Viewpoint
Piedrasluengas Viewpoint
Piedrasluengas
Montaña Palentina Natural Park
La Pernía: what to see, where to stay and eat
La Pernía is the northernmost municipality in the province of Palencia, right up against Cantabria, and one of the ten that make up the Montaña Palentina Natural Park. Don't go looking for a village of that name: La Pernía is a valley and historic district with twelve villages, and its capital is San Salvador de Cantamuda. The CL-627, the road from Cervera de Pisuerga to Potes, runs through it and climbs to the Piedrasluengas pass at 1,355 m, with a viewpoint over Liébana and the Picos de Europa. The one stop you shouldn't skip is the collegiate church of San Salvador de Cantamuda, late 12th-century Romanesque, with a three-tier bell gable you can spot from the road; it has been a protected monument since 1993. The same village has a 16th-century stone justice pillar. Close by is the abbey of Lebanza, rebuilt in 1780 around a Neoclassical Greek-cross church. And from Santa María de Redondo a path leads to Fuente Cobre, the cave long believed to be the source of the Pisuerga.
What to see
- Romanesque church
San Salvador de Cantamuda Collegiate Church
San Salvador de Cantamuda
Where to stay
- Holiday cottage
- Holiday cottage
Walks from here
- Moderate
Fuente Cobre Trail (Source of the Pisuerga)
Santa María de Redondo
- distance
- 13 km
- ascent
- +400 m
- time
- 4 h 30
Frequently asked questions
Is there a village called La Pernía?
No. La Pernía is the name of the municipality and of the old district, formed in 1976 when San Salvador de Cantamuda, Lores and Redondo-Areños merged. Its capital and town hall are in San Salvador de Cantamuda, and the municipality takes in twelve villages, including Areños, Camasobres, Lebanza, Lores, Piedrasluengas and Santa María de Redondo.
How do I get to La Pernía?
La Pernía is 130 km from Palencia. From Cervera de Pisuerga, take the CL-627 towards Potes, which passes San Salvador de Cantamuda and carries on up to the Piedrasluengas pass on the Cantabrian border. A turning off the same road climbs to Tremaya, San Juan de Redondo and Santa María de Redondo, 22 km from Cervera. On public transport, there are bookable on-demand services from Cervera to villages such as Piedrasluengas.
What can I see in La Pernía in a day?
A day in La Pernía is enough to see the Romanesque collegiate church of San Salvador de Cantamuda and its justice pillar, visit the abbey of Lebanza, take in the traditional houses of Lebanza and Lores, and drive up to the Piedrasluengas pass (1,355 m) for the views over Liébana and the Picos de Europa. If you fancy a walk, the outing to Fuente Cobre starts from Santa María de Redondo.
Does the Pisuerga rise at Fuente Cobre?
Not quite. Fuente Cobre, the Cueva del Cobre in La Pernía, was long thought to be the source of the Pisuerga, but caving surveys showed that the river rises higher up, in the glacial cirque of Covarrés below Valdecebollas; it sinks into the rock and re-emerges about three kilometres further down at Fuente Cobre. You reach it on foot from Santa María de Redondo, through meadows and woodland.
By Pablo Aguado ·