Sierra de Híjar

The Sierra de Híjar is a small mountain range that lies for the most part in Palencia and for the rest in Cantabria. It is part of the Cantabrian Mountains and of the Montaña Palentina. It is therefore not far from the Fuentes Carrionas, but it is a considerably more sloping and accessible mountain range than the Fuentes Carrionas, therefore less spectacular.

Besides beautiful views of the Fuentes Carrionas, we also have a beautiful view of the nearby Picos de Europa. Located in the east of the Cantabrian Mountains, here we find the last peaks above 2,000 meters of the Cantabrian Mountains. In the north of Spain we only find peaks above 2,000 meters in the east once in the Pyrenees.

The highest peaks of the mountain range can be found in the central part, between the Tres Mares and Cueto Mañin, and the highest point is on the Cuchillón, at 2,174 meters. The second peak in height at 2,171, the Pico Tres Mares, gets its name from the fact that it is the only mountain range in the Iberian Peninsula where rivers originate that flow into three different seas.

With a length of 24 kilometres it is a relatively small mountain range, and generally well accessible with wide hiking trails. From Cantabria, the mountain range can be reached quickly from Reinosa and from Palencia via Brañosera, which is at 20 kilometres from Aguilar de Campoo.