The route of the flocks

Latitude: 43.2760811 Length: -4.9869776
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The Los Lagos-Ostón-Poncebos route , this may be the quickest way to summarize a mountain route in which we will spend practically the whole day, between 7 and 8 hours in duration, so in addition to the weather permitting, we must be physically prepared to face the excursion.

We can also do this tour with an official guide and transportation to Los Lagos de Covadonga, hiring the following activity.

Ascent to the Lakes and guided route

55€

person

Water, nature, fun, and sport for everyone: children, adults, and pets. A fun and sporting experience already enjoyed by millions… Read more

On our way, in addition to admiring the landscape of the mountain pastures, we connect with another long-distance route: The Reconquista Route , so called because, according to the prestigious historian D. Claudio Sánchez Albornoz, the Arabs defeated in the battle of Covadonga fled along it.

During our hike, we witnessed firsthand (gazing out from the natural viewpoints this route offers) the challenging terrain faced by the defeated Muslim troops. The fleeing army encountered the Cares River gorge, which separates the Cornión massif from the Central Massif. It was a harrowing moment, like a dead end. A deep ravine blocked their path. Chroniclers recount that, using shepherds as their makeshift guides, they managed to descend from the Ostón mountain pastures via the Culiembro Canal.

We will pass through there.

We start the route

Once at the Lakes, we left the car in the Buferrera parking lot and took the path that leads to Lake Ercina. We descended to the La Texa spring and the first of the mountain pastures we encountered along the way: the La Llomba pasture . We continued along the route and soon reached the Belbín pasture , a wide and beautiful meadow dotted with perfectly restored cabins where Gamoneu cheese, specifically the "Gamoneu del Puertu" variety, is made and matured.

A sense of stillness and tranquility envelops us, knowing that we are treading on land belonging exclusively to shepherds and their flocks. We also feel like intruders who might disrupt an ancient balance.

The Majadas are all publicly owned and managed by the shepherds themselves, who have formed and organized their own governing bodies. These Majadas are like tiny villages, inhabited only during the summer, creating a deeply humanized landscape . The cabins are enclosed by stone walls, and the sounds of cows mooing, dogs barking as they herd goats, cowbells clanging, and shepherds calling their flocks fill the air.

We were in Belbín. A little further on, we passed another smaller mountain pasture on the side of the path: La Güelga , and after a steep climb, we arrived at the Parres pasture . Charming. We continued climbing and after a while, we entered the Arnaedo pasture, where there is a magnificent spring to refill our water bottles and refresh ourselves.

Alternative route “Las Majadas del Cornión”

From the Arnaedo mountain pasture, we can take an alternative route, turning our itinerary into a circular journey towards the Bobias mountain pasture and from there to Lake Ercina and the Buferrera area, where we started. This circular option is actually known as the Cornión Mountain Pasture Route , and it can be completed in about 6 hours to cover the total 13 kilometers (Buferrera – Belbín Mountain Pasture – Parres Mountain Pasture – Arnaedo Mountain Pasture – Bobias Mountain Pasture – Lake Ercina – Buferrera).

If we continue with our initial idea of ​​completing the entire Ruta de las Majadas, the itinerary is linear and only one way to Poncebos. A route that becomes much harder, reaching 30 kilometers and approaching 10 hours of walking.

Complete route of the Majadas

We had been walking for about two hours at the Arnaedo mountain pasture . We reached the Sierra Buena Pass (1.400 meters), the highest point of our route. From here, we enjoyed magnificent panoramic views of the central massif of the Picos de Europa, with its highest peak, Torrecerredo, and Pico Cabrones to its left.

We continued along the route and soon spotted the majestic Vega Maor . We ventured into it; it's much larger than it appeared from a distance. We crossed the deep meadow and at the end found the mountain pasture that bears its name. From here, the descent is relentless and takes us directly to the famous Ostón mountain pasture , situated in an incomparable location and one of the highlights of our hike. With its cabins built on a kind of hanging crag, it resembles a miniature Machu Picchu. A terrace or plateau with an elegant prow, called the Pica de Ostón, which we climbed in just ten minutes, offers an unbeatable vantage point overlooking the Cares Gorge.

The view of the towering peaks of the Urrieles is no less breathtaking. Enjoying a meal in this magnificent spot is truly comforting. Nearby, there's a spring where you can refill your water bottles. The spring isn't actually in Ostón, but in Valdelafuente , about 7 minutes from the mountain pasture, to its left; the cattle trails lead to it.

After a well-deserved rest in this idyllic spot, after feasting our eyes on the panoramic views from its 970-meter altitude, it's time to descend the famous Culiembro Gully . A long, zigzagging descent leads us to the Culiembro mountain pasture and puts our tired legs to the test. A few meters below the pasture, we reach Puente Pando, over the Cares River. After crossing it, we join the renowned Cares Trail . To the left, we continue towards Poncebos. In the other direction, we would reach Caín.

We still had about five kilometers to go to Poncebos , with the climb to the mountain passes as the "final touch" of our unforgettable and strenuous excursion.

The route can also be done in reverse , starting from Poncebos and ending at Lake Ercina. In both directions, it's best to arrange for transport to be waiting at the end of the journey, either in Poncebos or at the Buferrera parking area.