I climbed the Pico Pierzo last Thursday, so I thought it was a good reason to mention this stunning walk in one of our most favourite areas: Ponga, just under an hours drive from the hotel.
The Pico Pierzu (1552 m.) is a pyramid shaped mountain in the Ponga mountain range, from which there are most spectacular 360ª views of the Picos de Europa, the Cantabrian coast and the Ponga Mountains.
The Ponga mountains from the Pico Pierzo
The area of Ponga was declared a Natural Park in 2003 and is characterized by its excellent level of conservation. Proof of this is the amount of surface area that is covered by mature forests, comprising 37 % of the territory. Ponga’s forests are considered so ecologically important that in the centre of the Park lies the Peloño Partial Nature Reserve, an extensive, continuous mass of beech forest.
An old yew tree in the foreground with beech forests from the Peloño forest in the background
From a geological point of view, Ponga Natural Park’s territory lies on the so-called "Ponga Unit" lying directly to the west of the Picos de Europa. The most notable structural feature in the Ponga unit is the existence of a series of over thrust faults, sinuous and winding due to the presence of folds, perpendicular to them
Many geologial faults in the "Ponga Unit" as seen from the summit.
The walk is fairly simple taking about 4 hours and involves a 500m climb. The first 2 kilometers are more or less flat along a track and then it is a continual climb along a ridge to its very definite summit with stunning views (weather providing) all the way.
Goats and walkers paradise!
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