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The asturian cheese and cheese recipes

by Admin

Elaboración de queso Cabrales (Cabrales)

Asturias is one of the regions of Spain with most tradition in manufacturing cheese. The region is well known for its green and vast pasture lands, where a wide range of livestock graze. Asturian cheese range is made mainly with cow milk, but also with goat or sheep milk, or a blend of all of them. It is a typical stamp in Asturias to see sheep or cows grazing in the pastures, mainly in rural areas, but also near the main towns.

There are more than 50 varieties of cheese in Asturias, 4 of them with a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) in Europe (Cabrales Cheese, Afuega’l Pitu, Gamoneu and Casín), and another one is in process of obtaining this European distinction: Los Beyos. Some of these varieties are used to make the finest cheese recipes in Asturian gastronomy, like the “escalopines al Cabrales”.

This wide variety of products will give you the opportunity of tasting different flavours and textures, in different shapes, and with hints of other products, like blueberries, nuts or liquors.

Cheese production in Asturias is made mainly in small, family run, factories, and it is common to visit those factories to discover the traditional way those cheese varieties are made. This makes Asturian cheese special, as you will be tasting very exclusive products but at very good prices.

Asturian gastronomy is very influenced by this great amount of cheese varieties, with cheese recipes like “escalopines al Cabrales Cheese” (beef fillet with Cabrales cheese sauce), “cachopo” (breaded beef fillet filled with cheese and Iberian ham), cheese cakes, cheese platters, cheese and quince jelly (or any other kind of fruit jelly), goat cheese and “cecina” pie, or corn tortilla with Afuega’l Pitu Cheese.

In Where Is Asturias we have selected for you some cheese recipes. These cheese recipes are easy to make but are very tasty and will make an impression on any guest:

Tortos de maíz con afuega’l pitu Rey Silo y cebolla confitada (Asturian Corn Tortos with Rey Silo Cheese and sugar poached onion)

Ingredients:

– 200 gr. Corn flour

– 80 gr. Wheat flour or Spelt wheat flour

– Tepid water

– Salt

– 2 onions

– 30 gr. Butter

– 100 gr. Sugar

– 125 gr. Rey Silo Red Cheese

– Oil

First we mix the corn and spelt (or wheat) flour along with a pinch of salt and a bit of water. We knead the dough until we get a humid dough, but elastic enough to mould it. Once we have it ready we have to store it under a humid cloth and we will leave it settle for a few hours.

On a pan we will poach the onion. We need to cut it in small strips, and then poach it in the butter. When it is poached we will add the sugar and let it poach with the sugar.

To cook the” tortos” we will stretch the dough helping ourselves with two humid cloths, giving them the desired shape and size. We will put a wedge of cheese over each “torto” and then we will put another piece of dough over it and we will seal them with a bit of water.

Once stuffed, we will fry them in abundant hot oil. We will turn them to cook the other side, and then we will let them dry in a cloth or kitchen paper.

Finally we will serve the “tortos” with the poached onion on the top.

Salsa de queso de La Peral, Cabrales o Gamoneu a la sidra (La Peral, Cabrales Cheese, or Gamoneu cheese sauce with natural cider).

Ingredients:

– 150 gr. of La Peral / Cabrales / Gamoneu cheese

– 250 ml. Asturian Natural Cider

– 125 gr. Cream

– 20 gr. Butter

– 1 spoonful of flour

– 1 spoonful of olive oil

– Salt.

Melt the butter and oil in a pan. Add the flour and mix. Add the cider, mix, and let it cook for some minutes.

Chop the cheese into small chunks, add to the mix, and stir until the cheese melts into the sauce. Add the cream, a pinch of salt, and let it reduce for some minutes.

Put the sauce into a blender and soften it.

Pour the sauce over any kind of beef steak and enjoy one of the most traditional cheese recipes in Asturias.

Mejillones con salsa de Afuega’l Pitu (Mussels with Afuega’l Pitu cheese sauce)

Ingredients (for 3 people):

– 1 kg. of mussels

– ½ cup of white wine

– 25 gr. Of butter

– 1 spoonful of flour

– 125 ml. of cream

– Salt

– Some of the broth from steaming the mussels

– 50 gr. of red Afuega’l Pitu cheese

– 50 gr. of white Afuega’l Pitu cheese

First we need to open the mussels with steam. Remove the beards from them and rinse them with cold running water. If any mussels are opened, tap them lightly on a hard surface and if they don’t close or the shell is broken, discard them. Put the mussels in a pot with a bit of water and cover them with a lid, but leaving a bit uncovered. Steam them for some minutes until all of them are open. If any remains closed discard them. Strain the broth you get and put it apart. Put the mussels with one of the shells in a platter.

To make the sauce we melt the butter in a pot and add the flour slowly, as if we were going to make a béchamel. Warm for a few seconds the wine in the microwave and add to the flour. Stir a bit and add a pinch of salt, a bit of the mussels’ broth and the cream. Turn the heat down and stir with a wire whip until we get a thin sauce. We spread the sauce in two different bowls and add to each of them a different type of cheese. With the wire whip we stir until there are no lumps left. We will get a thick sauce. We pour each of the sauces in the mussel shells, some with white sauce, and some with red sauce.

We heat the oven at 250ºC and grate the mussels for some minutes until they are ready.

Finally we present them in a platter or individual dishes.

Here you have a list of all the cheeses you can taste is Asturias:

Cow’s milk cheese:

– Queso Monje: Peñamellera Baja.

– Queso de El Carballo: Taramundi.

– Queso de Oscos: Grandas de Salime.

– Queso de Abredo: Coaña.

– Queso de Xenestoso: Cangas del Narcea.

– Queso Ahumáu: Tineo.

– Queso del Valle del Narcea: Salas.

– Queso de Fuente: Proaza.

– Queso de Afuega’l pitu (PDO): Pravia, Las Regueras, Salas, Grado, Morcín and Riosa.

– Queso Rey Silo: Pravia.

– Queso Frescu de Temia: Grado.

– Queso de La Peral: Illas.

– Queso Varé ecológico: Siero.

– Queso Ovín: Nava.

– Queso de Urbiés: Mieres.

– Queso Casín (PDO): Caso, Sobrescobio and Piloña.

– Queso de Los Beyos (PDO candidate): Ponga and Amieva.

– Queso de Caxigón: Cabrales.

– Queso de Canal de Ciercos: Peñamellera Baja.

– Queso Monje Nata: Peñamellera Baja.

– Queso Cueva de Llonín: Peñamellera Alta.

– Queso de Miranda: Avilés.

– Queso de Los Carriles: Llanes.

– Queso de Piedra: Llanes.

Goat’s milk cheese:

– Queso Monje Cabra: Peñamellera Baja.

– Queso Varé: Siero.

– Queso Ovín: Nava.

– Queso de La Peña: San Martín del Rey Aurelio.

– Queso de Collada: Amieva.

– Queso Cuevas del Mar: Llanes.

– Queso de Peña Tú: Llanes.

– Queso de Porrúa: Llanes.

– Queso de La Chivita: Peñamellera Baja.

– Queso de El Boxu: Cangas de Onís

Sheep’s milk cheese:

– Queso de Jalón: Cangas del Narcea.

– Queso Ovín: Nava.

– Queso de Collada: Amieva.

– Queso Oveyeru: Amieva.

– Queso de Porrúa: Llanes.

Blended milk cheese:

– Queso Rulo con Arándanos: Tineo.

– Queso de Madelva: Piloña.

– Queso de Gamonéu (PDO): Cangas de Onís and Onís.

– Queso de Cabrales (PDO): Cabrales.

– Queso de Urriellu: Llanes.

– Queso de Pría: Llanes.

– Queso de Vidiago: Llanes.

– Queso de Peñamellera: Peñamellera Alta and Peñamellera Baja.

– Queso de La Chivita: Peñamellera Baja.

– Queso Rozagás: Llanes.

– Queso de Arangas: Cabrales.

If you are interested in purchasing any Asturian cheese, or want to know how to make any of our delicious cheese recipes, contact us: info@whereisasturias.com

Images supplied by Turismos Asturias: Kike Llamas and José Suárez

ADVENTURE PHOTOS ROUTES

Asturias the paradise of mountain biking

by Admin

Asturias is located in the North of Spain and surrounded by mountains of up to 2500 m but is also home to several hundred of kilometers of Atlantic shore making it ideal for mountain biking. Asturias is blessed with some of the most beautiful and wild landscapes of all Europe.

It was in the 90’s when Asturias saw the arrival of this sport to its mountains. Parks like the Picos de Europa (One of the biggest Spanish National Park), Somiedo Natural reserve, Central Mountains of Asturias, were the places where mountain biking in Asturias was first introduced.

Now, with the development of several tourism-oriented infrastructures, Asturias has become one of the most stunning and friendly places for mountain biking, especially regarding the challenging trails with epic climbs and technical descents and up to two hours rocky trails all the way.

In the summer, most of the Peaks and Passes are open for MTB, so epic rides up to 8-10 hours in duration passing through some of the wildest places are common here. One of the benefits of riding here in Asturias is the local tasty cuisine, friendly people and very remote locations that the region has to offer. Some bus shuttle services can deliver you at the top of some of the more difficult downhill sections of the county in a matter of one hour. If you enjoy climbing, mountains such as the mythical Angliru (one of the most demanding climbs in Europe with a 2km at 22% of inclination continuously) are ready for you to overcome.

During the winter months, temperatures drop down to about 10 degrees and snow mainly falls only on the highest mountains, so the coast and the mountains of central Asturias are perfect for a proper winter ride. Be prepared to face some showers and some really wet muddy trails but if you want to properly challenge your skills then winter riding in Asturias is ideal for you. Moreover, if you want to increase your mileage, there is a beautiful network of routes along the coastline which can cover up to 80 kms a day with some amazing single tracks near the cliffs.

Asturias is one of the only places on earth where you can be skiing at 2 pm in one of the ski resorts of the region and 45 minutes later you can be surfing a wave in the Cantabrian Sea so imagine the possibilities for MTB in Asturias.

Happy mountain biking but please remember the Mountain Code….. Stay safe, respect the environment and respect others who are also using the trails and routes.

More info about Montain Bike Routes in Asturias

If you want more information contact Where is Asturias at info@whereisasturias.com

Images and Text supplied by Bernardo del Truebano Garcia, Pablo Roman Garcia and Tracks Astures

DISCOVER FOOD AND DRINK VIDEOS

The gochu asturcelta in Asturias, the celtic pig

by Admin

The Gochu Asturcelta. In 2002 a campain was started to protect an almost extinct Asturian breed of swine. Since then its numbers have risen gradually and thanks to a few passionate farmers and breeders, the Gochu Asturcelta is now a common sight throughout in the region of Asturias.

The beauty of this breed of swine is that it’s not suited to intensive methods of rearing and prefers to be free to roam and forage in Oak and Chestnut forests. This means that the meat it produces is always organic and free range and even though it has a much lower fat content then the more popular breeds of Gochu Asturcelta or Asturian Celtic Pig it is still full of flavour.

To find out more about this rare species of Gochu Asturcelta, we took our cameras along to the Gipsy Chef Cooking tour to meet none other than “Gipsy Chef” Pablo Albuerne who was hosting an event organised by Socio-ecologists, Gaia and Sofia. The event was held in the fabulous organic farm of Finca Amaido and it was a great opportunity for families to get some cooking tips from the Gipsy Chef and also witness the Gochu Asturcelta in its natural habitat.

The Gipsy Chef pulled all the stops on this leg of the tour and slow roasted a whole pig in traditional ground oven.

While we were waiting for the pig to roast we went for a walk with co-founder of Gaia y Sofia, Sebastian Burch who explained to us what makes the Gochu Asturcelta such a unique and excellent breed of pig.

If you want more information contact Where is Asturias at info@whereisasturias.com

DISCOVER NATURE VIDEOS

Muniellos Nature Park

by Admin

Muniellos Forest, visits to which remain restricted so as to preserve its exceptional environment intact. Hunting for some of its many wildlife species, such as deer and wild boar, is permitted in other forested areas in the borough.

The landscape of the park affords a wide variety of nuances which are uniquely revealed in each of the boroughs comprising it; in the area of Cangas del Narcea, the terrain is steep and rugged, while the River Narcea and its numerous tributaries offer ideal spots for trout and salmon fishing.

High mountain ranges and green valleys abound in the borough of Degaña. Its landscape constitutes one of the most typical ecosystems of the Cantabrian Mountains. It is home to forests of pedunculate oak and other species, such as birch, yew and holly. The most important beech forest, in terms of size and state of conservation, is the one in El Hermo Valley, which occupies 10 kilometres of hillside. There are also representative forests around the headwaters of the Rivers Ibias and Molín. Oak woods dot the entire area, the most emblematic being the sessile oak forest of Muniellos. Birches abound in Degaña, in the upper reaches of the River Naviego and on the slopes up to El Connio Pass. In the high mountains, the vegetation consists of juniper, heather and bilberry, the specimens found on El Cueto de Arbás being very characteristic.

The most representative wildlife in the park is undoubtedly the brown bear. The conditions of the area, its vast forests and inaccessible areas of refuge make it an excellent place for these animals to breed and survive. Although their numbers have markedly decreased in recent decades, the brown bear is undoubtedly the hallmark of Asturian forests. There are also notable numbers of wolves, with stable breeding areas and fairly large family groups. Numerous deer and chamois are to be found in extensive tracts of forest and scrubland. Noteworthy among birds is the capercaillie, an endangered species which makes its habitat in the forests of Hermo, Degaña and Muniellos. The presence of the protected otter can be observed in most rivers, whose waters abound in trout and salmon. Degaña is also a Regional Game Reserve greatly valued by hunters.

The third borough included in the park is Ibias. An extensive area of more gentle mountainous terrain provides for a landscape of great beauty and rich vegetation. Mount Valdebois, in the forest of Muniellos, is its most important enclave. The sources of the River Ibias and its tributaries bathe the mountain ranges and valleys with crystalline waters. Ibias has evidence of being populated during the Stone Age, the era of hill forts and the Roman period. Dolmens in Pradías and Chao Leda fuse history, culture and art with the spectacular nature of spots such as Muniellos and Los Ancares.

Fuentes del Narcea, Degaña e Ibias Nature Park is located in the southwestern part of Asturias. It encompasses the upper reaches of the Rivers Narcea and Ibias and spans the boroughs of Cangas del Narcea, Degaña and Ibias.

Worthy of note throughout the borough of Ibias is the popular architecture of hórreos (raised granaries-cum-storehouses) and pallozas (stone and thatch cabins which are an evolution of hill fort dwellings).

It was declared a Nature Park in 2002 and a Biosphere Reserve in 2003.

Article by Turismo Asturias: www.turismoasturias.es

If you want more information contact Where is Asturias at info@whereisasturias.com

ADVENTURE PHOTOS ROUTES

The route of the Cares in Asturias

by Admin

The Route of the Cares runs the beautiful mountains of Picos de Europa in Asturias , a hiking path that follows the gorge carved in the mountains by the River Cares. This route has its starting point in Poncebos (Cabrales) goes to Caín, in the neighbour region of León, having a total distance of 12 kilometres. It is the most known hiking route in Asturias, apart from the Way of St. James.

The route runs through some of the most astonishing settings in Asturias: the National Park of Picos de Europa. As you go through the mountains you will be overwhelmed by the beautiful nature. With all reason the Cares gorge is known as “The Divine Gorge”.

To get to the route you must follow the AS-114 road that goes from Cangas de Onís to the region of Cantabria, and then in Arenas de Cabrales take the AS-264 road going south 5 kilometres, following the course of the river Cares, until you arrive to Poncebos. There you can find parking spaces near the cable car.

The Route of the Cares has a total distance of 12 kilometres, or 24 if you want to do the return trip. There are some companies that provide transfer from Caín back to Poncebos for a fee.

The difficulty of the route is medium-low, with only the first 2 kilometres of steep climb and medium difficulty.

Although the main route ends in Caín, the original one goes until Posada de Valdeón, also in León, and adds 10 more kilometres to the route.

It is advisable to take some precautions before doing the Route of the Cares due to its nature:

– * Use suitable, sturdy, footwear. Although the route is accessible to anyone, there might be parts with loose rocks.

– * It is also advisable to take Windstopper clothes due to the frequent winds in the gorge.

– * Bring water, as there are no drinking fountains during the route, and until you reach the tunnels there are no shadows to take shelter from the sun, so there is a possibility of dehydration.

– * Bring food. The route can take some time to complete, and even more if you do it from Poncebos to Caín and back, so it is advisable to take some food with you.

– * Due to the amount of people doing the route and its characteristics, it is forbidden to do it on bike.

– * Dogs are allowed, but always with a leash.

– * Being a mountain route, it is advisable to look at weather forecasts before going.

– * Take sun protection.

– * Bring a mobile phone, even if you do not have signal in some places, emergency service 112 has signal in almost all places.

And most important of all, take you camera with you to have a reminder of this wonderful place.

The Route of the Cares is fit for anyone, but not recommended for children under 6 years old.

Originally this route was only suitable for the most adventurous locals, as it implied rock climbing, going through narrow walkways on the verge of the gorge and crossing the river Cares on rudimentary bridges made with logs or cut-down trees. The Route of the Cares was improved at the beginning of the 20th century to connect the town of Poncebos with Caín and Posada de Valdeón during winter snowfalls. Going through the 71 tunnels carved in the stone you will be part of this history that mixes bravery and tragedy. 500 people worked to create the original Route of the Cares from 1916 until 1921, carving the route on the stone with their own hands, and 11 of them lost their lives in this place. Later on during the 40s the route was improved to create the one we have nowadays.

In Cabrales you can also visit the Bulnes cable car that will take you from Poncebos to Bulnes, considered the most remote village in Asturias, frequently isolated during winter until the cable car was built. You can also climb in some of the wonderful peaks of the region, including the worldwide know Urriellu Peak or “Naranjo de Bulnes” due to the orange cast of the rock during sunset, the most difficult climb in Asturias with several climbing routes, or the Torrecerredo Mountain, the highest point in the Cantabric Mountain Range. It is only 30 minutes away from the coast, so it’s the perfect place to enjoy a day out in the mountain and the beach.

After the Route of the Cares you can enjoy some of the best Asturian cheeses, the widely known Cabrales Blue Cheese, granted with a Protected Designation of Origin, and made in a traditional way. Most of the small family run cheese factories will give you a tour around their small factories, usually located in natural caves.

More info about The Cares Route

If you want more information contact Where is Asturias at info@whereisasturias.com

Images supplied by Tomás Fano.

CULTURE DISCOVER VIDEOS

Asturias traditional wooden clogs

by Admin

The wooden clogs. As you travel throughout Asturias you will notice that many of the locals are wearing wooden clogs known as Madreñas. They might seem slightly out of place on a pavement or an Asphalt road but when you put them on and tackle a steep field or muddy path you then realise that madreñas are quite simply the best off road footwear there is.

The wooden clogs are waterproof, insulated and very comfy once broken in….. (the slippers you wear with them do help to soften them up) but they are also surprisingly inexpensive for what they are.

Traditionally hand crafted out of birch and other types of wood, these wooden clogs also carry the signature of the hand that made them in the design on the front which can be quite elaborate and is handed down from generation to generation of Madreña makers.

The climate in Asturias is humid and often rainy making the roads and the fields wet and muddy. It was necessary to be able to carry on about your business and somebody came up with the idea of the madreñas. These are over shoes that you can slip your feet in with your normal shoes already on. On the sole there are bits that stick out so that you are raised further from the mud. Again, these are not limited to the principality but also can be found in Northern Spain and the mountainous areas.

Many think that the art of crafting wooden clogs or madreñas is a dying one but we at Where is Asturias think it could make a comeback…..It’s not often that you get to watch your new shoes been carved out in front of you!

Enjoy this video!!!!

Many thanks to:
Juan Lozano for appearing in the video.
Mancomunidad del Valle de Nalon
Caso Council
Museo de la Madera (Museum of Wood) in Veneros, Caso
and the Madreña makers at Virgen de los Remedios, Pambley

For all their help with the production of the video.

ADVENTURE DISCOVER FESTIVALS RIVER VIDEOS

The international descent of the river Sella

by Admin

The International Descent of the River Sella is an annual canoeing event that takes place in Asturias around the first weekend in August. It’s one of the largest canoeing races of its kind in the world attracting participants from all over the globe to take part (over a thousand!!).

The race starts in the town of Arriondas which is nestled at the foot hills of the Picos del Europa and makes its way along a 20km stretch of the river Sella finishing at the seaside resort of Ribadesella.

The race is the center point of a four day festival that offers concerts and plenty of activities to do which attracts many visitors to the area, most of whom are just there to party and party they do!! Like at most big festivals inAsturias, the revelers tend to be easy going and out to have a good time. Despite the sheer numbers of people in attendance, the festival is good for families and all age groups.

The event of the Descent of the River Sella will be hold the first weekend of august. At the same time Asturias celebrates the International Week of Canoeing celebrating different canoeing events all over the region.

The International descent of the River Sella started back in 1929 when Dionisio dela Huerta made the recreational trip down the river with a few friends. Since then, the race has grown in popularity and is now recognized by UNESCO as a world heritage tourism event. The organizers have worked hard to develop the event and have made many changes including opening the race to disabled participants. They are also making use of social media to keep people informed about timings, winners and advice.

Asturias has had several very well-known canoeists such as Herminio Menendez who won 3 medals in the Olympics (1976 and 1980), Manuel Busto, who has won 8 World Titles in several specialties or the K-2 couple formed by Walter Bouzan Sanchez and Alvaro Fernandez Fiuza who are the winners of the International Descent of the River Sella for trhee years.

To the onlooker, the race has a wacky races feel about it. 1000 plus kayakers running to their boats in the hope to get a good starting push off amidst a cacophony of paddles smacking off each other and the roar of the crowd. Many take part to win but quite a few just do it for fun and no matter what position you come in, the general consensus is always the same…. “That was one crazy race!”

If you are a keen kayaker then you have to do this race at least once in your life… you won’t regret it.

For more information either contact Where is Asturias at info@whereisasturias.com

or check out the organisers website http://www.descensodelsella.com/

DISCOVER NATURE VIDEOS

Somiedo Nature Park in Asturias

by Admin

Somiedo Nature Park, is located in the southern part of Asturias, on the border between the areas of the central and western mountain ranges, comprises the borough of Somiedo.

Somiedo Nature Park spans five valleys – Saliencia, Valle del Lago, Puerto y Pola de Somiedo, Perlunes and Pigüeña – and the five rivers of the same name, covering an area of 283 square kilometres.

Humans have managed to understand the nature of the Park, which has returned the care they have taken of it by remaining virtually unchanged throughout the centuries. Even today, it constitutes an example of full integration and coexistence.

The outstanding element in its landscape is the beauty of the lakes, situated to the south of the borough of Somiedo, high up in the mountain ranges separating Somiedo from León: the three small lakes of Saliencia; the Lago del Valle, with its characteristic islet, which is the largest lake in Asturias, with an average radius of 280 metres and an average depth of 10 metres, although it reaches 50 metres in some areas; and the hidden Lagunas del Páramo, between the valleys of the Rivers Somiedo and Pigüeña.

Somiedo Nature Park is one of the most rugged landscapes in Asturias, with slopes rising from 400 to 2,200 metres. The territory as a whole boasts outstanding geological features, including a wide variety of materials such as limestone, siliceous minerals, sandstones, etc., giving rise to spectacular karst forms. Valleys dotted with minerals such as iron and veins of arsenic, mercury, lead, marble and granite. An area of contrasts between peaks and troughs, revealing the footprint of tectonic movements it was subjected to in numerous thrusts, faults and folds.

Brañas, or mountain meadows, can be found throughout the entire territory, with fertile pastures where you can see, not without difficulty, the area’s famous cabanas de teito de escoba: broom-and-shrub-thatched stone cabins used by the vaqueiros de alzada(nomadic herdsmen) and mountain cattle breeders for shelter. Currently there are over 500 of these stone cabins scattered throughout the park. In the surrounding area, even today livestock continues to be moved from one pasture to another in search of the best grazing.

Much of the area is covered by different types of forests, scrubland, high mountain meadows, pasture on the lower slopes and arable land in perfect harmony with the surrounding environment. The main forest area is in the Saliencia Valley, on the slopes of El Coto and in the Pigüeña Valley. The forests are mainly deciduous, although there are a few enclaves with holm oaks in lower areas.

The forests of Somiedo Nature Park occupying a greater extension include beech forests, followed by pedunculate oak, holm oak and birch.

It is also a place that abounds in exquisite plant life, represented by bearberry, asphodel, yellow and blue wolfsbane and «wind herb» (Phlomis herba-venti). The most outstanding typical flower in Somiedo is Centaurium somedanum.

The quality of the water of rivers has given rise to the formation of surprising riverbank forests, endowed with an exceptional ecosystem encompassing the riparian and terrestrial forest.

The Somiedo Nature Park is home to over 100 species of birds – the common blackbird, grey wagtail, kingfisher, etc. -, some living along the banks of the rivers bubbling with the sound of trout, which are abundant in this area. In the peaks and highlands of Somiedo, the outstanding species are capercaillie and golden eagles.

Somiedo Nature Park is also home to all the large mammals of this mountain range, the presence of brown bears being of special relevance. Predators, such as wolves and foxes, and other carnivores, such as otters, badgers and wild cats, share the territory, even to the lower areas of the rivers, with capercaillie and about 20 species of amphibians and reptiles, among which the gold-striped salamander, Iberian newt and Seoane viper stand out.

Article by Turismo Asturias: www.turismoasturias.es

If you want more information contact Where is Asturias at info@whereisasturias.com

ADVENTURE ROUTES VIDEOS

Motor touring of the Via de la Plata Route

by Admin

The Via de la Plata. If you want to experience in just one journey all that you love about Spain then you have to do the Via de la Plata Route on motor bike. With more than 800 kilometers of road that link Seville with Gijon or vice versa that offers very diverse landscapes with a lot of contrasts, excellent gastronomy and an incredible Historic Heritage.

The Via de la Plata Route is the perfect itinerary to be done by motorbike through the historical route the classic N-630 or the modern A66. Here the motor biker can discover Spain from the North to the South passing through the communities of Asturias, Castilla Leon, Extremadura and Andalucia.

The Via de la Plata Route is perfect for motor touring by group as the roads are not a full of traffic so you can go at a comfortable pace and especially the diversity of available routes makes it ideal for motorbike trips. You can also be assured of at least 80% good weather conditions.

There are a multitude of Hotels along the way with different kinds of quality accommodation spas, hotels of 4 and 5 stars, hostels, camping all of which are adaptable to fit your of needs so you can enjoy your journey but the gastronomy, accommodation and tourism on offer is extremely interesting.

The route is famous for its motorbike tradition and heritage with many events and experiences taking place that relate to the Motor Biking World.

And don’t forget to check out the Via de la Plata Route website or visit the Tourism offices of the Associated Councils and ask for the Moto Via Card that offers great discounts along the Route.

If you want more information contact Where is Asturias at info@whereisasturias.com

For more info visit: Ruta de la Plata

DISCOVER NATURE VIDEOS

Redes Nature Park Biosphere Reserve

by Admin

Redes Nature Park is located in the eastern central mountains of Asturias and encompasses the boroughs of Caso and Sobrescobio.

Declared a Nature Park in 1996 and recognized by UNESCO as a Biosphere Reserve in 2001, Its environmental riches are manifest in the multitude of landscapes and contrasts. Hills and vast fields of grassland, karst forms in caves and even glacial formations such as moraines and cirques can be seen here. Redes boasts a wooded area that occupies 40% of the territory.

Redes Nature Park its noteworthy peaks include Pico Torres, Retriñón, Peña’l Vientu, Cantu l’Osu, Tiatordos and Rapainal, this last being the highest peak in the park at 2,002 m. The action of its rivers has led to the emergence of open valleys with abundant meadowland and impressive limestone gorges, such as those of the Rivers Alba and Los Arrudos, leading destinations for families who love hiking. One of the most impressive places in the park is the high mountain meadow of Brañagallones, isolated by the mountain buttresses at 1,215 m, yet easily accessible from the village of Bezanes.

Beech woods are the dominant plant formation in the hills of Redes Nature Park, although these are also home to numerous sessile oak woods. Broken up by areas of grassland and scrub, its forests are the most outstanding of those found in the upper reaches of the River Nalón. The nutritious fruit of the beech, the beechnut, constitutes part of the diet of the prized wildlife in Redes Park.

The territory is also scattered with ash, yew, birch and holly. In the high mountains, common juniper thickets abound, with bearberry on the limestone crags and heather and bilberry in areas of siliceous subsoil.

All the characteristic species of the north of the peninsula can be found in Redes Nature Park. The brown bear, which prowls the surroundings of Peloño. The wolf abounds throughout Redes Park, with stable breeding areas. The largest populations of chamois in the region can also be found here, as well as deer which have adapted perfectly to reintroduction. The lavish capercaillie, Egyptian vultures, golden eagles and countless other birds, as well as reptiles and amphibians, benefit from the state of conservation of the park.

Article by Turismo Asturias: www.turismoasturias.es

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