Camín Real de la Mesa

A territory can preserve its identity through its landscape, as is the case in this region, where sustainability is not fashion, but the natural way of inhabiting the world. The Camín Real de la Mesa, which links the highlands of León with the Atlantic valleys, was the path of Romans, muleteers, pilgrims and kings. Today it continues to be the thread that sews the region together for those in search of places with soul. In the cave of La Peña - a UNESCO World Heritage Site - the bison painted thousands of years ago are immobile witnesses to a past that has not completely disappeared. Everywhere you can hear the sound of cattle bells, there are strawberries and old spelt, bears, glacial lakes and "brañas". Time moves slowly, to the rhythm of the good life and the well-tended land.

The Camín Real de la Mesa is one of the backbones of inland Asturias, where history can be felt at every step. Every inch of land, every bend, bears the name given to it by those who travelled through these places for centuries, or those who decided to settle here.

Braña de La Pornacal - Somiedo.

The first settlers left their traces in the shelters of Santo Adriano and Fresnedo (in the Trubia Valleys), but the real Palaeolithic sanctuary is the Cueva de La Peña, in Candamo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In its famous Wall of Engravings, bison, deer and horses emerge between superimposed lines, like an ancient thought that has not yet finished being spoken. To approach this universe without compromising the fragility of the originals, the Teverga Prehistoric Park offers a rigorous recreation of this and other sites in the region, allowing you to admire the symbolism of Asturian prehistory in its entirety.

Very close to this park is Cueva Huerta, one of the largest caves in Asturias with more than 20 km of explored galleries. Although no paintings or prehistoric remains have been found, it is believed to have been inhabited thousands of years ago. Declared a Natural Monument in 2002, it stands out for its geological formation and for housing one of the largest colonies of bats in Spain. Its interior is divided into several levels and is criss-crossed by underground rivers. It is an incredible place, both for those who take a guided tour and for expert speleologists who go deeper.

In the mountain ranges of this region, the Neolithic peoples also buried their dead under stone burial mounds, leaving numerous traces: necropolises, circles and stelae.

The Camín Real de la Mesa, a Roman road since the 1st century BC (northern branch of the Vía de la Plata), was the backbone between the plateau and the Cantabrian Sea, a living artery of empires, kingdoms and rebels. The Muslim Munuza tried to flee along it after his defeat at Covadonga, and for centuries transhumant shepherds and traders climbed it. It also served the pilgrimage to Santiago, both for those who followed the Primitive Way from Oviedo/Uviéu, and for those who wished to link up with the Coastal Way. Along its route there are jewels of Asturian Pre-Romanesque Art such as Santo Adriano de Tuñón or San Pedro de Nora; also of rural Romanesque art, such as the Collegiate Church of San Pedro and Santa María de Villanueva in Teverga, or San Pedro de Arrojo in Quirós.

Riders on the Primitive Way - Las Regueras.

The layout of this immemorial route would be maintained and improved by the Asturian monarchs and, later, by the Catholic Monarchs, aware of its strategic importance. In the meantime, a totemic tree: the Bermiego Yew (Quirós), a Natural Monument with more than a thousand years behind it, observes the historical evolution of this land with the aplomb of a sage.

Today, the Camín Real de la Mesa is a hiking map which, among many other routes, allows you to follow the same path used by Roman troops and muleteers. Its original route, which links Torrestío (León) with Grado, can be walked in four or five stages, crossing places such as the Puerto de la Mesa, the brañas de Teverga, the Caldoveiro mountain range, the Sierra del Aramo or the meadows of Grado. But there is a parallel universe of options that allow you to enjoy the same landscape at a different pace and with a different goal: livestock tracks, greenways, reservoirs or old mining routes. Many of these options are ideal for cycle touring in El Camín Real de la Mesa.

Cyclists by the Valdemurio reservoir - Quirós.

Whichever route you take, you will never pass through just any space. Everything is trapped within a fabric of the highest ecological and landscape value, divided between two exceptional natural parks: the Las Ubiñas-La Mesa Natural Park and the Somiedo Natural Park - the first to be declared in Asturias, in 1988. Both form part of the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves, and although they are different, with their own characteristics that make them unique, they are complementary and make the region a benchmark for active tourism and ecotourism.

The Camín Real de la Mesa offers routes for all levels, from gentle walks to technical mountaineering. The Peña Ubiña massif, with peaks of over 2,400 metres, is ideal for the most demanding physical forms. In contrast, the Senda del Oso, much more familiar, follows the route of an old mining railway and runs along the Trubia valley, connecting Proaza, Quirós, Teverga and Santo Adriano. It is perhaps the most famous greenway in the Principality: well signposted and well surfaced, it has recreational areas for resting and is accessible to walkers and cyclists. It starts in Tuñón (Santo Adriano) and forks like a "Y" towards two equally suggestive destinations: Cueva Huerta, in Teverga, and Ricao, in Quirós. It crosses tunnels, bridges, meadows, villages and forests, the most visited point being the enclosure where the Molina bear lives. The Valdemurio reservoir, in the heart of this trail, is a perfect place to take a break and enjoy nature while paddling in its calm waters.

Villanueva and valley of the river Trubia - Santo Adriano.

Further south, the path becomes shady and deep. The Montegrande beech forest, in Teverga, is one of the best examples of a mature Atlantic forest, with an atmosphere of vegetal gloom that leads to the Xiblu waterfall, a spectacular vertical waterfall that will restore the walker's soul.

If what you are looking for is emotion condensed into a small space, the Desfiladero de las Xanas does not disappoint. Known as the "mini Cares", it is a short but spectacular route. In about 2 or 3 hours you walk along a path carved into the rock, with tunnels, bridges and dizzying views over the river Viescas, before entering a leafy forest.

Once in the heights, the Puertos de Marabio are a limestone plateau declared a Natural Monument. A landscape of dolines, large pastures, mountain pastures and lagoons that is ideal for walking with the family or cycling among free cattle and centuries-old paths. The Picu Caldoveiro ( 1,351 m), the highest peak of these passes, also gives its name to a mountain range of 11,000 hectares that is a Protected Landscape.

On the eastern flank of the region, the Puerto de Agüeria route from Llindes (Quirós) offers mountaineers a demanding route through limestone, beech and beech forests, until they reach a pure and solitary alpine landscape.

Village of Lindes - Quirós.

The council of Somiedo has historically been a space of coexistence between two very different rural communities: the resident, sedentary Somedanos; and the vaqueiros de alzada, transhumant stockbreeders, with a lifestyle based on seasonal migration between the low valleys and the high pastures. The beautiful Braña de La Pornacal, together with the no less beautiful ones of Mumián or Sousas, represent the essence of the vaqueiro world and their way of life.

Path in the Alto de la Farrapona - Somiedo.

Further up, the Saliencia Lakes await us, glacial jewels in a pure and unchanging environment. From the Alto de la Farrapona (1,708 m) you can start a 14 km route (there and back) to discover the four main lakes: La Cueva, Cerveriz, La Mina and the imposing Calabazosa or Black Lake, the largest and deepest. The trail, of medium difficulty, offers spectacular views and also connects with Lago del Valle, another of the most emblematic sites in this Biosphere Reserve - this last lake can also be visited separately, along a highly recommended route of just 6 kilometres, which starts in the town of Valle de Lago.

In this area around the lakes, at an altitude of 1,600 metres, the transhumance pilgrimage is held every 21 September, to pay homage to this ancient nomadic activity of Merino sheep that linked Castile and Extremadura with the Somedano pastures (from the Middle Ages until well into the 20th century).

In autumn, the forests of Somiedo and part of the region are full of visitors with the bellowing of the deer; and in spring, with a bit of luck and a lot of patience, we can enjoy the sighting of the brown bear in the wild, as it moves along the slopes, digs roots or grazes in the meadows. There are several active tourism agencies in the area that offer a number of nature experiences, such as wildlife watching.

Wildlife watching during the rutting season - Proaza.

In the heart of this region, scattered between mountains and valleys, survive some of the most unique and representative villages of rural Asturias. These places can be reached by car from Oviedo/Uviéu in between half an hour and an hour and a half, depending on the destination. The A-63 leads to Grau/Grado, and the AS-228 and AS-227 roads connect with the rest of the councils.

Hikers, cycle tourists and nature lovers in general will find all kinds of accommodation: charming rural houses, family hotels and hostels, tourist flats, hostels and refuges.

Rural house in the mountains - Santo Adriano.

The gastronomy of the area is based on local products and traditional recipes. Hearty dishes such as cabbage stew, Asturian beef, game, spelt bread or cheeses such as Afuega'l pitu, with Protected Designation of Origin, or homemade sweets such as borrachinos or rice pudding. It is a simple and tasty cuisine, closely linked to the landscape, the livestock and life in the brañas.

A tour of the most outstanding localities takes us first to Grau/Grado, capital of the "Moscona" land and the most bustling town in the whole region. The First Flower is a great traditional fair that takes place after Easter and has been recognised as a Festivity of Tourist Interest in the Principality. It includes the Asturian Bean Contest with IGP seal, many festive activities and a very popular pilgrimage to welcome spring. On the other hand, the Grau/Grado market, which livens up the town every Wednesday and Sunday, is the oldest in Asturias. It was born in the shelter of the roads to Santiago de Compostela and the Camín Real de la Mesa, and it is still going strong today, among traditional sausages, cured cheeses, buns and spelt bread. In the villages of the eastern part of the council, spelt (one of the oldest varieties of wheat in the world) is still sown by hand and threshed by hand. Old treaders, ovens and mills can still be seen in this area, associated with the ancient traditional production of these breads.

First Flower Market - Grado.

The council of Belmonte de Miranda offers an unusual serenity, without noise or haste, and a life marked by livestock farming, hunting and river fishing in the salmon reserves of the river Pigüeña, a tributary of the Narcea. In the capital of the municipality is the Aula del Oro, a highly visual and entertaining centre that tells the story of gold mining in Belmonte, from the Bronze Age to the present day. There are replicas of castreño jewellery, authentic minerals and even a small archaeodrome where you can try your luck as a digger. Without leaving the council, a visit to the Miranda hydroelectric power station, one of the jewels of Asturias' industrial heritage, is a must. Built in the mid-20th century, the architect Joaquín Vaquero Palacios intervened here with a monumental and scenographic approach that we can admire in all its dimension thanks to a guided visit(opens in a new tab).

To speak of Candamo is to enter one of the most fertile valleys in the centre-west of Asturias. Situated on the banks of the river Nalón, which crosses it from south to north, it is an eminently rural council, famous for its market gardens, its prehistoric cave and its strawberries, which have an exclusive festival every spring.

Strawberry Festival - Candamo.

The municipality of Las Regueras is dotted with hamlets and gentle hills, and Santullano is its most significant centre. The Romanesque church of Santa María, the Roman archaeological site of Andayón or its mills route are examples of the discreet but rich heritage of this council. In addition, the Primitive Way crosses Las Regueras on its first stage from Oviedo, covering barely 13 kilometres but with great cultural incentives such as the aforementioned pre-Romanesque church of San Pedro de Nora or the Roman Baths of Valduno, one of the best preserved Roman baths in rural Asturias. The site is located next to the church of Santa Eulalia de Valduno and is open to visitors.

Route of the Mills of Corroriu - Quirós.

Proaza and Santo Adriano, both linked to the river Trubia, are strategic points for family trekking thanks to the Senda del Oso, but they also keep heritage pearls such as Banduxu (Proaza), a village considered the oldest and best preserved in Asturias for its medieval ensemble; with the Tower of Tuñón, from the 11th century, and the church of Santa María, both declared Sites of Cultural Interest. In Santo Adriano, the Ecomuseum La Ponte offers us a critical and participative vision of the rural world, dealing with subjects such as orality, gender and territory, from an open and lively pedagogy. We cannot forget the pre-Romanesque jewel of this municipality: the church of Santo Adriano de Tuñón, nor the medieval bridge of Villanueva which, due to its appearance and construction, is often called "Roman" and is a small jewel of traditional engineering. Villanueva is also home to an outstanding example of Asturian rural Romanesque architecture: the church of San Romano (12th-13th century). It conserves its original structure and inside there are mural paintings.

View of Bárzana - Quirós.

Quirós, Teverga and Somiedo, with their respective capitals Bárzana, San Martín and Pola de Somiedo, are authentic bastions of Asturian ethnography. Various spaces help to highlight the value of this heritage. The Ethnographic Museum of Quirós, housed in the old Las Agüeras power station, reconstructs the agricultural, mining and textile life of the valley, in dialogue with the real landscape that surrounds it. The Somiedo Ecomuseum delves into the cowherd culture: the teitos, the filandón utensils, the transhumance routes and the rural exodus. In Teverga, there are organised adventure activities that allow us to go up to the "brañas" on horseback, and thus experience first-hand "one of the cowboys".

La Pola de Somiedo - Somiedo.

Yernes y Tameza, the smallest and least populated council in the region, offers precisely for this reason the highest degree of conservation. A stronghold of authenticity among chestnut trees, livestock, vegetable gardens and a well-preserved traditional architecture based on granaries, paneras and teitos, which still forms part of the everyday landscape.

The Camín Real de la Mesa region is a territory of perfect balance between the human and the breathing landscape. If you are looking for more than just a selfie with a view, this is the place for you.