Yellow Bird trail

What it is

A coastal trail through the Oyambre Natural Park that passes through almost all of its habitats: beaches, dunes, cliffs and estuaries, with the Picos de Europa ahead of you. The council's information sheet describes it from west to east along the beaches of El Rosal, Merón, Bederna and Gerra as far as Punta del Oeste. The Cantabrian Rural Development Network publishes a linear version that starts at El Tostadero beach, in San Vicente, passes the breakwater at the mouth of the estuary and covers the whole Merón beach and Cape Oyambre as far as the La Rabia estuary.

It is named after the Yellow Bird, the aeroplane of the first direct transatlantic flight from the United States to touch down on Spanish soil, in 1929. It landed here, in the Los Llaos area, and a monument recalls it beside the path, on the stretch towards the Oyambre dune.

Distance and difficulty

According to the Cantabrian Network's sheet, the route from El Tostadero to La Rabia is 8.6 kilometres one way, about four hours, with 97 metres of ascent and low difficulty, over sand, track and some stretches of road. As it is linear, leave a car at the end, in the Oyambre beach car park, or allow for coming back the same way. The highest point is 94 metres, at the top of the cape.

What you will see

The first stretch is Merón beach, about four kilometres long, with a line of dunes and a small pine wood to the west. On the cape, above the cliffs, grow species you would not expect on the Cantabrian coast, such as wild olives, wild vines and bay laurels, and the limestone has sinkholes and karren. The sheet mentions birds such as the peregrine falcon, the kestrel, dunlins and the stonechat, and the council's version adds gannets, razorbills and guillemots out at sea; on the rocks of the cape it is easy to see cormorants resting. At the end, a new dune, partly occupied by a golf course, separates the beach from the La Rabia estuary.

When to go

All year, but always at low tide: at high tide there is hardly any beach left and walking on the sand becomes difficult. Check the tide table before setting off, take water, a hat and sun cream, and footwear that copes with sand and track. With children used to walking, it is a good half-day outing; along the top of the cape, near the cliff edge, hold their hands.

What to combine it with

Before setting off, the Sable de Merón is the beach of the first stretch, and the town's school gives surf lessons on it. The park's interpretation centre is at the Punta de la Silla lighthouse. Behind the town lies the Rubín marsh, with its migratory birds, for another morning.