A river, the Caudal, a Roman road, Via La Carisa, a kingdom, that of Asturias, and a succession of vertiginous peaks, the Cantabrian Mountain Range, are hallmarks of a region that bears its essence in its name: the Central Mountains of Asturias.
Vestiges of the heritage of the former Kingdom of Asturias still remain today, declared a World Heritage Site for their historical significance, as in the case of Santa Cristina de Lena. But the truth is that hundreds of years before the birth of this kingdom, the Romans were aware of the strategic importance and great riches the Astur soil and subsoil treasured, so they built an accessible road for their legions to reach this territory, known today as the Via La Carisa, the excavations of which are continuously shedding new light on the ancient history of Asturias. What's more, this road gave rise to trails and celebrations that recall a past of empire and domination.
Nonetheless, what truly gives character to this territory are perhaps the untamed peaks of the Cantabrian Mountains, which rise up in this land, making it a unique place for elite training in different sports. So much so, that these peaks arouse the curiosity, admiration and desire for conquest in athletes and enthusiasts both at home and abroad. As an illustrative anecdote, along with the Picos de Europa, the passes of the Central Mountains of Asturias are the most famous on the Cycling Tour of Spain ("La Vuelta") and there is a clear reason behind this repute: their difficulty is decisive in revealing who will be the winner of what is undoubtedly one of the most important professional international cycling races. So names like Coto Bello in Aller, La Cobertoria or Cuitu Negru in Lena and the legendary and feared Angliru in Riosa - which the experts say is only suitable for those "protected by the gods" - form part of the universal "imaginarium" of great, unrepeatable feats...
Mountain bike enthusiasts can enjoy a circuit around the Central Mountains of Asturias listed as GR208 and known as the "Cycling Circuit or Ring", where they can enjoy nature and sport along nearly 200 km of trails divided into 8 clearly marked stages.
As befitting any high mountain area, there is no lack of ski resorts in this territory, with its intense winters and frequent snows, ideal for snow sports. The borough of Lena is home to the Valgrande-Pajares ski resort, the longest standing in the Cantabrian Mountains and the third oldest in Spain. Aller is home to Fuentes de Invierno, a small, but cosy ski station equipped with the latest in ski lifts and chairs which will soon be joined to the nearby San Isidro ski resort to form northern Spain's largest ski domain.
But the Central Asturian Mountains are not only covered by a white blanket in winter and silhouetted all year-round by impossible summits. The bowels of the earth contain abundant mineral wealth, principally coal, so it is an important energy storehouse boasting outstanding resources for industrial archaeology. One example of this industrial heritage that has been recovered is the mining village of Bustiello, in Mieres, although there are others.
As far as the territory's ethnographic heritage is concerned, the best example is the village of Bueño, recipient of the Exemplary Town Award in 2012, which has one of the best preserved collections of hórreos (typical raised granaries-cum-storehouses) in Asturias and even a museum facility to explain the origin and evolution of this curious Asturian construction raised on stone pillars.
In addition, the Central Mountains of Asturias are a very lively territory, with lots of atmosphere and partying manifest in its festivals and gastro events devoted to local produce as typical as Afuega'l Pitu cheese, whose annual festival takes place in Foz de Morcín. And of course it has a hospitable, open and cosmopolitan vocation, built on the foundations of its history, which has seen the passing of Roman legions, pilgrims on theWay of St James ,known here as the, "Camino del Salvador" or the Saviour's Road, in reference to San Salvador Cathedral in Oviedo... a territory that has safeguarded Christian relics and still holds secrets and surprises in its mountains, along its trails and in its landscape always of unique and exhilarating beauty...
Six boroughs make up the territory of the Montaña Central: Aller, Lena, Mieres, Morcín, Ribera de Arriba and Riosa.
