Canyon, river and seasonal nature

Nela lies beside a canyon formed by the Río between Puentedey and Villarcayo. In the south of Merindad de Sotoscueva are Nela and Salto de la Mea; this waterfall appears only during periods of rain and snowmelt. The Río Nela is home to trout, barbel and signal crayfish; otters also hunt these animals. Around Nela, you can enjoy walks and bike rides in the mountains, through forests, and along rivers and waterfalls.

Hikes: a circular route, a waterfall trail and a longer route

The circular PRC-BU-31 El Valle route is 9.8 km long, has an elevation gain of 216 m and is rated easy. The linear PRC-BU-36 Cascada de La Mea route is 0.73 km long as a round trip and has an elevation gain of 38 m. The trails therefore differ in their route shape, length and elevation gain: El Valle is a loop, while the La Mea trail follows the same path there and back. The path to the Cascada runs through a limestone gorge with cliffs that provide a habitat for numerous rock-dwelling birds of prey. The waterfall flows seasonally.

At 18.29 km and of moderate difficulty, the Sendero de Sotoscueva is a longer route. It links the public visitor facilities of Ojo Guareña and leads to the Museo Etnográfico de Sotoscueva, the Necropolis of San Felices, the rock chapel Ermita de San Tirso y San Bernabé, and Cueva Palomera. Check local conditions before setting out.

Ojo Guareña: karst and cultural heritage

The Ojo Guareña karst complex extends beneath part of Merindad de Sotoscueva, with more than 100 km of cave passages. Its prehistoric traces include rock paintings and engravings. The Río Guareña sinkhole lies below the Ermita de San Bernabé, which is also one of the main entrances to the galleries of Ojo Guareña.

The Casa del Parque “Ojo Guareña” provides information to help plan a visit to the natural monument. It also has a viewpoint with binoculars and information panels for observing the landscape. This complements the cave landscape with an opportunity to learn about its surroundings and the visible landforms.

Traces in Nela and on El Castro

The church of Nela also holds an unusual detail: its entrance porch contains a millstone. The church also has a beautifully crafted stone sundial. Both are tangible local cultural traces that you can place in context as you take in the townscape.

El Castro is a mountain you can climb from Nela. At its summit, remains of a Cantabrian hillfort are still visible among meadows and forests, alongside the cliffs lining the canyon. A climb brings both the landscape and the surviving traces of earlier settlement into view.

Discover more destinations: Palazuelos De La Sierra, Pedrosa de Valdeporres, Modúbar De San Cibrián, Salazar, San Millán de San Zadornil, Quemada, Bárcenas, Valle De Las Navas

For the broader travel overview: Burgos.