. Instead, cross the stream and immediately climb to our left along a steep path where, at first, we even have to use our hands for one section. Continue climbing until you reach the top of a rocky mound in a meadow area. Looking back, Bulnes unfolds before us in all its splendor.

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We are in the key step to take the road well. Here many people get lost and go out of the way to their left, going up the slopes of Mount La Varera.
To guide our steps correctly, we must enter the throat that is in front of us leaving the village on our right. We have to go right to the water channel that gives rise to the waterfall. To do this, we will descend slightly from the mound in which we are among tall grasses (Notice the few existing rocks that have yellow arrows, there is also a metallic sign of the Park that indicates towards the Balcosín Channel) and we will go straight to the entrance of the throat in the place called The Castisierra Voluga (Voluga: narrowing in the river). The waterfall, which we will be hearing, will be below us on our right. Having entered this throat, the road no longer has any loss. We are in the bed of the Balcosín Riega and carefully when the stones are wet, not to slip, we will go around the river.

This place can present problems, in times of thaw or heavy rains, because of the enormous amount of water that the water can carry, which can turn into a real torrent. In this case, there is a step to avoid the throat through the so-called Sedu Balcosín. It is difficult to explain the same in this writing, for which I advise you to ask the neighbors in the town.

The Balcosín Gorge is a shady spot where the sun doesn't penetrate due to its narrowness. Here we'll see an old cabin that was used as a cellar for curing Cabrales cheese: Tíu Sindo's cabin. A short distance further on, the gorge widens into a broad valley, and if we look closely, we can see the summit of Picu in front of us. This entire path runs alongside a dry riverbed, evidence of the enormous amount of water that once flowed through this area. Now the waters are underground.

On one side of the road to our left, we can see a quadrangular well, as if it were the base of a hut dug in the ground. It is "a caleru". The neighbors of Bulnes threw from the top of the mountain to our left, entire trunks of beech from Monte de La Varera. They were introduced into this well, on them they threw stones and set fire to the trunks. For days these trunks were burning and undoing the stones that in this way became lime to make the mortar of the buildings of their houses.

At the end of this glacial valley, we reach a place where the river's waters flow again, and we pass between some rocks at a spot called La Posa la Garganta . Here, there was an enormous triangular stone that was dislodged at the beginning of the century by an avalanche that came down from Carnizoso (near Urriellu) and dragged it with its immense weight almost to where the Balcosín valley widens. It lies right at the foot of the path we've just walked along. You can even see the mark of the stone where it once rested, and under which the cows would shelter from the summer sun. The path begins to narrow again, and we pass through La Garganta to reach a flat slab of rock over which the river flows. We have to climb up this section, using our hands, or try to avoid this part a few meters earlier by veering to our right through the grassy area. The path is no longer marked as it once was, so the route isn't very visible. If it's dry, this section isn't difficult to cross.

We quickly entered Jou Baju at an altitude of about 1.050 meters . This is a small, circular glacial cirque where we saw the steep Camburero Couloir to our right. To ascend this couloir, it's best to stay to the right, towards the existing rock faces. At the start of the couloir, there's a spring where it's advisable to fill up, as although there are two further springs, they aren't easily located, and one of them is even obscured by debris. We climbed the couloir, which unfortunately was full of loose stones that had blocked the path, carried down by people descending the scree slopes. The journey from Bulnes to Jou Baju took just over an hour.

Near the end of the Camburero Canal is the spring of the same name, but it's practically covered by rockfall. We arrive at the Camburero mountain pasture, at about 1.300 meters . Here, you can still see the remains of old huts . This was a traditional grazing area for the residents of Bulnes, who spent the summer here with their livestock and made Cabrales cheese. There was a bar and guesthouse here (the first refuge built in the Picos de Europa mountains), which even had a bowling alley in front. It was in operation for about 15 years, until 1.935. That gives you an idea of ​​the number of people who might have stayed in this place. As an example, we can say that Bulnes now has about 20 inhabitants, but it once had a population of over 200. The Marquis of Villaviciosa and El Cainejo spent the nights of August 4th and 5th, 1904, in this mountain pasture of Camburero, when they made the first ascent of Picu Urriellu . The shepherds of Camburero gave them shelter and dinner. In this area, if we go quietly, it's not difficult to catch a glimpse of a herd of chamois or a lone individual.

Overlapping the Majada de Camburero We went up the Peña les Cuestes. On our left, next to the road, there is a well that served as a cave for the maturation of cheeses. It is known as the Friero Cave. It is currently abandoned. And immediately, if the weather accompanies, the magnificent and great vision of the Picu Urriellu (Naranjo de Bulnes) in all its splendor. The view of this mountain from this place is impressive, one of the most beautiful we can admire. His view will no longer abandon us in the whole journey to follow. To our right and under the walls of the Frailón a steep and loose stones road climbs. Slightly to our left and in a downward direction continues another that goes to the bottom of Jou Lluengu, which is the enormous valley that we have in front of us. If we go in summer, take the latter, the first is advisable only in winter or down from Urriellu.
The road through the Jou Lluengu is a succession of terraces with slight climbs that allow to advance without a strong physical wear, also, if we go in summer and we have early in the morning, we will be able to do almost the whole journey in full shade. At the end, the road climbs and passes through a narrow gorge: The Canal del Jou Lluengu, where there is an old fountain that is now out of use because the prevailing winds in the Vega de Urriellu drag a multitude of objects that accumulate in this narrowing and dirty their waters.

The path continues, now almost beneath the walls of the Picu Urriellu , which dwarfs us with its sheer size. In this area, it turns to the left, leaving us to our right with the entrance to a sinkhole belonging to the Torca Urriellu, over 1.000 meters deep. The Picu Urriellu itself is "only" 510 meters vertical on its western face.

Soon our route to join the road that comes from the Collado Pandébano and leads us immediately to the Vega de Urriellu where the Picu Urriellu or Naranjo de Bulnes and the shelter Julián Delgado Úbeda to 1.960 m. So far we will be walking about four hours from Bulnes. Although it should be taken into account that the schedules are relative, depending on the physical conditions of the people, the state of the terrain according to the climatic situation and the weight to carry, apart from the more or less deep knowledge of the route. The distance between Poncebos and Vega de Urriellu in a horizontal route does not reach the 9 kilometers.
The refuge, better known as La Vega de Urriellu, is at the foot of a fountain and consists of 96 squares. It is run by Tomás Fernández and is equipped with an emergency and telephone station: 985.92.52.00. There are meals, drinks and blankets. It is open all year round, although in winter it is advisable to inform yourself in advance by telephone. Given the huge influx of people who register in the area (who will not climb our route) it is very important to book in advance if we intend to spend the night in the refuge.

At the moment the camping ones in the National Park are being controlled and it is not allowed next to the refuges more than one 10% of the capacity of the same one. In this case, no more than 10 stores.

The Picu Urriellu, known since time immemorial by the neighbors of the area with the name of "El Picu" went on to acquire an undeserved fame as a murderous mountain through a series of accidents and attempts to conquer its west face in early winter of the 70 years. It was the media who, using their other name of Naranjo de Bulnes, brought it to the attention of the general public.
This name of Naranjo, of unknown origin, began to be used by the German geologist Guillermo Schulz. At present, this mountain is more known worldwide by this name than by the ancestral one of El Picu.

And to conclude, we record a phrase uttered by an old woman from Bulnes, now deceased: "Why do you call me Naranjo if I can't bear fruit? Call me Picu Urriellu, which is my natural name!"

Text and photo report: The House of the Chiflón