Somiedo Natural Park

In the Somiedo Natural Park, dogs must be under the effective control of their owner, kept on a leash, except for herd guarding dogs, hunting dogs and guide dogs.

The Natural Park of Somiedo was declared a Biosphere Reserve in 2000 and extends over five valleys: Saliencia, Valle del Lago, Puerto y Pola de Somiedo, Perlunes and Pigüeña, and its five rivers with which they share a name, covering an area of 283 ^km2.

Man has been able to understand the nature of the Park and it has returned its care, remaining almost unchanged over the centuries, being, even today, an example of coexistence and complete integration.

Of its landscape, the beauty of the lakes, located to the south of the council of Somiedo, at the top of the mountain ranges that separate Somiedo from León, stands out: the three small lakes of Saliencia; the Lago del Valle, with its characteristic islet, and which is the largest lake in Asturias, with an average radius of 280 metres and an average depth of 10 metres, although in some areas it reaches 50 metres; and the hidden Lagunas de El Páramo, between the valleys of the rivers Somiedo and Pigüeña.

It is one of the most rugged landscapes in Asturias, with gradients ranging from 400 to 2,200 metres. The geological features of the area are of great geological value, due to the great variety of materials: limestone, siliceous, sandstone..., which give rise to spectacular karst forms. Valleys sprinkled with minerals such as iron, arsenic deposits, mercury, lead, marble and granite. A space of contrasts between peaks and depressions, which show the mark of the tectonic movements suffered in its numerous thrusts, faults and folds.

Throughout its entire length, there are brañas with fertile pastures where you can see, not without difficulty, the famous "cabanas" of teito de escoba: stone huts with roofs made of broom and broom and pine trees, used by the vaqueiros de alzada and the livestock farmers of the mountains as a refuge. There are currently more than 500 huts distributed throughout the park. In the surrounding area, cattle still move around in search of the best pastures.

The average annual temperatures in the area are around 9°C in the valley bottoms, while at higher altitudes this parameter drops by about 0.5°C per 100 metres. Snowfalls are frequent in the winter months above 1,200 metres; the coldest months are January and February, and the warmest months are July, August and September, and the temperature difference between the two periods is considerable, a typical feature of the continental climate.

It was the first of the Principality's areas to be declared a Natural Park. This decision was intended to achieve, among other objectives, the conservation of its ecosystems, habitats and species; to improve the lives of its inhabitants, and to maintain the ethnographic heritage and agricultural and livestock farming activities compatible with its conservation. The passing of the years has shown that these objectives have been achieved.

ACTIVITIES NOT ALLOWED

• Causing a nuisance to the fauna or damaging the flora.
• Free camping, caravans or other mobile shelters (except for bivouacking in ZUA - Agricultural Use Zone and ZAM - High Mountain Zone).
• Water activities such as canyoning, white water rafting, rafting, etc. in the rivers of the Natural Park.
• Sporting activities with motor vehicles.

Plant life

An important part of the territory is covered by different types of forests, brañas and pastures in the lower areas, together with some cultivated areas integrated into the landscape. The main forest masses are to be found in the Saliencia valley, the slopes of the Coto and the Pigüeña valley. The most extensive formations are beech forests, followed by oak, holm oak and birch forests. A characteristic feature of these forests is the considerable density of shrubs, which indicates minimal degradation of the environment.

Among the most characteristic plants are the bearberry, the gammon, the yellow and blue feverfew and the wind grass. The typical flower of Somiedo, the Centaura de Somiedo , is particularly remarkable . The good water quality also favours the presence of riverside forests along rivers and streams.

Wildlife

Somiedo is home to a very varied fauna, with more than a hundred species of birds. Among the most common are the blackbird, the pied wagtail and the kingfisher. Its rivers are also very rich, and trout are particularly abundant in them. In the higher areas, species such as the capercaillie and the golden eagle stand out.

Among the mammals, the brown bear stands out, along with others such as the wolf and the fox. Otters, badgers and wild cats are also present. In addition, there are around twenty species of amphibians and reptiles, such as the long-tailed salamander, the Iberian newt and the Seoane's viper.