A refuge of biodiversity and nature in the heart of Cantabria
This Natural Park extends along the coast from Punta del Águila, in Miengo to the west, to the Canal de Hoz to the east, marking the boundary between the municipalities of Santa Cruz de Bezana and Santander. It also includes all the islets of this coastal stretch. Inland, it includes the entire Pas Estuary and a large part of La Picota or Monte Tolío.
Located at the mouth of the Pas River (Ría de Mogro), within the municipality of Piélagos and in the heart of the Cantabrian coast, it was declared a Natural Park in 1986.
With an area of 195 hectares, the Natural Park of the Liencres Dunes combines landscapes of singular beauty, including coves, two spectacular beaches -Valdearenas and Canallave-, a vast area of maritime pine forest and a unique dune system. It is one of the largest dune systems on the northern coast of Spain, home to a rich fauna and flora.
The dunes, located behind the beaches, are considered among the most important in northern Spain due to their geomorphological value, as well as their ecological and landscape characteristics. Formed by the action of the wind that transports sand from the coastal currents and the Pas River, the dunes are divided into mobile and fixed dunes .
The Park is also a refuge for numerous migratory waterfowl, especially visible during the winter. Many migratory waterfowl, especially visible in winter, have their home in this area. In addition, this park also includes the surrounding coast, part of the future Costa Quebrada Geopark, as well as the nearby islets, the estuary of the Pas river and a large part of La Picota or Tolío mountain.
It is possible to walk along the coast from Punta and Ensenada de Somocuevas, located 500 meters from the town of Liencres, to the Ría de Mogro, where the Pas river flows into the sea. One of the most outstanding viewpoints to contemplate the beauty of the park is La Picota, which, at an altitude of almost 300 meters, offers incomparable panoramic views.