Travesía Pireno-Cantábrica connects Pyrenean High Route (HRP), Alta Ruta Cantábrica and Camino de Santiago, with a clear vocation of visiting the most scenic and valuable spots.
It starts in Cap de Creus, the easternmost cape of the Iberian Peninsula. After a stretch near the Mediterranean sea, it ascends to the Pyrenean ridge. When it becomes too narrow and rocky to be hiked, the route follows valleys and passes.
Anyway, the goal is always to connect the most beautiful landscapes near the Pyrenean water divide: impressive summits, glaciers, meandering rivers through green valleys, alpine lakes... all that things that make the Pyrenee a hiking paradise.
After Orhi peak, the last 2000m Pyrenean summit, mountains get smaller and are easier to thru-hike. In Roncesvalles it starts to follow the Alta Ruta Cantábrica route, initially by crossing the Basque mountains, which reach 1500m and are composed of very popular hiking massifs as Aralar, Aizkorri, Anboto, Gorbea and Sálvada.
After Reinosa, the route reaches again 2000m. The Cantabrian-Mediterranean water divide is followed, with exceptions to visit some must-see treasures as Picos de Europa rocky mountains or Cares Gorge Trail. Out of this popular areas, trails are usually more followed by wildlife than people. Some of this animals can be as unique as Cantabrian capercaillies, broom hares, Iberian wolfs, grey partridges and of course, Cantabrian brown bears.
This feelings of solitude and wilderness, make completing this thru-hike a pleasant exploring adventure experience. Curiously in the same time, Cordillera Cantábrica mountain range is intimately linked with humans and traditional cattle management culture, being teitos (ancient huts) or transhumance, good examples still today.
To finish, there is the possibility to join Camino de Santiago and reach Finisterre, the end of the world in the Roman epoch.
