La Eastern Mountain ZEC It protects a territory of great ecological and landscape diversity at the headwaters of the Pas, Miera, and Asón rivers. This mountainous area, with average altitudes between 600 and 1.000 meters, preserves valuable Atlantic habitats, such as beech forests, Cantabrian holm oak forests, and humid heathlands, and boasts a remarkable wealth of fauna, including birds of prey, bats, and otters.
One of its greatest attractions is the karst landscape, with an impressive underground system of chasms and cavities that form the largest cave network in Cantabria. Furthermore, this territory was shaped by one of the largest glaciers in the Cantabrian Mountains during the last Ice Age: the Castro Valnera Glacier, whose traces are still visible on both the Cantabrian and Burgos slopes. The surrounding area is dotted with Pasiegan cabins and villages with well-preserved traditional architecture.
This area hosts important conservation projects and is one of the places where you can enjoy scientific ecotourism experiences supported by the Nature and Man Foundation. Throughout the year, interpretive trails, flora, fauna, and landscape observation activities, as well as experiences that connect with the mountains and rural authenticity in a pure natural setting are offered.
La Eastern Mountain ZEC It can be visited throughout the year, but spring and autumn are especially recommended to enjoy its full natural and scenic potential.
In spring, the awakening of the Atlantic Forest, with the intense greenery of beech forests and meadows, and the flowering of species adapted to limestone soils, offers a unique visual experience. It's also a good time to admire waterfalls like the Asón and Gándara waterfalls—the latter next to the park's visitor center—which flow powerfully thanks to the melting snow and the rains.
Summer, for its part, allows for leisurely exploration of the network of mountain trails and roads, coinciding with the harvest season and grazing in highland areas, which adds value to the landscape and the rural experience.
Autumn transforms the landscape into a mosaic of warm colors, ideal for photography and wildlife observation, especially forest birds and birds of prey. The mild temperatures of these seasons make hiking more pleasant, allowing you to explore both nature and the valuable cultural heritage of the Pasiego peoples at a leisurely pace.
La Eastern Mountain ZEC It is an ideal place to enjoy a combination of nature, landscape, and traditional culture. Road routes, such as those that ascend to the Lunada, Estacas de Trueba, and La Sía mountain passes, offer spectacular mountain scenery, with panoramic views that showcase the verticality of the relief and the beauty of glacial formations. This area is also an excellent place to explore rural architectural heritage, especially the Pasiega cabin system, scattered across highland meadows, which retain their original structure and represent a valuable example of environmental adaptation.
The Nature and Man Foundation develops various innovative conservation projects in the area, such as the use of herds to maintain open habitats or the reintroduction of the Cantabrian chamois, which can be learned about through its center in Liérganes. Additionally, specialized ecotourism companies offer interpretive activities focused on flora, traditional culture, and the relationship between human communities and the natural environment, making this area an ideal destination for those seeking a deeper and more respectful experience with nature.
This area offers a collection of locations of great scenic and natural value, combining vertical landscapes, traditional Pasiegan architecture, and geological and cultural elements of interest. One of the most recommended routes is the road from Vega de Pas to Estacas de Trueba, where you can enjoy spectacular views from the Vega de Pas viewpoint, observe the well-defined geological strata on the slopes of the pass, as well as waterfalls and the emblematic group of Pasiegan cabins. The Lunada Pass road, meanwhile, provides access to higher elevations and offers impressive views from points such as the Covalruyu viewpoint, in a high mountain landscape dominated by the glacial and karst reliefs most representative of the eastern sector of the mountain range.
Also from Vega de Pas, the road to Puerto de la Braguía passes through a landscape dominated by meadows and well-preserved traditional architecture. And in the surroundings of the Collados del Asón Natural Park, the section between Arredondo and Ramales de la Victoria offers visits to iconic sites such as the source of the Asón River, a spectacular waterfall that springs from a limestone cliff, the viewpoint of the source of the Gándara River, and the caves in the Ramales area, which are part of the vast karst system in the area.
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The Green Spain Ecotourism Reserve is an invitation to experience northern Spain in a different way. It's not a network of accommodations.
