Route to Peña Villa from Molleo: Contrasting landscapes in Siero

The route starts in the quiet streets of Molleo, where we can comfortably park our vehicle. Shortly before leaving the village, approximately 280 metres from the start of the route, you will come to the first fork in the road, where the path invites you to take the left-hand branch. As we advance, we leave some houses on our right that seem to be watching our step, while we go deeper into nature.

The path, flanked by the shade of hazelnut trees, ash trees and the occasional hawthorn, meanders through green meadows. We soon reach the first milestone on our route: the Molledo-La Bobia climbing school. From this strategic point, the views of the valley open up majestically. At approximately kilometre 1, we come to a new fork, where we take the right-hand branch.

A thousand metres further on, at kilometre 2, our main path joins another path, which is the one we will use for the circular return. However, for the ascent, we continue straight on, leaving the small village of Bovia to our left and crossing the Sierra de Paranza, which continues to offer us spectacular views of the central area of Asturias.

Half a kilometre further on, we come to another crossroads, but we continue in our direction, going straight on towards a group of houses where there are also other crossroads that we ignore, always keeping to the main path without deviating.

During the ascent, you will come across some of the most authentic examples of rural life. Among carefully tended orchards, it is still possible to come across some locals "cuchando" (spreading manure on the farms to fertilise them). Birches, elms and oaks accompany us on our walk, as we gradually approach the imposing Peña Villa.

Almost reaching the end, at kilometre 4, we come across a turning to the right that we do not take at this point, and we continue straight on until we reach the summit of Peña Villa. This final ascent is first through pastureland and then through dense gorse, with the trill of the occasional stonechat accompanying us from the top of the gorse.

Approximately 500 metres further on, we will have reached the longed-for end point of our route. The beautiful views of the Cuenca del Nalón await us as a reward.

Reaching the summit of Peña Villa is like looking out over a privileged balcony over central Asturias. From the top, the rural and bucolic landscape that has accompanied us from the east of Peña Villa gives way to a completely different view to the south, where the Nalón Valley unfolds before us with its characteristic industrial silhouette. And to the northwest, under our watchful eye, the vast and vibrant urban sprawl of Oviedo/Uviéu, the capital of Asturias, stretches out before us.

For the return journey, we have two options: we can either return along the same route as before or, for a change of route, take the detour to the right mentioned above. This turn-off is at approximately kilometre 7, once we have left the village of Bovia behind. This alternative takes us through the village of L'Azorera, in the council of Langreo, before returning to the initial path that will lead us back to Molleo.

This route, beyond being a simple walk, becomes a different way of discovering the many nuances of this central area of Asturias.