Visiting Asturias?

The holiday season is beginning to take hold here in Asturias. The majority of the year it is very quiet, with the main holiday season being 10 weeks from mid-July to Mid September. Outside of that there is only a small influx of visitors on weekends and bank holidays. We always wonder why the holiday season isn't longer? Outside of the main season, Asturias is still stunning and worth exploring.

We rarely promote third-party sites on our blog but through friendships, social media and blogs we have come across several sites/resources we think are worthy of mentioning... should you be considering a visit this year.

Outdoor activities are a major attraction here in Asturias with endless walking routes for all levels, unspoilt beaches for swimming, surfing or relaxing, rock-climbing (at all levels of ability), cave and geological exploration and numerous other outdoor pursuits. With over 200 km of unspoilt coastline, the Picos de Europa mountain range and a plethora of woodlands, river courses, valleys and streams, if you enjoy and value unspoilt landscapes, you will be spoilt for choice.

Beaches: This free App lists all the beaches in Asturias and provides information in Spanish and English. Maps, directions, photo-galleries, amenities and much much more - worth downloading and really easy to use.

http://asturplaya.es/asturplaya-in-english.php

Walking: This site is written by Nigel Burch proprietor of the eco-friendly hotel and farm Posada del Valle. He is a keen mountain and lowland walker and maintains this personal blog which provides information on mountain and coastal graded routes. Certainly worth checking out if you enjoy walking.

http://walkingasturias.com/

Climbing: Neither Luis or I are climbers but we often come across climbers on cliffs near our local beach or up high in the Picos de Europa and we stand in awe of their agility, strength and passion. This bi-lingual book has been put together to highlight climbing opportunities in NW Spain including Asturias, Cantabria and Leon. Definitely worth investing in if climbing is your thing.

http://rocaverdeclimbing.com/

And finally...

We are conscious that as a destination Asturias is still relatively unknown. Personally we like it like that but recognise that the economy needs tourism and to get people here tourism needs promotion. One company that has made some great videos and news reports about the area is Where is Asturias?  The website is not always the easiest to navigate in my opinion but with a bit of perseverance, you will discover some gems.

http://www.whereisasturias.com/

We hope to see you soon...There is so much more to discover.

Re-visiting the Cares Gorge - The Divine Gorge

One of the defining walks of Asturias is the Cares Gorge. Known as the Divine Gorge, the 22km path winds its way through the heart of the Picos de Europa mountains. The path carved into rock and passes through tunnels cut through ancient limestone as it winds its way around the gorge and the river Cares way below.

The route is linear from Poncebes to Cain to Posada de Valdeón in Leon. We have walked this path several times and it always leaves a lasting impression. You cannot fail to be impressed with the magnificence and grandeur of the ancient limestone gorge. 

As you walk the path, which is no more than two meters wide for most of the gorge, in the depths you can occasionally spot the crystal clear blue waters of the Rio Cares whilst above you are the rocky peaks, scree beds and fissures of the Picos de Europa mountains.

It is a while since we walked the path but we will aim to do it again this Spring. In the height of summer it is extremely hot and arduous as the sun beats down relentlessly. The route is not for the feint hearted as you will see from this wonderful film shot by Tomas Millar (view it in full screen HD format). Thanks Tomas and Anna, you reminded us of this wondrous place and we will visit soon.

A section of the path collapsed about a year ago and you will see Tomas controlling his quad-copter on the newly constructed bridge that has been installed.

One of the few times we have heard wolves in the Picos mountains is when we walked the Cares gorge, we arrived in Cain mid-afternoon and a lone howl echoed around the valley triggering the local dogs to respond with their somewhat tamer version ...spine-tingling.