Lagos the Covadonga are a couple of lagoons that were grinded out by a huge glacier during the last Ice Age and now filled
by meltwater from the annual snowcover.
The lakes sit in a large and fertile wetland area with a rich flora and fauna. Slim chance
you will encounter any Iberian wolf or Cantabrian chamois here but most probably you will meet several quietly grazing
Bos Taurus, AKA cows.
Lake Enrol sits at 1070 meters and hides a statue of the Virgin of Covadonga in its deep waters. Each year on
September 8 the statue is brought up for a procession.
Lake La Ercina is located on the other side of a glacier moraine at 1180
meters.
The lakes can be reached via the CO-4, a narrow and winding road that starts at the roundabout in Covadonga and
climbs 900 meters over a distance of 12 km.
This climb features frequently in stages of the Vuelta de Espana.
In high season the road
is closed for cars but there is a bus service for transport to and from the lakes.
We successfully negotiated the CO-4 on a sunny
day in May 2019 and really enjoyed the fantastic panoromas at the lakes.