Etapa 4: Sotiello - Santibáñez de Murias

Go to Image Stage 4: Sotiello (Lena) - Santibáñez de Murias (Aller)
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GR208 - Central Mountain Cycle Ring

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Stage 4: Sotiello (Lena) - Santibáñez de Murias (Aller)
GPS: 43.08858789211888, -5.825004988404231

Sotiello - Bendueños - Fresneo - Fierros - Santandrés - Cruz de Fuentes - El Rasón - Santibáñez de Murias

Sotiello - Santibáñez de Murias 30

The fourth stage of the GR-208 "Anillo Ciclista Montaña Central" continues through the council of Lena and from the village of Sotiel.lo we take the path that climbs under the A-66 towards Bendueños. This is a climb with steep sections that give us intense views, both of La Cordal, through which we have ridden in the previous stage, and of the Campumanes valley itself.

Once in Bendueños, take the asphalted track that goes to Erías, a village where you turn right and take the branch along which the Way of St. James passes, on the basis of sections of old road and path.

We leave behind the hermitage of San Miguel, which offers spectacular views over the valley of Fierros and over the mountain range that we have to cross, that of La Carisa. But first we must continue on to Fierros, a place that is descended from Fresneo, the last part of which runs along asphalted tracks.

At Fierros we must cross the N-630 with caution, taking the road access to Parana, at the gates of which we leave the tarmac to start the hardest climb of the whole Cycle Ring, from Parana to the La Carisa summit. This is a long, long ascent that runs along wide, well-surfaced stretches, which gradually allow us to climb up to the old La Fasgosa Mine, which dominates the whole valley.

We then climb to the top of La Cordal de La Carisa, reaching the Tunelón, where we turn left towards Portillín de la Boya; a short but intense climb along the branch to the right, accompanying the GR-109 "Asturias Interior" throughout this stretch and crossing the GR-100.1 "La Carisa". This route allows us to change slopes to reach the municipality of Aller, where we can see the magnificent landscape of the Murias Valley and the successive mountain ranges that mark out the Aller council.

Once on Aller's slope, there is a continuous descent, first towards the great El Rasón plateau, whose meadows are crossed to rejoin the GR-109 "Asturias Interior", and descend towards Puente Viejo, where it connects with the road that allows us to reach Santibanes de Murias without any problems.