Countdown to Picos

[Bierzo Baggie]

5. Canal de Dobresengos

Best of luck on Saturday, BB. Take it easy!

Thanks Antonio…I will, I promise.

Are you sure you've told Mrs. BB about this race - I mean in all its glorious detail?

Errr, yes and no.
I haven’t exactly told any fibs but I haven’t shown Mrs BB any photos like the one below either. The endless red line traces part of the longest, nastiest, hilliest bit and it’s called the Canal de Dobresengos. It comes immediately after passing through Caín (460m) where I’m told a grandson of El Cainejo still lives (the one that survived the rock jumping and the ram gorings). This climb takes us up to the Horcada de Caín at 2344m but it’s not the long haul upwards that worries me most but the descent that precedes it.

Last Sunday I had one final opportunity to test my footing on the terrain. I chose Peña Ubiña on the León/ Asturias border because setting out early I can get there, bag the peak and get back home all in a morning. It also offers the same blend of porous rocky limestone and grassy meadows which I expect to find in Picos. In fact from the summit you can even see Picos in the distance on a clear day.

It was a wonderful morning, hot, sunny, windy up top and misty in the valleys. The views were spectacular and at times I thought that this must be what high alpine meadows in Switzerland must look like. There were millions of flowers, semi-wild horses sharing the pastures with the local cows and mushrooms the size of dustbin lids. There were also lots of craggy, knee-jarring rocky sections and occasionally I had to use my hands. Nothing on the scale of the Naranjo de Bulnes though.. but enough to test my head for heights and reassure me that I was within my limits. Photos here…

Still dithering over the subject of footwear. Wore some new boots up Peña Ubiña. They were great for stability and my dodgy ankle was well protected but on the descent my feet heated up and almost caught fire. It looks like I’ll have to do it in trail runners (like everybody else) but I’m not altogether happy about it.

No more posts from me.
Picos de Europa here I come…