Heading for the Hills

[Mac]

I'm writing this by the Invernales de Panizales, an upland wintering
area for stock high above the village of Beges, which is in turn high
above La Hermida, where I'm staying.

The sun has just emerged from the rain clouds to light up the roughly-
tiled stone barns which dot the small green mountain pastures. A
shepherd on a motorbike comes up the steep corrugated concrete track,
a dog puffing a long way behind. And another, a long, long way
behind. It's sheep and cattle country, just like home; it's best to
be a bit careful of the cattle, which have large horns, and seem a bit
jumpy.

I'm in the eastern Picos de Europa. The huge cliffs to the northwest
hide the village of Tresviso, a very few kilometres away but totally
inaccessible from here, beyond the deep gash of the Cañon de Urdon. I
hope to be there in a few days, but from the other side of the Picos.
It's slip and slide back down to Bejes now, then down the road to La
Hermida. The shepherd is whistling and shouting at his dogs, like
shepherds the world over, but they seem a bit reluctant. No wonder.

The guidebook says that La Hermida never sees the sun between October
and April; this is nonsense - it must have enjoyed several hours
today. The vertical sides of the Desfiladero de La Hermida just opens
enough here to admit the insertion of this small pueblo, but once
darkness falls there is no sense of being hemmed in by mountains.

The Teleferico
With a short diversion to closely examine (and be invited to kiss) the
largest existing fragment of the True Cross, I am now sitting in the
snow on a knoll above the top station of the Fuente De teleferico, the
longest single stretch cable car in Europe (is this still true?). All
this snow (up to my knees in places on some parts of the path) has
fallen very recently: tiny Narcissus asturiensis, only 1cm high, dot
the few bare patches. The clouds drifting across the high peaks send
down a persistent fine hail, but the magnificent views across the
valley to the south are still there. There are quite a lot of people
around - not surprising, given a reasonably sunny Sunday morning (I
have again lost all faith in weather forecasts - there's not much left
to have faith in).It's surprising how ill-equipped are some of those
striking out along the mountain path; even a few mountain bikers are
struggling through the snow.

Back down in Potes, the largest town of the region, the climate is
very different: spring is in full swing, and while the tourist season
still has to catch up, there are quite a few around, and Potes is
ready and fully stocked up. I've just found an internet place, so as
it's likely to be the only one for a while, I'll get this sent before
heading west out of town.

¡Hasta la proxima! (No sé cuando)

Mac