Sellañu–Beleño–Bedules
- Sellañu, Sobrefoz, San Xuan / San Juan de Beleño
- Distance: 54 kms
- Difficulty: Muy Dura
- Total ascent: 1844 m
- Maximum altitude: 1210 m
- Minimum altitude: 147 m
- IBP index: 149
- One-day routes
- Type of bicycle: Gravel
- Type of route: Circular
- Return by Train: No
The route begins in the village of Sellañu, in the north of the municipality, and runs upstream alongside the River Ponga for around eight kilometres. This section follows a road in good condition, nestled amongst the mountains, until it reaches the junction where you take the turn-off towards Abiegos and Sobrefoz.
From here on, the road narrows; the surface is eroded tarmac and very potholed in places, and the route climbs as the valley opens out; through gaps in the woodland, you can see the village of San Xuan/San Juan de Beleño on the opposite hillside, until you reach the Foz gorge of the River Ponga and arrive at the village of Sobrefoz.
Continuing along the route, the stretch towards San Xuan/San Juan de Beleño is spectacular, offering a chance to appreciate the beauty of the surroundings; there are a couple of viewpoints along the way, where the forests – predominantly beech woods – and the surrounding peaks, with their complex geology of thrust faults, fractures and folds, are revealed in all their splendour. In San Xuan/San Juan de Beleño, you’ll find the Ponga Natural Park Interpretation Centre, where you can gain a deeper understanding of this unique natural area, which has been a Biosphere Reserve since 2018.
From San Xuan/San Juan de Beleño, the route continues towards Collada Llomena, but before reaching it, you take a well-signposted turn-off along a concrete track towards Les Bedules, and from there along a dirt and gravel track to Collada Granceno, passing through a lush beech forest with the mighty peaks of the Picos de Europa as a backdrop. From the pass, the descent towards Viboli begins along a track that is a little rough at first but soon improves, reaching the Foz de Los Andamios before joining the Desfiladero de Los Beyos road at Puente la Huera.
The route continues along the N-625 road, now in the municipality of Amieva, to reach Santiyán and meet the River Ponga once more; take the junction and continue along a flat and very pleasant stretch leading to Sellañu, where the route ends.
