Pierzu Route

The route to Pico Pierzu (1,552 m) is one of the most emblematic ascents in the Ponga Natural Park and an exceptional viewpoint in eastern Asturias. The round trip starts at Collada Llomena, at an altitude of 1,000 metres. There you will find a small car park and an information sign marking the start of the route.

For the first two kilometres, a wide, well-signposted track allows you to acclimatise to the surroundings. The landscape alternates between meadows, ash trees and gentle hills as you head towards the Excueño quarry. Just before reaching it, a narrow path leads off to the right, starting the real ascent up the slope of the Sierra de Excueño. This section, which is steeper and more technical, leads us to the Llano Canto pass, where there is a panoramic view of Lake Aranga and La Mota de Cetín Peak.

We continue on to Majada de Cerboes, where we find three traditional huts surrounded by ash trees. From here, the path narrows and climbs up the ridge to the summit. El Pierzu, an isolated vantage point between deep valleys, offers one of the most impressive views of the north of the peninsula. To the east rises the Cornión Massif (Picos de Europa), to the south the deep cuts of the Arcenorio valley stand out, sheltering the Peloño forest, and to the west the profiles of the Maciedome, the Tiatordos and the Canto del Oso can be seen. To the north, the Sueve and Cuera mountain ranges stretch out, and Arriondas and Cangas de Onís can be seen further down.

The descent follows the same route, allowing you to rediscover the landscape from a different perspective. The entire route can be completed in 4.5 to 5 hours, and is considered of medium difficulty due to the gradient and some uneven sections, although it is well signposted and has no technical steps.