Parking in Canales
The route takes us from the village of Canales to Collau los Buitres. The village of Canales is reached from the top of Las Estazadas. Just when the road towards Carreña overlooks the gorge of the river Casaño.
A little after starting the ascent we find the Alda mines. In them began to exploit copper in the Bronze Age The Romans also left their mark here. In the 19th century it had an important, although irregular, activity. In the early twentieth century it passed into the hands of the British vice-consul in Bilbao Jaime Innes Reid, and after his death, to his sons, Jhon Hugo Luis and Jessie-Delphine, from whom it received the name of Delfina mine, although in the place it is known as the mine of Alda or La Minona.
After a period of abandonment in 1953 companies of Spanish origin put it into operation until 1958 when it was abandoned again.
The hopper and the derrick, still remain standing, after surviving an attempt of demolition in the 90s of the twentieth century.
The route runs at the foot of the Picos de Europa and offers spectacular views of both the Picos and the Sierra del Cuera and occasionally the sea, which is shown at the bottom of a gorge.
Our walk passes through a typical cheesemaking landscape, with abundant pastures that feed the milk-producing cows, and the karst relief provides plenty of caves where the cheese matures
We cross several sheepfolds and when we reach the collau de los Buitres we look out over the gorge of the river Casaño, whose slope we descend again to the village of Canales.
We will see the village of Canales
Collau de los Buitres
We will see the gorge of the river Casaño, whose slope we descend again to the village of Canales.