Lakes of Covadonga

Enol and Ercina lie at about 1,100 metres in the western massif of the Picos de Europa, glacial lakes in high pasture grazed by cattle whose milk goes into Asturian cheeses, with the mountains rising behind. They were the original core of the Picos de Europa national park, created in 1918; Ercina covers about eight hectares and is barely more than two metres deep, and every 8 September an image of the Virgin kept under the water of Enol is raised for a procession. Below them, Covadonga holds a cave shrine and a nineteenth-century pink limestone basilica marking the battle of around 722 in which Pelayo defeated a Muslim force, conventionally taken as the beginning of the Reconquest and the founding of the Asturian kingdom. The narrow road up from Covadonga climbs steeply in hairpins, and because visitor numbers overwhelmed it, private cars are barred in high season and at weekends, with a paid shuttle running from car parks below.

What's there

• Enol and Ercina - two glacial lakes in high grazing pasture.
• The Covadonga sanctuary - a cave shrine and pink basilica below.
• The grazing herds - cattle whose milk supplies Asturian cheese.
• The Picos backdrop - the western massif rising behind the lakes.

When to go

June to September for clear roads and open weather; the lakes are frequently in cloud, which is the single biggest disappointment for visitors. Winter closes the road in snow. Shuttle operation runs at Easter, in summer and at weekends.

Things to know

Private cars are barred during the busiest periods and the shuttle must be used, with queues. Cloud and rain are very frequent at this altitude on the Atlantic side, and the lakes are often invisible. Parking below fills early.

Nearby

Covadonga is below; Cangas de Onis and the Cares gorge lie west and south.

Key facts