Dolmen of Merillés

This historic route starts in Tuña, a beautiful village that was awarded the title of "Exemplary Village of Asturias" in 2000, in recognition of the richness of its heritage. When we get out of the car, we are greeted by a network of historic buildings: no less than three palaces, a bridge, a vestige of an ancient Roman road, and several medieval houses and towers that whisper stories of yesteryear. Undoubtedly, a promising start to a route that, although relatively short in distance, is remarkably steep.

Crossing the river Tuña over the historic Ponte de Carral, we turn left onto a track that will guide us towards Merías. Just 300 metres later, the track becomes a path that begins to ascend gently through the Tuña valley, taking us deeper and deeper into nature.

If we take the route calmly, we will be able to savour every detail. The path offers us the company of enormous chestnut trees that flank part of the path before reaching Merías, while the perspective of the landscape widens and transforms as we gain altitude.

After the first 1.7 kilometres, the path invites us to take the path on the right and, after a few metres, a turning to the left takes us directly to the village of Merías. Once there, we enter its streets: first, we turn right and then take the first street we find to the left.

About 200 metres further on, we take the path on the right, and in the next 200 metres we make a sharp turn to the left. From this point onwards, stay on this path until you reach the "camperas", vast expanses of pasture land that bring you even closer to your destination.

Little by little, the reservoir will begin to appear on the horizon, displaying its intense blue in contrast with the surrounding green, and with a bit of luck, nature will surprise us with the appearance of some elusive foxes or we may spot the majestic Asturcones, the native Asturian horses that graze freely in the area, a living symbol of the connection of this land with its roots.

Without deviating from the path at any time, we will reach a crucial fork in the road. Both options will take you to the Merillés Dolmen, but with different approaches. On the left, the route is slightly longer and passes through the Carbayal area. The route on the right, on the other hand, is more direct but involves a steeper slope. For our route, we will take the left-hand branch, enjoying a path with less gradient.

Once past the Carbayal, at kilometre 4.6, we turn right. And, as if by magic, barely 300 metres further on, we will find ourselves in front of the imposing Merillés Dolmen.

Formed by four orthostats, large vertical stone blocks that delimit a rectangular-shaped burial chamber, the dolmen is one of the most beautiful megalithic monuments in Asturias.

After absorbing the mysticism and history of this sacred place, we will return the same way, with the sensation of having connected directly with Asturias' most remote past.