The path is integrated into the old coastal route or Via Marítima de Agripa that once crossed the entire Cantabrian coast. The Guadamía River, enter the towns of Llames de Pría and Cuerres, natural border of the municipalities of Ribadesella and Llanes, it is pleasantly traveled over the remains of this road (and the slipstreets or branches of the same), crossing three stone bridges of remote period, modernized in the Middle Ages, and leaving behind up to four water mills of high cultural interest. The river is also in itself a natural open-air museum, upholstered by a riverside forest dominated by native trees and small waterfalls or torrential streams. In our walk we observe trout, eels, reptiles and amphibians.
Start of the trail: Llames de Pría
Good shoes are needed in case there is mud or the wet stones are slippery. The small route PR-AS-264 (dedicated to its designer, already deceased, Samuel Cachero), has Departure and arrival in the square of Llames de Pría, next to its chapel, from where we depart heading south, along the road that goes to the beautiful town of Cuerres (village through which the Camino de Santiago runs). About a kilometer after stepping on the asphalt, to the right there is a signposted branch. In a short time we cross the river by a medieval bridge (with a Roman base). We go up a small slope to the West, leaving the town of Cuerres. We continue north passing through a "saltadera", we cross a meadow and follow the Guadamía river along its left bank to shortly reach an old mill. We cross the riverbed several times (by recently installed modern footbridges) and see two other Roman bridges half covered by vegetation, as well as old water mills and some cobbled remains of the Roman road. After a little over half an hour you reach the Guadamía river beach, an unusual beach of great beauty that runs between two capes overlooking the sea. From here, by a tarred road we can return to the square of Llames de Pría, from where we left, in just 15 minutes.
Routes from the beach of Guadamía
Although Once on the beach it is worth doing a couple of small tours that we are approaching unique enclaves to admire the abrupt coastline of this area. On the one hand, to the west of the beach, in the municipality of Ribadesella, we can go to the Cliffs of Castroarenes where there is a recreational area with tables and grills. We follow for a while the marked path that comes out of the recreational area itself, as we go through the calls dry wells that dot the area. They have a large perimeter and the rocks, like pointed battlements, are organized in a concentric way leaving in the center a black background where the waves hit. The sea enters these spaces despite the fact that some of them keep a great distance with the cliff. In some cases true natural pools are formed.
The second route we can take from the beach takes us a little to the East, already in the municipality of Llanes, the track also continues to these second cliffs once left behind the beach. Here we will find informative panels of the famous buffoons or waterfalls. If the sea is calm, the vents in the underground cavities are limited to expelling the compressed air in the galleries due to the blows of the waves. On days of strong swell, however, the water and air are expelled with great force, reaching heights of tens of meters.
The jesters of Llanes
The Asturian coast has surprises constantly, such as the so-called buffoons: a real joy for…
Under the magnificent cliffs are narrow inlets with breaking waves. We see the rocky walls of about fifteen meters high falling vertically on the sea, and behind us, behind the wide rasa where the horses graze, the Cantabrian mountain range is outlined.
Information:
How to get to Llames de Pría by car:
driving on the A-8 take the 319 exit (Nueva-Ovio, Cardoso, Pría) and continue on the AS-263 towards Belmonte. After driving about 2 km to Belmonte, turn right into a narrow road with signs to Llames and Garaña. Some 1,7 km further on you will find in the village of Llames a sign of "Bufones de Pría, Playa de Guadamía". The route starts from here.
Text: © Ramón Molleda for asturias.com