From San Juan de BeleñoLocated at around 619 meters, take the road towards the Beyos Gorge and, after about three kilometers, you'll find the signposted turnoff that climbs a paved track towards Les Bedules, a mountain pass near 1.086 meters and a natural balcony overlooking Tiatordos, the Picos de Europa, and the Ponga mountain. This first section is the beginning of a route that can be extended to about 40 kilometers round trip, with a positive elevation gain that, depending on the route and GPS, will be approximately between 1.300 and 1.500 meters.
En Les Bedules This is where the pace changes. The road ends and the track begins—a wide, cattle track, easy to ride. To one side, the Ponga mountains; to the other, the imposing silhouette of the Picos de Europa. From here, the route continues towards Biforcadera and Collado Granceno, which many consider the true gateway to the Peloño forest.
The Peloño forest
The interior of Monte de Peloño, this immense beech forest, houses its own vegetation, which allows… Read more
By bicycle, progress is welcome at first, with a gentle climb, shade, and a pleasant surface; the beech forest It gradually closes in from above, as if entering a living, breathing space, with the light filtered through. Peloño is not just any forest, but one of the most emblematic woodlands in Asturias, consisting mainly of a large beech forest with small oak groves, within the Ponga Natural Park and Biosphere Reserve, territory where forests occupy some 8.295 hectares, approximately 40% of the council.
Natural Park of Ponga
Ponga's habitat is the most ideal for those types of people who find themselves like a fish in water heading... Read more
Granceno It's best to treat this as the first checkpoint. The true pace of the day is set there, and the forest becomes more challenging. A little further on, the alternative route appears. Bustiello Oakwhich we can approach on foot. From this junction the route becomes steeper; the path is still rideable, but the slope and loose stones become more challenging. Les Trinchers appear in the Collada GuarangaBetween the beech forest and the high mountain passes, fortifications from the Civil War, old machine gun nests and defensive remains are preserved, overlooking the natural passes between León and Asturias.
If we keep moving forward, we will arrive a the hermitage of ArcenorioFrom Guaranga, there's a short descent, a stretch of rolling hills, and a final climb with loose stones that might force you to dismount. The Arcenorio valley suddenly opens up: high meadows, cabins, livestock, and the hermitage, a human landmark in the middle of an ancient mountain pass. This mountain enclave is where people from Asturias and León have historically met, and where every September 8th, a livestock and mountain festival takes place. Pilgrimage to the Santina of Arcenorio.
The return trip is made along the same path.
Text: © Ramón Molleda for asturias.com
