When Zoe set off on our High Pastures of the Picos walking holiday, she was hoping for remote trails, authentic Spanish villages and a real taste of mountain life. Here’s how her week of walking in the Picos de Europa unfolded...

I chose the High Pastures of the Picos because it promised the best of both worlds - rugged, remote mountain walking with the comfort of small, family-run hotels and incredible local food at the end of each day. It turned out to be the perfect introduction to the national park: challenging enough to feel rewarding but without the intensity of a hut-to-hut traverse.

My first thought was just wow. The scale of the Picos took me by surprise - jagged limestone peaks, deep gorges and lush green meadows dotted with grazing animals. The scenery changed constantly, from wild forests to high pastures and tiny mountain villages that felt a world away from anywhere else.

My favourite walk was the circular hike up to Vega de Liordes from Fuente De, which has the coldest recorded temperature in Spain, -35.4º, (yes, really!). We could see the gully that we would be climbing from the start point which set up the challenge nicely. There were incredible views the whole way up of a very different landscape to what we had witnessed so far – vast and lush forests over Castile and León. We were rewarded with a crater-like enclave with wild horses grazing in the meadow, where we sat down to eat lunch with a view. We were the only people there which made it feel really special. The wildlife was incredible, with Griffon vultures circling overhead and chamois running up ahead!

How quiet it was. The Picos are a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, so traffic and development is carefully controlled. This meant that for many of the walks we only bumped into one or two people. Seeing very few people in such a breathtaking landscape felt so unique and something that you would not experience in the Alps or Dolomites.

This holiday is at the very top of a grade 5. There were some days where we were out for 7-9 hours, but this will vary from group to group. The terrain varied from undulating meadows and wide gravel roads, to some steep scree sections on the descent from Vega de Liordes which required sure footedness and concentration. There were a number of steep ascents and a head for heights was required at some points, as well as being comfortable on paths with loose rocks.

The weather strongly influences the terrain. We experienced some heavy rain and the limestone did become slippery and care needed to be taken. Our guide, Bruno, was brilliant at pacing the group and keeping spirits high. By the end of the week, we were all tired but thrilled by what we’d achieved.

Breakfast at 8am, then we’d set off around 9am for a full day’s walk – usually 6 to 9 hours including breaks. Bruno shared fascinating insights about the park’s wildlife and geology as we went. After returning to the hotel, there was time for a drink in the village or a dip in the pool before dinner where we would debrief on the day and Bruno would take us through the plan for the next!

The food was one of the highlights of the trip. Every night we had traditional Cantabrian and Asturian dishes which included hearty stews, cachopo, sea food, Cabrales blue cheese and arroz con leche for desert! At the final hotel, all of the veg was grown in the allotment round the corner and the dairy was authentic to farming traditions in the region. The dinners were rustic and hearty, which is exactly what was needed after a day in the mountains!

Incredibly varied! My main advice for this holiday would be to be prepared for any weather! There was a very heavy thunderstorm on day 2, which meant waterproofs and hiking poles were a must, as well as hiking boots rather than shoes and waterproof gloves. The wind chill on day 3 was 2 degrees so thermal layers were needed, but by day 4 the sun had come out and we were wearing shorts in 23 degrees! As we increased in altitude on day 5, 6 and 7, it became apparent that the snow line was low for the season and some sections of the path were covered in snow. Bruno always called ahead to the mountain huts first to check if the paths were accessible. The changeable weather is quite common for summer in the Picos, but on the whole the weather was mild and great for walking. The great thing about staying in the same accommodation for 3 nights is that the walks can be rearranged to work around the weather and make the most of the conditions.

• If it is the flora that really interests you, then choose a departure in June when the flowers are at their peak!

• This holiday is at the very top of a grade 5. There were some longer walking days and difficult descents where sure-footedness and stamina was required. However you can quite easily skip a day and stay to explore one of the villages.

• Take hiking poles and sturdy boots - the limestone creates very rock paths and although I hadn’t used hiking poles before I was very glad I had them with me. Bruno explained how to use the poles effectively and the steep ascents and descents made them a must have! Sturdy boots with good ankle support were also very important because of the long days on uneven ground.

• Be prepared for any weather! As I mentioned above, the weather is very changeable so make sure you pack for all eventualities.

• If you get car sick, take tablets with you – the roads are beautiful but very windy through the mountains and most of the drives to and from our walks were 30-45 minutes.

Authentic. Diverse. Under-the-radar.