Covalagua Waterfall

Covalagua Waterfall lies within the natural area of the same name in the municipality of Pomar de Valdivia, near Revilla de Pomar. The area covers part of the Lora uplands, a limestone plateau straddling Palencia and Burgos, and has been protected since 1991.

Covalagua is the cave where the river Ivia rises. As the water emerges it deposits tufa, a porous limestone, building up curved steps that it spills down in a series of small falls into a pool. Altogether the drop is about 20 metres. You can see it from viewpoints and from a nearby path, and it is far more impressive after rain or snowmelt.

This is karst country: heavily eroded limestone with mixed woodland of beech, Portuguese oak and Pyrenean oak, plus the odd yew. Red deer, roe deer, wild boar and wolves all live here.

If you have time, pair the waterfall with two nearby sights in the same area: the Cueva de los Franceses, a cave with stalactites and stalagmites where French soldiers from the Peninsular War are buried, and the Valcabado viewpoint, looking out over the Valderredible valley.