In the Picos: Flora, Fauna and Other Signs of Life.

European mountains are not at all like the Rockies of my childhood, and the differences are not hard to spot.  Even casual hikers, without reference to geology or history, can easily identify what makes these Old World mountains unique.  The Picos, for example, are somehow "prettier", especially at lower altitudes. The landforms are softer and trees and flowers are in greater variety.  And compared to the Rocky Mountains they are certainly less wild,  more accessible, and much more domesticated.   People have made this place their home for centuries and longer--and the evidence is everywhere.

The ubiquitous SUV.  Not what we expected to find after we slogged our way to the top....  

How would you know you were in Spain's most famous mountains (and not in Banff National Park)?  Easy.  These three features distinguish the Picos:

The Built Environment  
In the Picos, stone is the favoured building material. There are stone paths, stone fences, and stone buildings.  If it is any kind of building at all, it will be made of stone with a tile roof, and it will likely be on the hiking trail.

An abandoned mining town entirely constructed of local materials

Not a concrete (stone) chaise conveniently placed by the trail but an empty cattle trough.  

This stone church, which is open on holidays, stands alone in the middle of nowhere. 

Picturesque, falling-down stone barns are everywhere.

The Vegetation
I didn't know what sort of trees would grow in these mountains. But at lower levels where the climate is almost Mediterranean, we passed through oak and beech forests and Ian recognized a hornbeam, a tree I knew only through literature. 

As for flowers, it was so late in the season I expected none at all. We could see evidence of summer blooms: drifts of spent wildflowers and numerous hip-covered rose bushes festooned the trails and nearby meadows.  We could imagine how beautiful this region would be in July, but the walking would have been unbearably hot.  In September, we enjoyed cooler weather and even a few flowery surprises.

Heather was in full bloom. 

     

The Spanish name of this low-growing autumn crocus means "picnic time is over."

The last of the summer poppies. 

The Wildlife
The S-cape literature actually suggested that hikers might encounter wild animals -- boar, deer, marten, badgers, foxes, wolves, and bears--though perhaps not during the day.  Bears?  Small Cantabrian brown bears, apparently. But I was skeptical.  I was pretty sure I would not be seeing any bears, or any other wild creatures for that matter. But I could guess the sort of wildlife that we would  encounter. 
    

Elk? Deer?  What are these horned creatures?

Bruce makes a friend.  (This horse always hangs out in the same spot on the trail.  He is looking for treats) 

Who needs to see a griffon vulture when this handsome fellow walks across your path?

Lunch?  Do someone say lunch?  A huge goat gang swarmed us on the trail. 

These are Asturian sheep. They have lovely long legs but scratchy wool.

I asked our S-cape contact Maria about the promised wild animals, and I listed all the farm critters we met while trekking.  "Well", she said,  "we know there are wolves. One of them took a sheep last night."  Oh dear. So sorry for your loss, ewe guys. No wonder that trail-side flock had seemed nervous.

One domestic animal was a night-time fixture for our entire Spanish sojourn. You might say this creature dogged us.  From Madrid to Granada, and in the Picos for sure, a faithful mutt outside our window barked and yipped and howled and whimpered. All night long. By the time we got to Granada and heard the same midnight welcome, I was convinced that our personal Picos pups had been in touch with their doggy southern relatives: Say HELLOOOOOO to Bruce and Nancy!  We LOOOOOVE them!

MUTT:  Please forgive my barking. I am a dog.  It is what I do.  NANCY:  No problem at all, sweetheart!  I got used to it.  You are probably just lonely. Would you like to come home with me?