Covalanas is known as the cave of the red deer. Its walls carry red ochre paintings of hinds, drawn in a distinctive dotted technique, and they are among the finest Palaeolithic paintings in the Cantabrian region. The cave sits on a steep, wooded hillside above Ramales de la Victoria, in eastern Cantabria, and it was one of the first painted caves to be recognised in Spain, in the early twentieth century. It is part of the UNESCO-listed Cave of Altamira and Palaeolithic Cave Art of Northern Spain, and visits are limited to small groups, so booking ahead is advisable.
The walk up to the cave is short but steep, with views over the valley. The landscape here is a karst of limestone hills covered in oak, chestnut and beech woods, with green meadows below, and the caves are numerous. Nearby, the Cullalvera cave in Ramales is open to visitors, showing a huge underground gallery whose entrance is so tall that the morning light reaches deep into it.
The Asón valley is great riding country. The road south from Ramales toward Arredondo and the source of the Asón river, where a waterfall drops from a cliff, climbs through narrow valleys with steep slopes, and the passes over to Burgos province, such as Los Tornos and La Sía, offer twisting roads with views over the mountains. Weather in Cantabria is changeable, with rain and fog common, especially in winter and spring, and the roads can be slippery.
Ramales de la Victoria is a small town of over two thousand people with fuel, bars and restaurants. Colindres and Laredo, on the coast, are larger towns, and Santoña, across the bay, is famous for its anchovies, cured and packed by hand. Try cocido montañés, a hearty bean stew, and sobaos pasiegos, a buttery sponge cake. Summer is the most reliable time for weather, but the crowds are biggest then, so consider late spring or early autumn.