A descent through fields, stone walls, and soaring birds

The route begins in Santovenia del Monte, a compact village set atop a gentle hill that overlooks much of La Sobarriba. Before setting out, it is worth pausing at its small parish church, dedicated to Saint Stephen. Inside, you’ll find a beautiful 13th-century Romanesque carving of the Virgin Mary, along with two Baroque images—Saint Agatha and Saint John the Baptist—unfortunately repainted without due care. In contrast, an excellent Baroque sculpture of Saint Roch stands out.

The trail descends between vegetable gardens and small fields, at times following a narrow stream, and then crosses the Santander road to join the historic Camino de Los Riegos, a traditional agricultural path that winds through farmland, old estates, and meadows. On both sides, dry-stone walls can be seen—silent witnesses of communal effort and inherited knowledge. Scattered along the way are farming huts. Brambles, hawthorn, poppies, and aromatic herbs mark the seasons at the trail’s edge.

It’s an ideal stretch to observe birds in flight: kites, kestrels, and buzzards circle overhead, and occasionally a roe deer appears among the grain rows or the shrubs along the borders. The path is wide and easy, allowing a calm, almost meditative pace toward Carbajosa de la Sobarriba, which emerges at the valley floor as a patchwork of rooftops amidst the green.

Section B2: From Carbajosa to Santovenia through the woods

A return through wild paths and ancient silences
Once in Carbajosa—where you can visit the church and its artistic heritage—take a break beside the pond that springs from an ancient fountain, possibly of Roman origin, next to the playground and picnic area. Drinking water is available.

The return path follows a lesser-trodden trail: the old woodland path, which begins at the end of Las Pozas street, where the traditional communal washing place (lavadero) still stands. The trail climbs steadily through oak groves, scattered holm oaks, rockrose, and broom—offering a more shaded and intimate landscape. Some stretches are steep and invite rest, especially to take in the views: the Picos de Europa on the distant horizon, and the hills and cuetos that reveal the layered elevation of the region.

The terrain is more rugged and irregular, but also more silent and introspective, accompanied by the sounds of nature and the occasional sighting of wild animals: hares, foxes, partridges, and sometimes a roe deer, wild boar or genet.

After the ascent, the trail continues along a wider firebreak path, flatter and gently descending northward through wild vegetation. The views open gradually: first through woodland clearings, then from a hill where Santovenia del Monte reappears on the horizon, silhouetted against the sky—a promised return.

The descent into the village is gentle and open, offering a new perspective on familiar fields. As the traveller returns to the village, they arrive not only at the same place, but also with a transformed vision—having seen both faces of the landscape: the cultivated and the wild.