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Difficulty-Moderate
4:45 h.
16.5 km.
Difficulty-Moderate
4:45 h.
16.5 km.
Cantabria treasures, among other things, a rich natural heritage, one of these jewels of nature is undoubtedly the Saja Besaya Natural Park. This extensive natural area, located in the interior of the autonomous community, includes several valleys and is crossed by countless hiking routes that allow us to discover its charms. One of these routes, perhaps one of the most visited, is the Route of the Bridges of Ucieda, a beautiful circular itinerary that takes us to visit some of the unique trees of Cantabria, such as the Tumbao Oak, while we cross countless wooden bridges that allow us to ford the streams that run down the hillside.
To reach the village of Ucieda, follow the CA-180 road that connects it with Cabezón de la Sal. We can also get there from Reinosa or from Puentenansa. Once in Ucieda, cross the village and continue up the course of the river Bayones until you reach the recreational area known as Campa de Ucieda, where the House of the Mount is located and the start of the route of the bridges. There is a large car park right here, although we can continue a little more in search of parking a little further on.
The parking area of Campa de Ucieda is our starting point for the route of the bridges in Saja Besaya. We continue up the perfect path along which we reach the House of Mount following the markings of the PR-S 111 that will accompany us on this route. This route is also known as the route of Mount River of the Fords or the Rozas Path, although, as we shall see, we will coincide with other routes. We quickly reach a fork in the path, the one on the right being the option to follow. From here we will begin to gain height, but not without effort. We have already left behind the first of the bridges we are going to cross, as well as the Bayones River Interpretive Path.
After a while, and after passing a small hut, we reach the turning that will take us off the path we were on. The Joau de la Collá and the Vuelta de la Cotera are the indications that show us the way to follow.
The route, a typical path through the forest, offers us all the beauty of the surrounding landscape. The landscape alternates areas of thick forest with clearings that allow us to contemplate everything that surrounds us. The slope has been smoothed out, alternating continuous ascents and descents, some of which are steep but short. There are numerous streams that we cross thanks to the wooden bridges that help us to cross them. The singularity of the trees that we come across is another attraction of this beautiful route, trees such as the Tumbao Oak, which is undoubtedly the most outstanding of them all. After overcoming another steep slope we reach the high of the shoulder that separates the Regato de la Toba from the valley through which the river Bayones flows. Here we find the signpost that marks the detour to the uninhabited village of Las Rozas (2h 15min).
Route of the Bridges of Ucieda-CC/Daniel Muñoz
Tumbao Oak-CC/Guillén Pérez
Route of the Bridges of Ucieda-CC/Uhanu
Here we have the possibility of following the Rozas path, which takes us past the Joau de la Collá hut, to then approach the remains of the Rozas settlement and from there descend directly to the Campa de Ucieda, thus making a circular route of just over 8 km. Or we can visit the hut and the Rozas if we wish, returning to the start of the detour to continue our route. We leave the detour to continue through a succession of forests, bridges and "brañas". The route of the bridges takes us back to fording the Bayones river to, now, start to follow its descending course while we follow the path that cuts through the mountainside. The white and yellow markings continue to help us to keep on the right course. This section also offers us the chance to visit a hundred-year-old beech tree included in the catalogue of singular trees in Cantabria. After a while, when our path reaches one of these streams that we are crossing, it turns radically to begin the descent that will take us to the path that comes from the House of Mount. Once on this path, we only need to follow it to reach the Campa de Ucieda (4h 35min), where this route in the Saja Besaya Natural Park comes to an end.
1-The route often passes through quite muddy areas where we must be careful of slipping.
2-Although most of the slope is concentrated on the path at the beginning, the rest of the route has the occasional short ramp which, together with the mud, can make it difficult.
3-There are many routes in the area, so be clear about the itinerary you want to follow to avoid confusion.
4-Bear in mind that you are in a natural park with its own regulations.
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| 1-Campa de Ucieda | 0:00h | 255m | 0Km | 30T 401034 4787703 |
| 2-Rozas Detour | 2:15h | 570m | 6,2Km | 30T 402185 4784853 |
Coordinates UTM Datúm WGS84
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Distance: 16,5Km
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Time: 4:45h
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Difficulty: Moderate
Slope: 870m
Slope +435m
Slope -435m
Maximum altitude: 590m
Minimum altitude: 255m
This schematic with the path is approximate and has been created from the derived cartographic base © Instituto Geográfico Nacional "Cuadrante 57-4 y 58-3 1:25.000".
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¿Did you know that...
The Saja-Besaya Natural Park was established in 1988, it is the largest in Cantabria and has innumerable natural, geomorphological, botanical, faunistic and landscape values.
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From the commitment of SENDITUR with Nature and the respect to the balance of the environment, SENDITUR urges you to travel in a responsible way, with low environmental impact and respecting at all times the Natural, Cultural and Social environment wherever you go.
Besides sharing with all of us your experience on the route we would be grateful if you could write to us to inform us of any erroneous or outdated information you may have found, or simply to let us know what you think at Thank you.
Route information updated on 10-06-2021. The route may vary greatly depending on the time of year, weather conditions and terrain, as well as the actions of third parties and the evolution suffered in the natural environment where it is located. All opinions, advice and/or assessments made by SENDITUR in their descriptions are for guidance only and are subject to and/or refer to the specific conditions of the specific day of the route, referring to that specific day, taken from trained people, with the appropriate experience and with a high level of physical and technical preparation as a reference, as well as correctly equipped.
All the times are approximate and take an orientative character, the stops have not been taken into account, no matter how small they are. All the information related to the route, texts, images, videos, maps, diagrams, tracks, towns, and places of tourist interest are published as a guide, and may not coincide with the current state of each place. Before undertaking any activity, assess your technical knowledge, your physical condition, find out about the weather and the variations that the route may undergo, equip yourself correctly, be prudent and responsible at all times, and do not exceed your capabilities. SENDITUR is not responsible for any misuse or inappropriate use of the comprehensive guides of its routes and/or publications as well as its electronic guides, nor for any variations in their descriptions for the aforementioned reasons, and recommends that everyone be responsible and prudent in carrying out the activity. We also encourage you to read books and specialised guides to complement the information described above.
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