The Ruta Del Cares is a super popular hiking trail in northern Spain. At one end is the tiny village of Poncebos in Asturias, and at the other end is a very quaint village called Caín in Castille and León. The route follows the River Cares through its immense gorge and is a favored trail by local hikers and visitors. The views of the powerful glacial river rushing through the valley and the impressive peaks above you are truly spell-binding. If you enjoy hiking and want to plan a trip to northern Spain then this route is well worth seeking out. Here’s some more information to help prepare you best to take on this exciting feat.
If You Want to Walk it All, Set Aside a Whole Day
Walking from one end to the other takes around 3-4 hours. If you only want to walk one way, then you can book lifts back to your start point, but this needs to be decided before setting off. Walking there and back again in one day is more than doable, you just need to leave enough time and pace yourself well.
Choose Which End to Start at
This is a long route, evidenced by the fact it crosses from one region of Spain to another. As such, it’s a good idea to do some research to decide whether you’d rather start in Poncebos or Caín. Starting in Poncebos means you’ll be walking uphill all the way, but if you walk back then you’ll have the gentle downhill route to look forward to.