Introduction Site list (GPS fixes) Walks (GPS tracks)  Video clips Panoramas Coordinates used Electronic projects:  Bat detector  Lamp tests  µ-controlled lamp  SEPIC-based lamp  ISP isolators  Making SMT boards Expedition logs:   Spain 1973, 1974,   1975, 1976, 1977,   1979, 1982, 1983,   1985, 1986, 1987,   1988, 1989, 2000,   2001, 2002, 2003,   2004, 2005, 2006,   2007, 2008, 2009,   2010, 2011, 2012,   2013, 2014, 2015,   2016, 2017, 2018,   2019, 2020, 2021,   2022, 2023   Mexico   New England Translation:  The Battle of  El Mazuco	Expedition log, Summer 2000 A summary and index of the Speleogroup logbook. Fuente Dé, Tinganón, Fuentica, etc. Click on, or tap, any image thumbnail for a full-size version. Date Activity 04.07 It is eleven years since the last Speleogroup expedition to Spain; we meet, as in the past, at Bilbao airport (15:47).  Just a few minutes later we set off west towards Castro on the new autovia (toll free!). Soon, a sign to Otañes beckons us into the Eucalyptus Forest and so to the bar for our first tinto in a long while.  Regular readers of these journals will recall that this road ought to lead to the famous Cueva del Sangazo filmed by OUCC in 1966.  Since then things have changed.  We are older.  And the countryside has been industrialized and holiday villas have been built.  “This looks promising”, said Bill.  “Yes that’s definitely the road”, said Bill.  “Let’s take that short cut”, said Bill. The short cut got narrower – no chance of turning – then became a backyard – and then finally a field.  At last a chance to turn around! The amused farmer set us in the right direction, which is: Take the road from Castro Urdiales up the hill towards Goriezo and then turn left down the road opposite the turning to Montealegre. This turning leads down to some (new) houses where it is possible to park.  Track on the right leads slightly up then left and down towards the head of the valley where the cave lies. Several athletic gate-vaults (and close shaves with barbed wire) caused not too much damage, and found us at the resurgence.  [See 2003 log for location, and local name of the cave: Lastrilla.] A short incursion tested our latest gadget – a 3-LED lamp – in the resurgence and almost out of daylight; we then visited the upper entrances – only to find them sealed with welded bars and a solidly padlocked gate.  But no insects! Honour satisfied, a dignified retreat was beat into Castro Urdiales, where we found the Hostal Vista Alegre for a very reasonable 6000pts/person/night. Tapas (fresh sardines) and menú (cocina montagnes, bonito, salmon) rounded out the day; back to the hotel after a wander around the streets. 05.07 Leisurely start, with much of the day spent driving west to Llanes, arriving in time for lunch (at Uría) 13:30. Tourist office moved to the tower four years ago. Afternoon spent refreshing memories of local places and roads – Pancar (El Retiro), Posada, Rales, Barro, and around the town in Llanes (Puerto Chico, El Brau).  Then located hotels (two needed as first fully booked after two days: Los Rocas for 2 nights, then Los Molinos. Dinner at “the first on the left in the tourist alley” (Rte. Colón). Mike suffering from effects of a bad cold caught in London.  Sun, then clouds and showers. 06.07 It’s Thursday, so with the promise of good weather (and the first tourist weekend of the season starting the following day), we decide to head for the high mountains.  So, off on the long drive (80 km +) to Fuente Dé. High Picos and blue sky By the time we got there (11:15) the last wisps of mist had cleared, and the queue for the Teleférico was gratifyingly short. [1300 pts each.] Hot and sunny at the bottom, but a strong breeze on alighting at the top – eliciting the Quote of the Day from Bill: “I’m glad I kept my trousers on!”. Perfect walking weather (though hard to keep hats on), so we set off on the track to the Refugio Áliva, arriving in time for some lunch.  Returned to the Teleférico via a different route; fantastic views on the way down.  Max altitude 1962 m. Roman Bridge at Cangas Set off back north, with short stops at Bejes and La Hermida (at the latter, the base for the 1973 expedition, the bar seemed to have been completely rebuilt) and on to Panes.  Then west along the Cares to Arenas and Cangas (with a stop in Cangas to view the ‘Roman’ Bridge, right). It being about dinner time, we decided to check out the menú del día at an old haunt – San Remo in Arriondas – only to find the restaurant has now been replaced by a bus station.  Not an improvement! Thwarted, we continue on to Ribadesella, where we had good hake for 1000 pts as part of the menú del día at Rte. Las Vegas; an English couple sitting nearby provided amusement.  Finally – back to Llanes. 07.07 Tinganon saddle Our last breakfast at Las Rocas at 09:00, then we loaded up the car with luggage and off down the “Autovia” 28 km to Llovio.  The old road to the Tinganón farm had been blocked by the autovia dual carriageway (doble calzadas), so a new route had to be found. We greeted the farmer and proceeded up the meadow towards the stream. Greeted a couple of Spanish ramblers.  It took about another 30 minutes of easy but sweaty walking to arrive at the always impressive lower entrance to Tinganón, at 11:30 (total walk time 45 minutes). At first we decided, in true novice fashion, not to get our feet wet.  But after risking life and limb on very minor climbs around the pools in the narrow sections of the streamway, Bill followed Mike’s example of wading into the water.  This made things much easier – and also regulated the temperature. Bill in Tinganon At the top entrance Bill removed the batteries from his 3-LED torch to power the camera.  Took photos of enormous stalagmite > 4m high. After the inlet we descended the other tributary making a round trip. Much easier descending! After 1½ hours in the cave we met the ramblers at the lower entrance. Now for the second through trip of the day! Off to Las Cuevas where we drove through La Cuevona before lunch at Mesón Miño in Ribadesella (Fabada and Merluza a la Romana menú) 1000pts each – excellent quality and value. A lazy afternoon, then dinner at Rte. Muelles (next to the bridge) which has been transformed ‘up-market’ with an extensive wine list and regional dishes.  We had escallopines de venada (thin veal in a light batter with mushrooms and cream sauce), washed down with Pesquera.  Very good – although sadly it no longer serves the area’s best flan. 08.07 Festering day.  Not quite.  After a social call to Tony at Rales we drove up to El Mazuco for photos.  New bar. Parade in Meré Then headed south to Meré where fiesta was being planned.  Very loud bagpipe music, and traditional costumes, etc. Lunch near Cuevas del Mar.  Bonito for Bill and tenera for Mike.  Explored the sea caves, although they were not very exciting. Dinner at Carura (approx. midway between the Pancar and southerly routes out of Llanes).  Paella w/seafood. 09.07 After our usual leisurely breakfast at Bitácora we set off for Rales.  We parked just beyond the church and proceeded up the track to Fuentica at 12:15.  A hot & dry day. Rales village & peak Progress in the cave was simplified by the lack of the two “squalid pools” which would otherwise have obliged us to get our feet wet almost immediately.  Instead we proceeded unhindered down the streamway (dry) and then climbed above to the dried-out gour pool passage. We put a sling down for the climb.  Bill slid down the mud slope somewhat out of control.  Tiptoeing round the wet streamway (upstream) was not practical.  Nothing for it but to wade through the clear water (kicking up mud).  Deep water forced a retreat in sight of the pitch. On return we had difficulty identifying the dry passage which leads to the downstream chambers.  Disappointed we made our exit after about 90 minutes in the cave; Mike nursing an impaled rib (in his back, this time) which met a sharp rock while negotiating a small climb on the side exploration. Lunch, after a shower, in Restaurante Covadonga.  Lomo con patatas. After the strenuous caving, we planned to reward ourselves with dinner at El Horno at Buelna, but it was closed and for sale! So we returned to El Retiro for anchoas [a mistake: we’d expected fresh grilled anchovies, instead got salted (Llanes) anchovies – good but impossible to eat more than 10% of the plate], chipirones, patatas bravas, ½ tabla de embutidos (cooked meats).  Rain at night. 10.07 Woke up to downpour and heavy clouds.  The plan was to walk up to Pozu de Vega el Forcau (see 1976), so we drove up to the lakes (Lagos Enol & Ercina) in the hope that the weather would be better up there. Lago Ercina in mist It wasn’t, and the clouds were still above us yet were well below Forcau altitude, so retreated after a quick photo and tinto at the bar, which is unchanged since the 1970s. Many other changes at the lakes, however: no camping allowed at Ercina new paved paths and a nature trail through the gruffy ground the Refugio (of trout and bacon fame) now closed huge new carpark at Enol new building complex almost complete at Enol (a new Refugio?). Back down the hill to Covadonga and then to Ribadesella (Mesón Miño again) for another good 1000 pts. menú.  Back to Llanes and eventually to Bar Pinín for a beer and to write up the log. Mike followed this with a long walk west along the cliffs past the ruins of an old watch(?) tower. Dinner at Rte. Uría.  Truchas for Bill, who has been feeling unwell since the previous evening’s meal; Mike found Chuletillas de Lechazo delicious. 11.07 The plan – to visit Cueva Pindal – was almost immediately thwarted by a massive traffic jam on the autovia. The bypass would have been about 100km detour inland, so instead we headed for Camarmeña via Arenas, Cares Gorge hike at the start of the Cares Gorge hike to Caín.  We were there just early enough (10:15) to turn the car and park conveniently. Almost an hour of ascent in breathtaking scenery brought us to the highest point of the hike (thereafter it is almost flat, following the canal) but the clouds and rain were closing in so we declared moral victory and returned to the car. Next we took the road up to Sotres (again, spectacular scenery) which now has at least 4 bars. A cerveza was much appreciated. Back to Arenas for lunch. Chicken soup for the ailing Bill, truchas for Mike – a bit disappointing.  Wandered around the shops of Arenas but managed to avoid the temptations of cow bells, etc. On the way back to Llanes, stopped to explore a promising cave by the road (📌, visible from lower down the hill).  Probably once an archaeological site; dry and flat inside, and a “view to die for” from the entrance.  Mike explores (it didn’t go) and after some scrambling eventually gets back to the car, only to discover that he was not alone in the cave, and for the first time in 32 years had picked up dozens of biting ‘friends’, who were obviously missing their goats.  First attempts to dislodge them, at the Rales spring, failed.  Back to the hotel, where full submersion in hot water eventually eradicated them, except for one or two lurking in Bill’s car... Dinner at Siete Puertas – a new Llanes restaurant near (and associated with) Rte. Covadonga. Comfortable, if a little touristy.  More interesting menú del día than some: sardinas, mushrooms in garlic, etc.  Followed by a general walk around the beaches to watch the surf, etc. 12.07 Porrúa Hórreo The plan was to do Pozo del Infierno but Bill still feeling very ill and went back to bed after breakfast.  Mike explored the perimeter of the town in pleasant weather, did some shopping, etc.  Bill reappeared briefly to watch Mike eat lunch, then retired again until 17:00 when we went to the new Ethnographic museum in Porrúa (which opened on Monday).  Many old artifacts – mostly from the 1930s and 1940s – plus photographs, documents, etc., and a partially reconstructed granary. Dinner at Muelle again – not as good as the first time.  Tinto at Playa de Toró now 50 pts (20p) in the afternoon. 13.07 After a quick trip to Porrúa for photos, we set off east at 10:30.  Laredo looked boring so we continued directly to Castro Urdiales and our pre-book hostal, Vista Alegre.  Lunch was menú del día, and Bill actually ate both courses! After a brief siesta we went to check out Sangazo again; specifically we wanted to know whether the Sangazo stream exit is accessible. Alas deep water forced a retreat without resolving the issue. So off for a drive up the Guriezo road to look for Cueva de la Penilla (Cubilla), the sink for the Sangazo resurgence explored by OUCC in the mid 1960s. Bill remembered some abortive search he had spent 15 years earlier. It was not in the first (small) depression beyond the col.  The second depression (valley?) seemed vast and a dry road track beckoned. We noticed and followed a suggestive cliff face, some 60–70m high! Out of the car we heard water, and we followed the easy path down to a classic cave entrance.  Ignoring the wet but penetrable sink we continued down the flood streamway into a dry cave, and out of sight of daylight, as far as seemed reasonable in everyday clothes. Water could be heard again.  Classic in all respects – must return to explore completely.  Driving along the cliff afterwards we noted several runoffs from shale into the limestone above the cave – so higher-level passages likely. Back to Castro for an excellent expedition dinner of sole, in the corner of the Castro square (where bagpipes were being exercised), by the port. 14.07 Other than a missing sign for the airport, an uneventful drive to the new Bilbao airport. ’plane left on time (unlike Brussels → Birmingham, two hours late) so Mike made it home (followed by his caving gear, two days later). A new motorway to Bilbao airport is under construction and should open shortly. Personnel: Bill Collis & Mike Cowlishaw. Other log details: Exchange rate 180-ish pesetas/GBP. Hotels: Castro 6000pts/night, Las Rocas 6000-8000, Los Molinos 7000.

Expeditions to the Picos de Europa and elsewhere since 1973. Please e-mail Mike Cowlishaw (mfc@speleogroup.org) if you have any corrections, suggestions, etc.   See also the SpeleoTrove speleology section ».
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