LIMESTONE AND TOWERS AND BEARS, OH MY!
From its spectacular mountain scenery to lush forests and exceptional wildlife, the Spanish Principality of Asturias is a haven of natural wonder. And it’s waiting for you…
Situated on the north-west coast of Spain, butted up against the Cantabrian Sea in the Bay of Biscay, Asturias is a geological masterpiece. Part of España Verde (Green Spain) – a lush natural region that borders the Atlantic coast from Portugal to France – its limestone geology and maritime climate have created a region of phenomenal mountain ranges, beautiful cove and cave coastline, and expansive forests.
A self-governed autonomous community, Asturias also has a wealth of unique history and culture. From the architecture of its Romanesque monuments and rustic hórreos (traditional granaries) to its culinary delicacies which include delicious seafood, the famous fabada asturiana stew, extravagantly poured cider and strong cave-matured Cabrales cheese, new discoveries beckon around every corner.
For readers of Trail, though, it’s the phenomenal landscape that will offer the greatest draw, and in particular, some of the most spectacular mountain scenery to be found in Europe…
The Picos de Europa
The Peaks of Europe (they were the first land visible to European sailors returning from the Americas) lie on the eastern edge of Asturias, spilling over into the Cantabria and the Castile and León regions. A 20km chain of limestone that’s been expertly carved and delicately shaped by glaciers and weather, the resulting scenery is eye-opening, jaw dropping, breathtaking and awe inspiring. Pale peaks soar from the valleys to scratch the skies in steep faces that crane the neck and bewilder the senses. The most famous of these is Picu Urriellu, a 550m sheer-sided monolith whose summit tops out at 2529m and is the reserve of the climbing and mountaineering elite. At 2650m, Torre de Cerredo is the highest
of the Picos and is a more accessible than its neighbour, although still an adventurous ascent that’s often assisted by guides and ropes.
But those who prefer to keep their feet on easier ground are well catered for in the Picos de Europa. A network of refuges linked by waymarked trails offer accommodation and sustenance and convenient routes between them. El Anillo de Picos – the Ring of the Picos – is a collection of three multi-day hut-to-hut hikes. These can be trekked individually or combined to create an epic tour that visits nine refuges, all three massifs of the Picos range, and delivers unrivalled scenery.
The GR 203
At the other end of the region lies a greener landscape. For over 170km, the GR 203 trekking route winds through one of the best preserved and most extraordinary natural areas in western Asturias. Although not as starkly mountainous as the Picos, this land of beech woodland and oak groves is a natural wonder in its own right. Unique villages nestle amongst the native forests in the depths of the Fuentes del Narcea, Degaña and Ibias Natural Park which, along with the Picos de Europa National Park, has been declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO (and Asturias has five more). Rivers begin their journeys to the sea from their sources in the emerald hills, and the area is home to a very special resident...
The GR 203 is known as the route ‘por donde camina el oso’ – where the bear walks. The forests of western Asturias are home to one of the most important settlements in Europe of the Cantabrian brown bear. Having once roamed most of the Iberian peninsula, since the first half of the 20th century populations of the Cantabrian brown bear have been reduced through human persecution and by loss of habitat. But their numbers are on the up. In western Asturias there are now around 200 bears, and while they are timid and avoid humans, you might spot its tracks on the ground, its scratch marks in tree bark and, if you’re really lucky, the lumbering shape of one of these magnificent creatures quietly going about its business in the woods…