| 1. Day 11 of our charity bike ride to the Picos de Europa Mountains in northern Spain. For more info see www.picosriders.org.uk
The previous day we went down the Saja valley to the coast, today we follow the Rio Saja up into the mountains, over the top to and down to Fontibre (please note that the map and distance only cover the one way journey. For the round trip back to Renedo the distance and time etc will be doubled. The details below cover the full round trip.)
Leaving Renedo, head south on the CA280. After about 3k you pass the hamlet of Fresneda. Now the climb begins! It is 22k to the Puerto de la Palombera. This mountain pass is at 1260 Mtrs, but then it is a long down hill to Espinilla. Exit east on the CA822 and it is only about 5k to Fontibre.
Why visit Fontibre? Here is the source of the Rio Ebro, the river from which the ancient people, the Iberians, and the Iberian peninsular were named.
The return to Renedo has a shorter, 6k climb back from Espinilla up to the Puerto de la Palombera, and a great 14k free wheel down the other side, for our last night at Renedo and the Posada el Urogallo. |