The Laguna Negra, a glacial lake among pine forests, below Urbión.

The Laguna Negra is a glacial lake at the bottom of a rock cirque, surrounded by pine forest, in the Sierra de Urbión, in the north of the province of Soria. It is the heart of the Laguna Negra y Circos Glaciares de Urbión Natural Park, shared between Vinuesa, Covaleda and Duruelo de la Sierra, and the setting of Antonio Machado's «La tierra de Alvargonzález». You reach the shore almost without walking, from the upper car park; above it, a mountain route climbs to other glacial lakes and to the Pico de Urbión, on whose slopes the Duero rises. It is the classic Sunday outing from Soria and one of the great ones from Logroño.

How do you get there from Soria?

Take the N-234 towards Burgos and the turn-off for Vinuesa, and from Vinuesa the mountain road that climbs to the lake: about 50 km and around an hour and a quarter to the Paso de la Serrá. From Logroño, about 90 km and an hour and three quarters; from Burgos, a little over two hours. The road from Vinuesa to the lake is 18 km, with bends, and snow or ice in winter.

Where to park: access rules

Outside the busiest days you can drive up to the upper car park, about 200 metres from the shore. At Easter, long weekends and in summer, the regional government regulates access: the upper car park is closed to private cars, you leave the car at the Paso de la Serrá car park, about 2 km from the lake, and go up on the shuttle bus or on foot along the Senda del Arroyo. In the last published regulation, parking cost €4 per car, €2 per motorbike, €6 per motorhome and €10 per coach, the shuttle €1.20 per passenger, and it ran from 9:00 to 14:30 and from 16:00 to 18:30; the ticket gave entry to the Casa del Parque for five people. When the car park is full, they close the road up. Dates and fares are announced each season: confirm them with the Casa del Parque, on 975 18 22 68.

What to do

The basics: a walk along the shore of the Laguna Negra, an hour at an easy pace. If you like walking, go up on foot from the Paso de la Serrá along the Senda del Arroyo (SO9): 1.7 km and 218 metres of climb among pines, ferns and wooden bridges. For a mountain day, the Senda de las Lagunas Glaciares (SO6) leaves from the lake and climbs the Pico de Urbión via the Laguna Helada, returning by the Laguna Larga: 13 km, 480 metres of climb and four hours, of high difficulty. From Covaleda, the GR 86.1 climbs to Urbión in 16.2 km. With children or in the rain, the Casa del Parque, near Vinuesa, and the short 2.9 km walk between the village and the Casa.

How much time do you need?

Half a day for the lake and the Senda del Arroyo; the whole day if you climb Urbión. With a night in Vinuesa, go up early, before the crowds arrive, and add a stroll around the village and the Casa del Parque. The Cañón del Río Lobos is a little over an hour away for the following day.

When to go

May, June, September and October are the best months: fewer people, the pine forest green or in autumn colours and good temperatures for walking. In July and August the weather in the sierra is fine, but access is regulated and the lake gets crowded. In winter there may be snow and ice on the road and the paths, and the Casa del Parque closes in January; in November it opens from Friday to Sunday.

Where to stay and eat

In Vinuesa, the main village of the park. The Hotel Rural Villa de Vinuesa has 23 rooms, a restaurant, a garage and accepts dogs; the Hotel Rural Santa Inés, 20 rooms on the road to the lake. For eating, Los Ranchales, on the road, and the restaurant at the Villa de Vinuesa. Neither publishes opening hours: book by phone, especially on Sundays outside summer.