Half way up the pass of Piedrasluengas, which links Potes and the Valley of Liébana with Palencia and the interior, Pesaguero is just a tiny village but it has a lot to offer. For walkers and nature lovers it’s a superb location with Peña Sagra rising to nearly 2000m to one side and the Picos de Europa just nearby. It’s easy to spot deer, foxes and birds of prey right from the village and in the winter it has been known for bears to come down to forage.
Perhaps the social heart of the community is the hotel which has a very good restaurant serving local fare at very reasonable prices and a bar where you can sometimes hear the locals singing Cantabrian folk songs – like it or not!
Over the road is the Casa de la Naturaleza which forms an important part of the regional government’s network of visitor’s centres – this being the main one for the Cantabrian Picos and the Valley of Liébana. It houses an exposition showing the natural elements of the region and is the base for the official mountain guides of the National Parks network . The guides offer a series of guided walks throughout the summer click here and can always advise on itineraries etc for the independent walker.
For those who would like a more in-depth (or in-English) guide to the area, the village also plays host to Teresa Farino, author of the Sunflower Guide to the Picos de Europa. Teresa, who organizes guided walks for groups of all sizes, is without doubt the leading expert on the local flora and fauna – see our regular client Ian Monro’s blog for taste of what it’s all about or contact us for more details.
Stay with Casas Cantabricas in Pesaguero – we have two delightful small cottages POT12 & POT13 (with special rates for small parties up to two people) and a lovely country hotel with a pool HPES1
