The road leading into the village of Brez, high up in the Picos de Europa.

Two dogs coming running out to greet us.
This village had stone barns galore.
Along with some decrepit wood and wattle ones. There were lots of different types of fruit growing in the village.
But even though cider was for sale everywhere in the mountains I hadn’t seen a single apple tree.

When we ran into a little old lady along the road, I pointed out a tree and asked, “Higo?” She agreed that it was a fig tree.

“Sidra, sidra por todas partes pero no hay arboles de manzana!” I practised my Spanish. (Cider, cider everywhere but there aren’t any apple trees). 

“Unos pocos” she answered and pulled a couple of scabby apples out of her apron and handed them to us.

I should imagine they’re fairly self-sufficient for food this high in the hills.
At the edge of one of the fields we saw this sign showing how far to walk to the next town.
We went a little ways further but then stopped as we were headed for Fuente Dé and its teleférico up into the mountains.
We saw lots of old people in these mountain villages, but not any young people making me wonder how long this life-style will last…

Map of showing the string of tiny villages between Potes, where we were staying, and Fuente Dé where we went up into the Picos de Europa via the teleférico.
More on our October 2014 trip to Spain.