- Title Boroughs it comprises Aller, Lena, Mieres, Morcín, Ribera de Arriba, Riosa
- Site Site: http://puertadeasturias.es/
A river, the Caudal; a Roman road, La Carisa; a Kingdom, that of Asturias, and a succession of dizzying peaks, those of the Cantabrian Mountains, are the signs of identity of a region that bears its essence in its name: Montaña Central de Asturias.
From the ancient Kingdom of Asturias, there are still vestiges of heritage that today, due to their historical importance, are World Heritage Sites, as is the case of Santa Cristina de Lena, but the truth is that hundreds of years before this Kingdom was born, the Romans were aware of the importance of the region, the Romans were aware of the strategic importance and the many riches treasured in the Asturian soil and subsoil, so they built an accessible road for the access of their Legions, the one we know today as Vía Carisa, whose archaeological excavations are yielding continuous and new data on the ancient history of Asturias. In addition, this road is the setting for routes and celebrations that recall a past of empire and domination.
It is true, however, that what most gives character to this region are perhaps the untamed peaks of the Cantabrian Mountains that rise in these territories, and which make it a unique place for elite training in different sports. To such an extent that these peaks arouse the curiosity, admiration or desire to conquer them on the part of sportsmen and women and amateurs from all over the world. As an illustrative anecdote, the mountain passes of the Central Mountains of Asturias are, together with Picos de Europa, the most famous of the Tour of Spain, and their fame has a clear reason for being: their difficulty is decisive in determining the winner of what is undoubtedly one of the most important professional cycling rounds at international level. Names such as Coto Beyo in Aller, La Cobertoria or Cuitu Negru in Lena, or the mythical and feared Angliru in Riosa - which experts say is only suitable for those 'protected by the gods' - are part of the universal 'imaginarium' of great and unrepeatable feats...
MTB enthusiasts can enjoy a circuit around the Central Mountain of Asturias catalogued as GR208 and known as "Anillo Ciclista" (Cycling Ring) where they can enjoy nature and sport along almost 200 km of route divided into eight stages and perfectly signposted.
As the canons of the high mountains dictate, there are ski resorts in this region, with its intense winters and frequent snow, ideal for practising the white sport. Lena is home to the Valgrande-Pajares ski resort, the oldest in the Cantabrian Mountains and the third oldest in Spain. And Aller is home to the resort of Fuentes de Invierno, a charming little resort equipped with state-of-the-art mechanical equipment, which will soon join the nearby resort of San Isidro to form the largest ski area in the north of Spain.
But the Central Mountain of Asturias is not only covered by a white mantle in winter and cut out all year round in impossible peaks, but its entrails contain abundant mineral wealth, mainly coal, so it is an important energy pantry that has remarkable resources of industrial archaeology. One of the examples of this industrial heritage, which has been highlighted, is the mining village of Bustiello, in Mieres, although there are others.
As far as ethnographic heritage is concerned, the best example is the village of Güeñu/Bueño, which was awarded the Exemplary Village 2012 prize, which has one of the best-preserved groups of hórreos in Asturias and even has a museum where the origin and evolution of this curious Asturian 'palafitic' construction is explained.
Moreover, the Central Mountains of Asturias is a very lively region, with a lively atmosphere, a liveliness that is reflected in its festivals and gastronomic events, based around such local products as Afuega'l Pitu cheese, which has its annual festival in La Foz, Morcín. And of course it has a hospitable, open and cosmopolitan vocation, built on the foundations of its history, which has seen Roman legions, pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago (known in the area as "Camino del Salvador"), has kept relics of Christianity, and still holds secrets and surprises in its mountains, on its roads and in its landscapes that always show us a unique and renewed beauty?
Six councils make up the Central Mountains: Aller, Lena, Mieres, Morcín, Ribera de Arriba and Riosa.
- Valgrande-Pajares and Fuentes de Invierno ski resorts.
- Las Ubiñas - La Mesa Nature Reserve (Biosphere Reserve), Sierra del Aramo, Coto Bello, La Cobertoria and El Angliru, Cuencas Mineras Protected Landscape.
- Afuelga'l Pitu cheese competition in La Foz, Morcín.
- The village of Bueño/Güeñu.
- Mining village of Bustiello. Industrial archaeology of the Turón Valley.
- Pre-Romanesque and Romanesque architecture: Santa Cristina de Lena, San Vicente de Serrapio, Santa Eulalia de Uxo.
- Alfilorios reservoir in the councils of Morcín and Ribera de Arriba.