Walk Through the Dunas de Liencres Natural Park

The Dunas de Liencres Natural Park was declared in 1986 over 195 hectares between Liencres and the Pas estuary. A maritime pine forest holds in place dunes that the wind still moves. Sand tracks cross it from the car parks to Valdearenas beach and El Puntal, opposite Mogro.

What it is

It is the largest dune field on the Cantabrian coast, according to the Costa Quebrada association. Since 2021, by law of the Cantabrian Parliament, it forms part of the Dunas de Liencres y Costa Quebrada Natural Park, of 1,753 hectares between Piélagos, Miengo and Santa Cruz de Bezana, which protects the dune system on the right bank of the Pas, the beaches of Valdearenas and Canallave and the pine forest, as well as the cliffs, islets and abrasion platforms of Costa Quebrada. The Pas estuary, next to it, is a Special Area of Conservation. All this coast has been, since April 2025, a UNESCO Global Geopark.

What you see

Pine forest, living dunes and the beach. In the sand and dunes grow plants adapted to loose, salty, waterless ground, such as sea holly, sea daffodil, pink, soldanella or spurge; on the beaches, sea beet, sea radish or sea rocket. Wildlife is scarce because of the sparse plant cover, but there are foxes, weasels, green lizards and skinks, and birds such as the little ringed plover, gulls and the common tern. At the end of the walk, at El Puntal, you see the mouth of the Pas and, opposite, Mogro.

The walk

It is an easy, flat walk along sand tracks, an hour and a half there and back to El Puntal if you stop to look. Sand is more tiring than it seems: with small children, go only as far as the beach and come back. With a pushchair it is hard, because the wheels sink; a baby carrier is better.

Rules

Do not leave the tracks: the dunes are fragile and every footstep on them helps the wind break them up. The park's law leaves the detail of public use to its management plan; the town council does not publish the rule for dogs in the park, so ask at the Liencres tourist office. Do not light fires or leave litter.

Getting there

From exit 7 of the A-67 motorway, in the direction of Santander, along the CA-203, about 4 km, or from exit 9, towards Boo, along the CA-231. In Liencres, follow the park signs to the pine forest car parks.

How to combine it

If you want more coast, La Arnía beach shows the park's other landscape, that of cliffs and islets, and from the Monte Picota bunkers you can see the whole sandy area from above. To sleep nearby, the Hotel Calas de Liencres is 9 km from Santander, above the coves of Somocuevas, Portio and Cerrias.