Lago de la Ercina

Hiking Lake Ercina was only half the fun of exploring the Picos de Europa; the other half was enjoyed learning how to drive a manual transmission all over again. It had been roughly ten years since I got behind a stick shift, and I may have overestimated my ability to drive our diesel chariot up and through the mountains. As such, I spent most of my time worried that I would drive us off a cliff or into a wandering cow, rather than soaking up the grandeur of this stunning range. When we finally brought the car to a halt I was able to fully enjoy all that the mountains had to offer, even if my nerves were shot. For as popular as Spain is, the Picos were not as busy as I thought they might be; I would love to visit again and spend a few nights trekking in the high country.

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Skinny Dip in Lake Ercina, Picos de Europa, Spain.

Hiking Lake Ercina was only half the fun of exploring the Picos de Europa; the other half was enjoyed learning how to drive a manual transmission all over again. It had been roughly ten years since I got behind a stick shift, and I may have overestimated my ability to drive our diesel chariot up and through the mountains. As such, I spent most of my time worried that I would drive us off a cliff or into a wandering cow, rather than soaking up the grandeur of this stunning range. When we finally brought the car to a halt I was able to fully enjoy all that the mountains had to offer, even if my nerves were shot. For as popular as Spain is, the Picos were not as busy as I thought they might be; I would love to visit again and spend a few nights trekking in the high country.

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