First, we enter the Carúa neighborhood, following the course of the Pequeño River upstream. We proceed with hardly any change in elevation, parallel to its left bank, leaving the asphalt behind. We soon come across the GR 109 Asturias Interior trail, coming from Mones. Ignoring this turnoff, we continue through a dense thicket of vegetation, a true riverside forest with a rich array of plant life.
Further along, we cross the clear waters of the river via two successive reconstructed wooden bridges , until we reach the recreation area, which is equipped with its usual amenities. Back on the trail, we cross to the opposite bank via a stone bridge. Then, we leave the Torín path to our right and continue along the next stretch to reach the access path to the Chorrón waterfall , where the river waters plunge into a walled cirque with a vertical drop of over 15 meters , amidst a natural environment covered with oaks, birches, chestnut trees, and other tree species (230 m) (3,3 km, in 1 hour). Returning to the original path, a little before reaching the Villamayor water intake station, we walk to the right along the marked route, passing through a metal gate.
Behind us lies the forest, and following the cobbled path, we climb a short, stepped section until we reach a crossroads. To the right, the carved path leads to Torín, a destination we forgo for now, continuing south along the original route, which already offers excellent panoramic views of the Sueve mountain range and the imposing gorge of the Río Pequeño , which lies below us. Further on, we re-enter a wooded area where the path passes over some turnstiles, beyond which the first ruins of La Cueva (402 m) come into view (4,5 km, in 1 hr. and 50 min.).
La Cueva is a hamlet belonging to the parish of Villamayor (Piloña) that has been uninhabited for about 50 years and once had 16 residents. Its location lies on the southern slope of Cerro el Tombu peak, in the valley watered by the Pequeño River. The surrounding area is a magical, wild, and natural haven, traversed by ancient paths that once led to the villages of Torín, Valle, Carúa, and Pesquerín. The local children attended school in Pesquerín. Both the river and the hamlet are among the many attractions of this hiking route.
We crossed it from bottom to top to take the path that leads to its renowned cave, hence the village's name. This is a large cavity with remains of stalactites and stalagmites and a few sinkholes. Afterwards, we returned to the main road, heading towards the Doca pass, later coming across a restored house and stable, where the old road is blocked by the property's fence.
We are therefore forced to take an alternative path that leads us to the access track from Valle. We make steady progress along this track, crossing farms with common names such as La Mallada and Prau Torre. Next, we reach the Doca pass (548 m) (7 km, in 2 hours and 50 minutes). This spot, dotted with farmhouses, offers a panoramic view of the more secluded landscapes of Piloña . From here, livestock tracks lead to various destinations, primarily to the nearby peak of Cerru el Tombu, located above us.
We headed north along the Cayu slope . Once at the summit, we followed the course of this long ridge that stretches from the western peak of Arbolín de San Juan to the prominent summit of Cerru el Tombu (673 m) (8,2 km, in 3 hours and 40 minutes). It is one of the peaks that make up Mount Cayu, a small mountain range located in the municipality of Piloña, near the villages of Torín, Melardi, and Valle, and bordered by the Pequeño and Valle rivers. Its most outstanding feature is its strategic geographical location, as from its summit one can see the open horizons of the Picos de Europa, the Sueve mountain range, the Asturian coastal plain , and countless smaller mountain ranges that span half the region, from the Ponga mountains to the Cantabrian Mountains themselves. Its location is a gift of nature.
After taking in the panoramic views, we returned to the mountain pass, where, changing direction, we took the track that descends to Valle. As we descended, the landscape unfolded one after another. We went down past the Gaiteru spring and its bright mountain pasture, then entered the narrow gorge beneath the shade of the old chestnut trees of Mata del Osu. The slope was steady until we reached the foot of the Peruyeru mountain pasture . On the level section, we had to avoid a left turn that climbs to Braña Tayada via the Puente de los Ciegos (Bridge of the Blind), and then came to the Carraces bridge, which took us to the opposite bank of the Valle River. We crossed it again via the Melendreres bridge.
We continued on our way to the village of Valle along the same bank, until we reached the town (270 m average altitude) (11,1 km, in 4 hours and 30 minutes). This parish is spread across a wide plain where, in addition to its fine farmhouses, the parish church of Santa María Magdalena, the stately home with its coat of arms, and the attractive walled pine tree stand out. Afterwards, we ascended through the town towards the Mecín neighborhood, following the GR 109 Asturias Interior trail markers , which would lead us back to Villamayor.
The trail we follow climbs towards a pass from which we have a clear view of Infiesto . Right there is the La Reboria pit, from which scouring sand was once extracted and sold to households in Infiesto. We then head east towards the village of Melardi, which we cross at Les Mates, where we join the asphalt of its local road that descends to the N-634. We soon leave it to the right, following a marked dirt track that leads us without difficulty to the Carúa neighborhood of Villamayor and its town center, where this hiking route ends (100 m.) (15,4 km., in 5 h. and 30 min.).
Book «Routes through the mountains and the roads of Asturias»
If you want to know first-hand routes and places like this, we recommend you buy the book «Routes through the mountains and the roads of Asturias», written by Ángel Fdez. Ortega, one of the greatest connoisseurs of the mountains of Asturias ..
