Magical Cantabria: a walk through the Tina Menor

Splendidly comfortable, for travelers who wish to travel the Cantabrian Coast from one end to the other, the Cantabrian Highway, which runs parallel to its rugged coastline, is an essential communication reference and, at the same time, necessary to connect with those beautiful and charismatic places that always invite us to dream when we see them appear through the windows of the vehicle in which we drive.

On this new walk through Cantabria, which I propose, we leave behind the impressive scenery of the Costa Quebrada de Liencres and take the Cantabrian Highway, heading west -as pilgrims do on their initial journey to Santiago de Compostela and even beyond. , towards the ends of the world, such as the solitudes of Cape Finisterres- we are approaching, in barely forty kilometers, towards Val de San Vicente and the border with another community, as magical as Cantabria: Asturias.

On our journey -later on, we will have the opportunity to go back to visit them more calmly- we will leave behind unique towns, such as Comillas, Santillana del Mar and the seaside resort of San Vicente de la Barquera and just past the latter, when to our left we see, silhouetted against the horizon by the impressive stone mass of that metaphorical sleeping giant, the Picos de Europa, we head to our right, in the direction of Val de San Vicente, Pesués and Unquera.

In fact, driving along the superb viaduct, we already see to our right that small, but marvelous peninsula, which forms the mouth of the Nansa River with the Cantabrian Sea and which makes us want to leave the hostilities added to all traffic, park the vehicle and enjoy ourselves. with one of the most charming places in this peculiar area, above all, because from here, we have access to several places, not exempt, at all, of beauty and interest.

On the one hand, we can take the direction of Pesués and Pechón, which takes us, in the latter case, through places of singular beauty, especially through the dense forests that end at the steep cliffs or, on the contrary, we can take the direction of Unquera, Potes and that impressive gorge of La Hermida, which, following the route of such emblematic rivers, such as the Cares or the Deva, will fully introduce us to that majestic wonder that is the Picos de Europa.

But, on this occasion, we will not do one thing or the other, but instead, we will park the vehicle in the small car park that is just past the small bridge and we will enjoy ourselves with this small peninsula, breathing, with gusto, that penetrating smell of saltpeter and forest, which will also invite us to contemplate, to appreciate the small but beautiful details that we have before our eyes and to think of a thousand and one adventures.

Perhaps it is good to add that the pilgrim roads also pass through here, either heading along the coast towards Galician lands, entering through Lugo to join the so-called English Way or, on the contrary, crossing Lugo and reaching A Coruña lands at the height of Melide -leaving behind such emblematic places as the Castelo de Pambre, the ninfeo of Santa Eulalia de Bóveda or the mysterious monastery of Vilar de Donas- or, heading, precisely towards that heart of the Picos de Europa, which is the region known such as La Liébana -Lebanensis itinerary- and its monastery of Santo Toribio, with its Puerta del Perdón and where one of the largest fragments of the Vera Cruz is venerated.

In the vicinity of the Tina Menor, there are also two important prehistoric landmarks, such as the famous Chufín and Soplao caves, details of which it can be assumed that increase the interest of the trip, as they remind that these places and their corresponding itineraries, figured within the spiritual paths of humanity.

On the shores of the Tina Menor, there are small horticultural settlements and even a few hotels and restaurants, on the banks of which numerous boats of different types and models offer sea and adventure lovers the attractions of sailing and the possibility of being able to contemplate the details of this singular peninsula, from another perspective.

There are also small restaurants, where you can regain strength and let yourself be carried away by the magic that these places have, so special and so expensive to find today, where it seems that time, after all, has wanted to stop to recover the breath that always provides a moment of reverie.

NOTICE: Both the text and the photographs that accompany it, as well as the video that illustrates it, are my exclusive intellectual property and, therefore, are subject to my Copyright.

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