Cueva de las Caldas Partial Nature Reserve

Located a few kilometres from Oviedo/Uviéu, in the municipality of Priorio, the Cueva de las Caldas Partial Nature Reserve covers a protected area of 45 hectares. The main cavity of the Caves, 5 metres wide, has three entrances: the main entrance, another smaller entrance, which acts as a discontinuous upwelling, and the main upwelling, below the second.

The development of the complex is simple: from the main entrance, a narrow passage leads to the underground river gallery. In times of flood, part of the flow overflows through the discontinuous upwelling. Upstream, the gallery becomes wider and has a linear development, with hardly any branches. In the middle section is the Figalina chasm, which connects with the upper entrance. Following the gallery, we reach a point where it becomes impenetrable and only the flow of water enters the cave. Inside the cave there is an abundant presence of bats.

This cave-surge deserves special attention as an underground ecosystem and, above all, for its prehistoric site from the Solutrean and Magdalenian periods.