- Taramundi, Sta. Eulalia de Oscos, S. Martin de Oscos and Villanueva de Oscos Western Asturias
- Distance: 55,6 kms
- Difficulty: Short
- Cars: 2 days
- Start point: Taramundi
- Layout of the route: Download kml
The natural border between Asturias and Galicia is the river Eo, a waterway that separates provinces but which articulates a World Biosphere Reserve called Oscos-Eo.
Info
The natural border between Asturias and Galicia is the river Eo, a watercourse that separates provinces but which articulates a World Biosphere Reserve called Oscos-Eo. On the Asturian side of the river are Taramundi and three municipalities that bear the surname Oscos: Santalla, Vilanova and Samartín. Villages of forges and blacksmiths, orchards and simple life.
Route
Taramundi - Taramundi 28,5
Rural tourism in Asturias was born in Taramundi. For this reason alone, it is well worth a visit. Also for its ethnographic wealth and its prized handmade knives. At first, the traveller will discover the church of San Martín de Taramundi, or the Carbayo do Poyo, a curious wooden carving. At the end of the slope of the rectory, stands the first rural hotel in Spain, La Rectoral. The thematic museums are the next step in this excursion. A kilometre's walk from the centre is the museum of traditional cutlery, a private centre that traces the history and techniques of cutlery making. Also one kilometre away, this time in the direction of O Mazonovo, is the largest Museum of Mills in Spain, which includes 19 pieces within a complex of great beauty. Four kilometres away, so it is advisable to use the car, is the ethnographic site of Os Teixóis, a hamlet with numerous hydraulic devices, from a sledgehammer to a grinding wheel.
In the afternoon, we move from culture to nature. The traveller, depending on his physical condition and tastes, can choose from a wide range of trails. Two of them are: the Water Route, 14 kilometres long, which can be covered in four and a half hours, or the Ferreiros Route, which is only 6 kilometres long and takes two and a half hours.
Taramundi - Santalla 27
The three councils of the Oscos form the route of the second day. In Vilanova is the imposing Monastery of Santa María, with its 12th century church. Just over a kilometre away, in Santa Eufemia, you can visit the Bread Ecomuseum (open in summer and Easter) to learn about the entire production process of this foodstuff. From Vilanova, a quarter of an hour's drive along the AS-13 road will take you to Samartín. This town is home to the Casa de los Guzmanes, an Asset of Cultural Interest that currently houses administrative offices. You can also enter the parish church or visit the exterior of the Palacio de Mon.
The last afternoon in the Eo Biosphere Reserve is for Santalla. In Ferreirela de Baxo is the Museum of the Birthplace of the Marquis of Sargadelos and also very close, just 3 kilometres away, is the blacksmith's shop of O Mazonovo. You can also knock on the door of the old traditional knife workshops, as many of their owners give demonstrations for travellers. Tourists who want to squeeze every last second out of their time can still visit the Seimeira waterfall. This is a route that starts in Santalla, which is 8 kilometres long (there and back) and is suitable for children who are already discovering nature.