Etapa 3: Carreña - Benia

Go to Image Stage 3: Carreña - Benia
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GR109 - Inland Asturias - Stage 3

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Stage 3: Carreña - Benia
GPS: 43.31587280542821, -4.847765538369036

Carreña - Asiegu - La Salce - Avín - Benia

Carreña - Benia 17,16

The third stage of the GR begins in Carreña, in the council of Cabrales, which is accessed by the AS-114 road, and climbs the first few metres in a northerly direction towards the Sierra del Cuera, to continue the rest of the way in a westerly direction, towards Benia, in the council of Onís. The route passes through various rural villages, such as Asiego and Puertas, where the remains of some flour mills can be found, and also passes through the Puertas and Pandiello estuaries.

Near the entrance to Carreña there is an information panel at the end-beginning of the stage, close to the town hall. The directional signs painted on walls and lampposts will guide our way out through the town, towards a track that climbs gently uphill parallel to the La Ría stream.

Coming from the Cuera, La Ría crosses Carreña from north to south and flows here into the Casaño, a tributary of the Cares. Over the stream is the Puente Antiguo or Puente Conceyu (Old Bridge or Conceyu Bridge), a proud late medieval bridge with a single span, which is in a good state of preservation. An ancient road used to run over the bridge, the Camino Real (Royal Road), which ran from Peñamellera towards Onís through the Casaño valley, connecting the east of Asturias with the central area. At this point it joined the Camino Real de Liébana, which from Sotres crossed Cabrales from south to north, ending in Meré and Posada.

In Carreña, we can admire the Casa de los Bárcena, an old mansion built in the 17th century, which was originally owned by the Bárcena family and was later used as a barracks. The building, with a rectangular floor plan, has an asymmetrical façade, with a left half in the popular style, open with a wooden sill, and another noble half, adorned with the coats of arms of the Bárcena and Inguanzo families. Opposite the house is the pantheon chapel of the Bárcena family, attached to the church of San Andrés.

In the first sector of the stage, the route climbs the first few metres in a northerly direction, towards the Sierra del Cuera, always parallel to the river La Riega. The track, in sections of gravel or earth, continues upstream between meadows, sometimes squeezed between old stone walls, and makes its way through chestnut trees(Castanea sativa) and carvallos(Quercus robur), leaving the Picos de Europa behind it.

After crossing a small watercourse and passing between some huts, the route turns and the dirt track begins to climb slightly up the slope of Picu Canciello, between the occasional Pyrenean oak (Quercus pyrenaica) and chestnut tree, heading towards Asiego.

Once in Asiego, the route runs through the upper part of the village, to continue further on along a small path that descends moderately towards the Ricáu river. At this point, the track begins to ascend, this time on concrete pavement, between chestnut groves and meadows dotted with huts.

The ascent continues to the pastures of the Cruz de Raos, an old crossroads that served as a communication and meeting point for the councils of Cabrales, Onís and Llanes. It could correspond to a meeting place of medieval tradition from Roman times.

La Cruz de Raos or Errados, which belongs to the parish of Puertas, owes its name to the old cross that stood in this place and which was later moved to the vicinity of Pandiello. The toponym Puertas derives from the word Portam, which means "place of passage". It was used in Romance to designate different systems of closure or dividing walls, areas of penetration or entry into possessions or territories.

From the Cruz de Raos we begin a slight descent along a dirt track until we reach the road that leads to Ortiguero, where we must pay attention to the signs, as the route continues along a small path opposite the track we have just left. This path continues parallel to the road, a few metres above it, and in the direction of the Ortiguero quarry, as far as the rural village of Salce. The next section continues from here, ascending between limestone walls and leaving behind a cave for maturing Cabrales cheese, until it reaches the neighbouring council of Onís.

The last stretch of the stage continues along a track that descends towards Avín, now in the council of Onís. In this part of the route we will enjoy fantastic views of the valley of the river Güeña. At the entrance to Avín, the path crosses the river and passes next to the campsite, before crossing the village.

The town of Avín is divided by the AS-114 into two parts. In the upper part, there is a small square with the walls of the chapel of San José, with a bell tower and a small sundial on its façade. In front of the chapel is the old Rectory House, today transformed into a house, and a magnificent example of a typical building from the east of Asturias.

Going down towards the centre of the village, we will find several of these houses with firebreaks on the sides, as well as the remains of the Campu Bridge, a construction that used to cross the stream, now closed, with a single span and a carved limestone structure.

The Cuevona de Avín is also a surprising place that will arouse our interest. It is a natural cavity, like a tunnel and very open, as it has several side entrances that form columns. This peculiarity, together with the zenithal hole in the ceiling, means that the cave has its own natural light, favouring the growth of small trees inside. La Cuevona is home to the Avín Glacial Fauna Interpretation Centre, where you can find a replica of the fossil of a cave rhinoceros found in 1974 in the neighbouring cave of La Peruyal(Stephanorhinus sp.).

On leaving Avín, continue along the AS-114 road towards Benia, capital of the council of Onís, where the route ends. We will find the end-beginning of the stage sign at the exit of Benia, next to the road.