Fuente Dé and Picos de Europa, Cantábria {Part VI of VI}

You know, in all of my roadtrips, there's always a highlight - a definitive star attraction that I most look foward to. For this trip, it was the 'Picos de Europa', or the Peaks of Europe.

There are various miradors or viewing points around the Picos de Europa, for if you want to check out the views of, or from, the magnificent mountains. The most popular one seems to be at Fuente Dé, just 30min from the town of Potes and near the source of the Deva river.

Cable cars run from the base station at Fuente Dé taking you 800m up to a panoramic viewing point called Mirador del Cable, situated at an altitude of 1,800m. From here, you can enjoy spectacular views of the mountain ranges and also the Liébana valley.
It costs 15euros for a two way ride, each lasting close to 4mins.

While I've been enjoying the whole trip thus far, I couldn't my stop mind from trying to fast forward to the time I got closer to the mountain peaks. I imagined all the amazing photographs that I could possibly take, and how fabulous it would be to feel like I'm on top of the world.

Well there were rainclouds, but nah...I thought "I'll be so high up that I'll probably see the jagged mountain tops peaking ABOVE the clouds".

Now wouldn't that be awesome?

However, when I finally got there, THIS, was what really happened...

Above: Dense fog seen at the lower station, which is at an altitude of about 1000m.

When I got to the cable car station at Fuente Dé, it was incredibly foggy.
I looked up and could see absolutely nothing. Zilch. Nada.

As the station was opened, I figured I should just do it since I came all the way here.
It was the highlight of my trip!

There was no queue at the ticket counter, apart from two other guys who said they'll
give it a miss and come back tomorrow when the weather (hopefully) improves.
I suspect they might find my dogged determination under such circumstances amusing.

Above: The cable car disappearing into nothingness.

Above: At the upper station, it was moist, cold, and dreamlike.

Above: Up here, there's a cafeteria, gift shop and viewing area.

There is a viewing deck resembling a caged balcony that protrudes out over the steep mountains. It would have been really cool (or perhaps terrifying) to look down from such a height. If only I could see something!

I decided to go back into the cafeteria, and ordered a coffee.

Then I ordered another.

What the heck, I even had lunch! I was really just waiting around, hoping for the sky to clear up, but it didn't.

So here's really all I could see. Just parts of the mountain that was visible and the rest hidden by clouds.





The experience could have been better if not for the crappy weather. Nonetheless I'm still glad I made it. I may not have been treated to the perfect postcard views, but it doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it.

Clearly, not everyone feels the same way. On the way back down, a gentleman in the same cable car ride spent the next 4mins telling me how he thought it was a complete waste of time.