Cantabrian Mountains (
Cordillera Cantábrica in
Spanish) is a
mountain chain which extends for more than approximately 180&_160;
miles (300&_160;
km) across northern
Spain, from the western limit of the
Pyrenees (
Basque mountains) to the borders of
Galicia, and on or near the coast of the
Cantabrian Sea. The Cantabrian Mountains offer a wide range of trails for
hiking, as well as many challenging
climbing routes.
Skiing is possible in the
ski resorts of
Alto Campoo,
Valgrande-Pajares and
Manzaneda.
The Cantabrian Mountains stretch east-west, nearly parallel to the sea, as far as the pass of Leitariegos, also extending south between León and Galicia. The range's western boundary is marked by the valley of the river Miño (Portuguese Minho), by the lower Sil, which flows into the Miño, and by the Cabrera River, a small tributary of the Sil.
Some geographers regard the mountains of Galicia beyond the Miño as an integral part of the same system; others confine the name to the eastern half of the highlands between Galicia and the Pyrenees, and call their western half the Asturian Mountains. There are also many local names for the subsidiary ranges within the chain, which includes the Picos de Europa.
As a whole, the Cantabrian Mountains are remarkable for their intricate ramifications, but almost everywhere, and especially in the east, it is possible to distinguish two principal ranges, from which the lesser ridges and mountain masses radiate. One range, or series of ranges, closely follows the outline of the coast; the other, which is loftier, forms the northern limit of the great tableland of Castile and León, and is sometimes regarded as a continuation of the Pyrenees. The coastal range rises in, some parts sheer above the sea, and everywhere has so abrupt a declivity that the streams which flow seaward are all short and swift.
