A “Walking Holiday” in the Picos de Europa, Northern Spain
Enjoy a week long mountain hiking tour from town to town in the beautiful Cantabrian Mountains of northern Spain, i.e., the Picos de Europa. All your gear is transported from hotel to hotel, so all you carry is a day pack. Also provided are comfortable hotel accommodations, local transportation, outstanding food and wine, and excellent company. The Picos de Europa are the western extension of the Pyrenees mountain chain. Although lesser known, they are spectacular in their own right, ranging from rugged and alpine to deep limestone canyons, and almost always within sight of the Bay of Biscay to the north. This tour is ranked as "Level 2", which means about "5-7 hr walks. Paths generally good but may be steep in parts. Height gain between 300 and 600 m (i.e., 900-1800 ft). Averages 400 m (1200 ft). Distances between 12-18 km (7-11 mi)." In my experience, the walking pace is comfortable and everybody regardless of experience, was able to keep up.
The hiking tour is organized by Pico Verde walking holidays www.picoverde.com, a small independent company based jointly in northern Spain, and near Manchester, England. Tour guides are Kate Threadgold and Barry Daniel, who are both extremely knowledgeable about the local terrain, history, culture, and people, and genuinely pleasant people to be around.
This tour option is a pre-scheduled event by Pico Verde, first come, first served (16 max).
Cost for the one week tour, including local transportation, accommodations, and meals, is 860 British Pounds (currently $1460); single room option is an additional 80 Pounds (currently $130). The amount in USD fluctuates with the exchange rate with pounds.
The tour begins in Bilbao, Spain, providing additional opportunities to explore the Basque country, with possible side trips to the famous Bilbao Guggenheim Museum, Guernica, the subject of Picasso’s famous mural, and Basque fishing villages such as Mundaka and San Sebastian. Madrid is also not that far away, and may lie on your flight itinerary. Barcelona is a bit farther, but could be worth the extra effort.
Airfare and transportation to and from Bilbao are not included in the tour price. Published roundtrip airfares from Houston to Madrid are ~$1100. However, less expensive options may be possible through London and elsewhere.
How to Join the Tour:
Participants must sign-up and pay through the tour company directly, by accessing their web site atwww.picoverde.com, or by calling (see website for number). A deposit of $150 will hold your place, with the balance due within 60 days of the tour. Note for reference, this tour is coded PM2
I suggest that you contact Kate and Barry first by e-mail info@picoverde.com and tell them that you are with the BCO group - and mention my name. Then you can work out your preferred booking method, as well as ask any probing questions that I can't answer.
Flight arrangements will also be made independently, but if there is interest, we can try to coordinate our plans (and pre- and post tours). I was able to arrange hotel bookings in Bilbao before and after the tour through Pico Verde, as they know the best places and can get the best prices. Madrid is a different story.
I will hold an informational meeting for all who are interested well before the date of the trip. Watch the BCO calendar for that event, but I will also contact all who RSVP'd on this page of the January event.
THIS IS GOING TO BE A GREAT TRIP!
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