Centro de Visitantes Camino de las Harinas
Visitor centre in the former La Montañesa flour mill, with original machinery and an exhibition on the Besaya corridor; free admission.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Centro de Visitantes Camino de las Harinas occupies one of the old warehouses of the La Montañesa flour mill, in the Ventorrillo district of Pesquera. It belongs to the Department of the Environment of the Government of Cantabria and is run by the Centro de Investigación del Medio Ambiente (CIMA). It was conceived as an educational space to present the Besaya valley as a thoroughfare since antiquity and the development of the flour-milling industry in Cantabria.
From the late 18th century, the waters of the Besaya drove mills and factories that ground wheat brought from Castile by cart and, later, by rail, bound for the port of Santander. This corridor extended northwards the series of flour mills along the Canal de Castilla. As milling declined at the end of the 19th century, its hydraulic works provided the energy base for a new phase of industrialisation in the valley.
La Montañesa ran on hydraulic power from a turbine located in the basement. The route passes through the milling room, with its roller mills, the cleaning and sieving room, with restored machinery, and the turbine room, which summarises the hydraulic history of the site. Images, plans and audiovisuals complete the visit.
Highlights
- Milling room with original roller mills
- Cleaning and sieving room with restored machinery
- Turbine room and its water chamber
- Exhibition on the Besaya corridor and the flour-milling industry
- Free admission
Permanent exhibition
- Camino de las Harinas – Tour of the milling, cleaning and sieving and turbine rooms of a historic flour mill, with images, plans and audiovisuals on the Besaya corridor.
- Founded
- 2010
- Operated by
- Gobierno de Cantabria (Consejería de Medio Ambiente), gestionado por el CIMA
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
Free admission.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
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Getting there & parking
From the A-67 motorway (Santander–Palencia), take exit 144 towards Pesquera.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
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Events & venue rental
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Plan your visit
| Good to know | Groups must book in advance (669 609 285). |
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