The best hiking routes in Paisaje Protegido de Covalagua

Paisaje Protegido de Covalagua is a limestone karst landscape in the north of the Palencia province, characterized by steep cliffs, sinkholes, and cave systems. Unlike the high, jagged peaks of the nearby Cantabrian Mountains, this area is a high limestone moorland plateau, known as a lora, where water has carved deep recesses into the rock over millennia. Walkers will find a stark contrast between the dry, scrubby Mediterranean vegetation on the exposed limestone flats and the humid, shady deciduous woods that cling to the steep-sided ravines.

Underfoot, the terrain alternates between rough, stony limestone tracks that require sturdy footwear and softer dirt paths through beech and oak groves. The defining feature of the reserve is the Cueva de los Franceses, a subterranean cave system, and the nearby Pozo de los Cunqueiros, where water resurges from the rock. The paths are generally clear, but the karst terrain means that surface water is scarce on the high plateaus, while the valleys are lush and green.

This reserve is best suited for those who appreciate geological formations and quiet, wooded ravines rather than expansive alpine meadows. While the area around the cave entrance and the main viewpoint can be busy with visitors in July and August, the walking trails across the limestone pavement and through the quieter valleys remain largely uncrowded.