Beyu Pen route

The Beyu Pen Route is one of the most magical and familiar hiking experiences that can be enjoyed in the east of Asturias. Located in the council of Amieva, just 10 km from Cangas de Onís, this 3 km route combines nature, oral tradition and art to offer us a journey through the Asturian mythological imaginary.

The route begins in the village of Santiyán, where a footbridge allows you to cross the river Sella. Just on the other side, the path enters a damp and shady forest, following the course of the Beyu stream (or Regatu del Beyu), among chestnut, oak, hazel and moss-covered beech trees. From the first steps, the atmosphere is intimate and mysterious: natural forms and sculptures discreetly integrated into the surroundings give life to mythological characters such as the nuberu, the busgosu or the guaxa, thanks to the work of the artist Julián Bravo.

The route is well signposted, although it is not suitable for pushchairs. Therefore, if you go with small children, the use of baby carriers or mountain devices is recommended. From the age of 4 or 5, they can complete it on foot without great difficulty, although caution should be exercised in sections with loose or wet stones.

Along the way, the little ones can play at discovering hidden figures among the roots, trunks and stones. Halfway along the route you enter a narrow gorge, where the rock sculpted by erosion multiplies the mysterious shapes. This is one of the most spectacular sections of the route and makes the experience almost theatrical, as if the forest were inviting us to listen to its stories.

The route ends in Pen, a traditional village of extraordinary ethnographic value. Among its stone houses, hórreos (raised granaries) and cobbled paths, the hórreo is considered the largest in Asturias, with 14 pegollos, as well as historic buildings such as Casa Peri, Casa Fondón and the hermitage of San Roque. Here, the landscape opens up and offers impressive views of the surroundings of Peña Dulce.

The return journey can be made along the same path, or continue towards Villaverde and complete a more extensive circular route passing through Carmenero, Argolibio and Precendi.