San Vicente de la Barquera - Monasterio de Santo Toribio de Liébana. 15. september - 17. september 2023 (2 days), distance: 78.1km (149.7km).
With the Picos de Europa as backdrop, the Camino Lebaniego is a small Camino in terms of distance, measuring about 65km. It starts from the old fishing town of San Vicente de la Barquera on the North coast of Spain. The existence and goal of this Camino is the Monasterio de Santo Toribio de Liébana. Together with Rome, Jerusalem, Caravaca de la Cruz and Santiago de Compostela, this is one of the places in Roman Catholicism that has the privilege of issuing perpetual indulgences. Its main relic is a part of the Lignum Crucis (True Cross), which is also believed to be the largest remaining piece.
On the Camino del Norte towards Serdio.
Senda Fluvial del Nansa, Central hidroeléctrica de Trascudia.
I had not felt it to be too crowded by other pilgrims on the two days on the Norte, it then came as a small surprise to feel slightly overwhelmed by the number of pilgrims on the Lebaniego. It had turned out that this Saturday was another public holiday in Cantabria, meaning they had the day off on Friday. Given that 2023 and 2024 also is an Anno Jubilee for the Lebaniego, lots of people had found it the perfect time for a walk. As a result, all the accommodations were fully booked (the albergue in Cades is now closed and the village was all quiet and solemn when I passed through it), but in the end I got lucky and managed to secure a bed in the public albergue in Cicera.
Ruins of the Ermita de San Pedro (Otero).
View from the road towards Quintanilla after Cades.
With the peaks of the Picos de Europa behind, the Norte and Lebaniego are sharing the way until they split shortly after the small village of Serdio. The first steps into the heart of the mountains however follows the lovely river walk of the Senda Fluvial del Nansa. Be aware that there is an option to continue to follow the river about five kilometres before Cades instead of going over the hill, which is where the official route goes. I was warned beforehand that the route next to river was particularly cumbersome and involved some strenuous sections involving light climbing, I went for the official route.
Mountain farms between La Fuente and Cicera.
Approaching Cicera with a thunderstorm crossing over the mountains in the horizon.
I cross over from La Fuente to Cicera as a thunderstorm is crossing over the limestone peaks in the horizon towards me. As always is a thunderstorm a mighty view to behold and just as I stepped into the doors of the albergue, the rain started to pour down outside.
Descent towards Lebeña.
Lebeña.
From Cicera, the Camino Lebaniego climbs steeply up through woods before views are opening up, revealing that what comes up must come down is true for pilgrims as well. Spectacular views lead to a walk down to the Iglesia de Santa María de Lebeña, dating back to the 9th century and related to the Monasterio de Santo Toribio de Liébana.
Iglesia de Santa María de Lebeña.
The alternative path going next to the Rio Rubejo.
The ensuing section is one of the highlights of the Lebaniego, climbing up to the village of Cabañes, with a choice of going either by the path next to the Río Rubejo River or higher up the hills above. The views are splendidly dominated by the Picos de Europa with the Peña Ventosa the most significant peak. A recommended detour is to walk out to the Corral de los Moros, providing stunning views back towards the mountain where the Camino came down from and down into the valley below including the church of Lebeña.
View from Cabañes, Peña Ventosa the prominent peak in the horizon.
Stunning views from Corral de los Moros, Lebeña below.
After the descent, the Camino follows the bottom of the valley all the way to Potes. An interesting and quite beautiful town unknown to me up to this point, featuring nice narrow alleys, a river running through it with a walk of history next to it, and the attraction of several tourists each year. I eat dinner together with Marcel, a pilgrim from Switzerland whom I met earlier on the pilgrimage and in the evening the fiesta is providing entertainment for the eyes and ears.
Potes.
On the riverwalk next to the Rio Quiviesa in Potes.
At the Monasterio de Santo Toribio de Liébana, I meet Petra again. She had changed her mind after hearing about my plans. I attend the pilgrim mass, then climb up to the top of the Montes de Viernas with great views of the mountains and landscape at the end of the Camino Lebaniego, ending the day with a dinner together with Petra in Potes.
Monasterio de Santo Toribio de Liébana.
Montes de Viernas.
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