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Difficulty-Medium
4:00 h.
14 km.
Difficulty-Medium
4:00 h.
14 km.
The River Nansa rises in the peaks of the Peña Labra and Peña Sagra massifs and travels a little over 46 km to its mouth in the Cantabrian Sea via the spectacular Tina Menor estuary, a must-see. The banks of the Nansa have been frequented for years by fishermen. Its passage gave rise to a path that since 2010 has been conditioned, giving rise to one of the most visited hiking routes in Cantabria, the River Path of the Nansa. This route, originally 7 km long, linked the town of Muñorrodero with the Trascudia hydroelectric power station in Camijanes. It was later extended to Cades, where the restored forge awaits us. This route, the River Path of the Nansa, goes hand in hand with the Way Lebaniego on its way from San Vicente de la Barquera to the Monastery of Santo Toribio de Liébana.
This is a linear route of 14 km that can be divided into two clearly differentiated sections. We can start the River Path of the Nansa either in Muñorrodero, Camijanes or Cades. In any case, our point of reference is San Vicente de la Barquera, as it is in the nearby village of Pesués where the road that goes up the Nansa valley to Puentenansa starts. In Muñorrodero we should head towards its cemetery and recreational area, where there is a parking area. Before reaching Camijanes we have access to the Trascudia hydroelectric power station, but parking there is not easy, so it is better to go as far as Camijanes and link up with the river path from there. The turning that leads to Cades is also on the same road, but in this case from Cades we will have to follow a section of the route by road until we reach the path next to the river.
The most common section, due to its relative simplicity as well as its beauty, is the one that links the village of Muñorrodero with the Trascudia hydroelectric power station, not far from Camijanes. The real starting point of the River Path of the Nansa can be found a short distance from the Muñorrodero cemetery, although it is most likely that we will not be able to start from there and will have to start from the nearby recreation area.
The course is perfectly signposted so we should have no problem starting the route.
A route that, along the distance that separates us from Trascudia, will allow us to discover the ingenious bridges with which the fishermen used to cross the river from one bank to the other. A route that leads us along wooden walkways, stairs carved into the rock and handrails anchored to the rocky outcrops that mark the river Nansa. A route full of charming spots such as El Rejo Cave, home to hundreds of bats and up to six different species of bats. In short, an ideal route to walk with the youngest members of the family that takes us, as if we were pilgrims towards Santiago, to the hydroelectric power station of Trascudia (1h 45min), where a beautiful waterfall awaits us as a climax.
The River Path of the Nansa-CC/Jose Angel García
Tina Menor-CC/Rondador
The River Path of the Nansa-CC/Jose Angel García
For those in the mood for more adventure, Trascudia is just a stop along the way. This part of the River Path of the Nansa could be said to be wilder, even more adventurous. Its route has the occasional ramp that raises us above the river, allowing us to contemplate a different panoramic view. But if you want to contemplate the landscape in all its splendour, you cannot miss the Viewpoint of the Poet, whose detour you will find just before starting to descend towards the river after overcoming the first uphill section of this part of the route. We will cross the river following the road that joins Camijanes with Cabanzón. We leave this road shortly after to return to the tranquillity of our route. The course of this part of the route sometimes runs along a narrow path that struggles with the barriers that the riverbank puts in our way. After a while, this entertaining route comes to an end, leaving us once again on a road that will take us to Cades (4h 00min), where the restored forge awaits us.
1-Please note that if you do the full route you have another 14 km on the way back or you can also make use of the taxi service that is available in the area.
2-While the first section is a relatively easy route, ideal for children, the second section is more demanding and somewhat steeper.
3-Mud can be a problem on part of the route, so it is important to wear suitable footwear.
4-There is a small variant known as the shallow waters variant which is only accessible if the river flow is low, thus avoiding a short detour, all of which is perfectly signposted.
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| 1-Muñorrodero | 0:00h | 20m | 0Km | 30T 379152 4802158 |
| 2-Trascudia | 1:45h | 40m | 7Km | 30T 377819 4798553 |
| 3-Cades | 4:00h | 80m | 14Km | 30T 380770 4795946 |
Coordinates UTM Datúm WGS84
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Distance: 14Km
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Time: 4:00h
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Difficulty: Medium
Slope: 265m
Slope +165m
Slope -100m
Maximum altitude: 130m
Minimum altitude: 15m
This sketch of the route is not made to scale nor does it contain all the information relating to the area, it is merely indicative.
From civilization to the mountains of the central massif of the Picos de Europa
¿Did you know that...
This section of the banks of the River Nansa has been declared a Site of Community Importance (SCI) and is now part of the protected areas of Cantabria.
Don't miss out...
A visit to the Cades Ironworks, where you can see, among other things, a demonstration of how it works.
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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