We had a substantial step-up from the minibus as it drove us beyond Tielve to start the walk. The route was a simple loop to the head of the valley and back via the village of Sotres, reputedly the highest permanent settlement in the Picos de Europa. It is a prominent centre for the production of traditional Cabrales veined cheese and, even as a vegan, I jumped at the chance to see inside a cave when we had a chance meeting with a producer.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipZsplzg3pqIV8efxFWb4Dr6CzzJNxguNJcBSAxyZ4wOJFiQIX3Q07iRONxcs0sld1M3qbvQ00_JDXItVBfIhlt4A0go2JgABvmRcc-SD73NLxxcmx_Y6w9lcsSAtM9lXO5ZckblOQng/s1600/P1000773.JPG) |
Cheese maturing at a not very secret location |
Even with the mechanised ascent and our walking it was a fairly low-level day passing through meadows and then onto moors that could have been in North Yorkshire.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEhurKkSdMnxn1-IzzJrmzT73jev7aJXwkKgkIUCjqeQrcy6Fjmlpyy8nsdKL4lwDoNDInCGpEKFT7hBhxzHFTsIXTO43LtUTFPw2msTqn6qsWum1e1bcPfBEvxN1tVGQIVSbUBNkYwg/s1600/P1000785.JPG) |
Gorse and heather |
We descended through farmsteads that looked ancient apart from the satellite TV dishes mounted below the solar panels. On a path off the major route we passed below a crag on which a griffin vulture was perched. he birds are very common in the Picos but not readily photographed with a compact camera usually.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicQOis4SsRc_Xx7Otk_K3Nn6kcDwGmw_FceH0dnsNCZr0hExdnFePq_3HVqoc-jdFryd4JY2207uh8F0M1BaC43tqovLp-HCLUIy42Pdo9CROGEI5nLeKPH775RSjZL7UL9nnZf3-UJg/s1600/P1000789+(1).JPG) |
A very distinctive silhouette |
Todays walk: 13.6km 900m
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