La Lomba offers a range of starting points for planning a trip: a route through the highlands of the Sierra de Híjar, viewpoints with named vantage points, and a vertical sundial at the parish church. This gives you a choice of different focuses: landscape, trail character, and cultural heritage.
Landscape and Viewpoints
The Camino de los Balcones al Oso passes through the highlands of the Sierra de Híjar, where Special Protection Areas for Birds (ZEPA) and Sites of Community Importance (LIC) are located. An official description from 2018 classifies Balcones al Oso as a circular route for environmental education. ZEPA identifies areas for special bird protection, while LIC refers to Sites of Community Importance; these terms make the conservation categories in this landscape concrete.
To the west and south of La Lomba, the Monte del Cabezo beech forest extends as a continuous area as far as the surroundings of Brañavieja. The viewpoints also offer distinct perspectives: Mirador de la Joyanca is designated as a landscape observation point associated with the Cabecera y Alto Híjar route. La Llosa Redonda offers good views across the Campoo valley and the Sierra de Híjar. The named vantage points therefore differ: Joyanca is associated with a landscape route, while La Llosa offers a panorama of the valley and mountains.
Trails and Trail Character
The Camino de los Balcones al Oso is seven kilometers long and starts at Mirador de la Joyanca in La Lomba. This provides both the circular route format and a specific distance for planning. Check the current trail conditions before setting out.
The approach to La Llosa Redonda begins at La Pontaneja by the Arroyo del Umbrañal, heads south, and reaches the viewpoint after a steep climb. The descriptions highlight different details: the Camino’s distance and circular route, and the approach to La Llosa Redonda’s course and steep ascent. These features help you assess the outings based on the described trail character, without inferring a walking time or difficulty level.
Parish Church and Sundial
The parish church of La Lomba is dedicated to Santo Tomás de Aquino and is one of the interesting places to visit in the municipality of Hermandad de Campoo de Suso. Inside the church, a vertical sundial for midday is set into the southeastern buttress of the chancel.
The dedication identifies the building’s religious significance; the sundial adds a specific technical and architectural detail. Its precise location on the chancel and its midday orientation give this cultural heritage highlight a distinctive connection to the building’s form. Alongside the landscape and trail themes, it offers a separate reason to visit for travelers interested in church architecture.
Discover more destinations: Santillana Del Mar, Ruesga, Alfoz De Lloredo, Camijanes, Peñarrubia, Camaleño, Santotís, Marina De Cudeyo.
For the broader travel overview: Cantabria.
