- Somiedo Asturias Centre
- Distance: 13 kms
- Difficulty: Short
- Unevenness: 547
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On foot:
4 h.
Round trip
- Start point: Villar de Vildas
- Tour type: Round trip
- Layout of the route: Download kml, Download gpx
The fusion of the human factor with nature reaches its maximum expression in La Pornacal, where natural elements such as rock, wood and brooms are used to make the teito huts. Integrated into the landscape, they serve as stables for livestock or as dwellings for the vaqueiros de alzada (transhumant shepherds who moved to these high pastures with their livestock in summer).
From Villar de Vildas, the forest that surrounds the pastures diminishes as we gain height, and after passing La Pornacal it becomes increasingly scarce, remaining limited to a testimonial riverside forest until we reach the large waterfall that opens up on the other side of the valley, to end up dominating the pastures in the area of Braña Vieja, also known as Braña de los Cuartos.
From here the view over the valley we have just climbed and where we can see La Pornacal is sublime, almost perfect, with every element of the landscape in its place.
Villar de Vildas - Villar de Vildas 13
This beautiful route starts in the village of Villar de Vildas, "Pueblo ejemplar" in 2004, located in the valley of Pigüeña, Somiedo.
After 400 metres, we leave the village on a concrete track that runs to the left of the river Pigüeña.
In the first kilometre of the route, approximately, we find the first brañas, such as the one in Vildéu. The brañas can be defined as the populated space, rich in pasture and water, inhabited by vaqueiros de alzada (transhumant shepherds who moved to these high brañas with their livestock in summer) during summer grazing. They were designed to make the most of the natural resources and were usually for communal use (when spring came, they were occupied jointly by the herdsmen).
At kilometre 3.6, we come to the La Pornacal hut. It is the largest and best preserved of all the brañas in Somiedo. Of the 370 cabins registered in Somiedo, this braña is the one with the largest number of cabins, some 33. The river Pigüeña divides the braña in two, and in the centre we can find a fountain to refresh ourselves.
Two kilometres further on, we find a bridge that crosses the river, where we can see the Corralón waterfall. About 400 metres further on we come to a crossroads; we continue straight on towards another group of teitos, known as the braña de los Cuartos.
At the end of the route, kilometre 6.5, we find ourselves in the braña de los Cuartos or braña Viecha (Old Braña), which is even older than La Pornacal. From here we start our return to Villar de Vildas.
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It could be done with a pushchair/stroller (there is quite a lot of concreted section) but you have to take into account that there are some slopes.
It can be done by mountain bike (even for families with children).