Natural Physical Aspects of the Covadonga Lakes

Dear Readers.

Promoting good ecological practices, today I share my recent ecotourism adventure in the colossal National Park of the Picos de Europa, specifically in the area of influence where the Covadonga Lakes are located, two beautiful lake bodies of glacial origin that were baptized Enol and La Ercina.

Geographically they are located in the portion of the Principality of Asturias that includes the National Park of the Picos de Europa, with western orientation with respect to the Cantabrian mountain range. It is one of the most marvellous lake ecosystems in Europe. Its declaration as a protected area dates back to 1918, when Pedro Pidal, Marqués de Villaviciosa, declared it so.

Natural body of Lake Enol

Panoramic from the pillory that separates lakes Enol and La Ercina; to understand the terminology, The Picota of Enol is an ascending morphological column that divides both lacustrine bodies, imagined as an imposing physical barrier in the middle of both mountainous rock depressions that maintains the physical independence of both lakes.

This beautiful mountainous landscape with very low temperatures and a lake system that vivifies the ecosystem of the Cantabrian mountain range was what enchanted the Marqués de Villaviciosa and encouraged him to protect the area, a conservationist action that a century later would expand and take world rank, since in 2003 UNESCO considered approving the proposal to elevate this ecoregion to a Biosphere Reserve.

Own source

La Ercina Lake Water Mirror

Natural processes are as perfect as they are beautiful. While the mountain ranges and main mountain ranges were elevated by the imposing inner magmatic force that had as its main ally the phenomena of subduction with the thrust and violent shock of the oceanic plates against the continental plates, glacial moraines were raised, these gigantic rocky furrows around the Covadonga Lakes, which for hundreds of years were formed in the Middle Pleistocene, during the last glaciation.

The permafrost (ice floor) of about 300 meters was melting and there was the degradation of the rock in the plateau, so bottom and valleys of the highest peaks were suffering wear with the erosion of their continental bases through the dragging of materials and resistant minerals.

These continuous movements together with the pressure and erosive activity of the ice were moulding a depression in the part that weakened more, with torrential avalanches the sedimentary material was pushed up to a certain height while another one continued descending. This formed the lakes and the high mound called The Picota of Enol. Source

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