- Address Tineo Western Asturias
- Distance Distance: 10,2 kms
- Difficulty Difficulty: Short
- Code Code: PR256
- Unevenness Unevenness: 563
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On foot
On foot:
3 h.
Round trip
- Start point Start point: Tuña
- Route type Route type: Hiking
- Tour type Tour type: One way
- Layout of the route Layout of the route: Download kml, Download gpx
PR256
Climbing up to the Dolmen de Merillés is a journey through time, a journey from the present day to the Middle Ages and Prehistory, walking along paths and tracks that began to be forged thousands of years ago, in Megalithic times.
When we get out of the car in Tuña to start the route, we find a village full of historic buildings. No less than three palaces, a bridge, a vestige of a Roman road, and several medieval houses and towers make for a promising start to a route that, although short, is steep.
If we take it easy, we will be able to enjoy, on the one hand, the enormous chestnut trees that flank part of the path before reaching Merías, but, above all, how the perspective of the landscape changes as we climb.
It widens, the reservoir appears, if we are lucky we will see some foxes and the asturcones, the local horses, and, finally, the dolmen, a burial chamber that has been receiving visitors for millions of years at the top of the valley.
Tuña - Merillés Dolmen 10,2
We start in the town of Tuña, a beautiful village that was awarded the "Exemplary Town of Asturias" prize in 2000. Crossing the river Tuña at Ponte de Carral, we turn left onto the track that will take us to Merías. After 300 metres, we continue on the path that starts to climb up the Tuña valley.
After the first 1.7 kilometres, we take the path to the right and, after a few metres, the path to the left, and we reach the village of Merías. Once there, we cross its streets; to do so, we first turn right and then take the first street we come across to the left.
About 200 metres further on, we take the path on the right, and in the next 200 metres we turn completely to the left and continue along this path until we reach the farmhouses.
When we have walked about 2.4 kilometres, we will find on the way some detours to the left, but we stay on the path without turning off at any time.
After 600 metres, we come to a fork, where the two options lead to the Dolmen de Merillés: on the left, the route is longer and passes through the Carbayal area, and on the right it is steeper and climbs more directly. We follow the left branch.
Once past the Carbayal, at kilometre 4.6, we turn right, and 300 metres further on we find ourselves in front of the Merillés Dolmen, which is the end point of our route, before returning along the same path. The dolmen is made up of four orthostats, vertical blocks that delimit a rectangular-shaped burial chamber. It is one of the most beautiful megalithic monuments in Asturias.
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