The Mythological Route of the Beyu Pen, in the beautiful council of AmievaIt is nothing else an enchanted forest that keeps the soul of legendary characters and bewitches the walker. Its singularity with respect to other thematic paths resides in the fact that the hand of man has barely intervened in its creation. In our walk we guess sinister forms, faces lurking in the thicket, trunks that fascinate, fantastic rocks. The Xanas, goblins, pesadiellos, busgosos, nuberos or bruxas they are beings that in this case are outlined in the very nature of the forest. The formations of rocks and trees have been taken advantage of, with no more help than a little paint, to highlight their contours or silhouettes.
We ascend through the foz and everyone has to put their best to discover each and every one of these camouflaged characters. The cuélebre, which guards treasures and Xanes (fairies), which protects wealth and fertility, which also eat cattle and men, could well camouflage themselves in a fallen tree. The nuberu, which has fun causing storms and storms, throwing sparks at the animals and ruining the crops with hail, is embodied in the burned trunk of a chestnut tree. The busgosu, covered in mofu (moss) hides in forests and caves and kidnaps women; when we realize it is behind us, chiseled in the rock.
The "hidden identity" of this enchanted forest is reinforced by its spectacular vegetation. Not in vain in Asturian a «Beyu» is nothing other than a deep throat or canyoning a river, a narrow and humid area that allows to see large waterfalls during the rainy season. In the lushness of this «Beyu» the forest is native, of chestnut, oak and hazel. The karstic formations they are capricious everywhere and they show themselves «Les cuerries» or Cuerres, stone pens once used to store chestnuts and put them safe from forest animals.
We arrive at the recondite village of Pen, a town that brings together a large ethnographic group, such as sundial, in the house of Fondón, or its abundant granaries; one of them is cataloged as the largest hórreo of Asturias. It is easy to imagine inside the houses the legends transmitted for centuries to the warmth of home. There the magic and the superstition of the magical beings we have discovered in our walk are preserved.
One last attraction of the route, which we can visit before starting or returning, in the nearby town of Santillán, isl Karst interpretation center, where we find an explanatory model of how the water forms the karstic cavities that proliferate in the region. It is a specialized center also in the rock habitat, with the reproduction of a cave of the area at natural size.
Guided excursions to the Beyu Pen
The mythological path allows us to enter an enchanted forest. Taking advantage of the rocks and the centenary trunks of the chestnut trees, the "Xanas", the "Goblins" and other disturbing characters such as "busgosos" appear. Magic Land accompanies you. You will also enjoy the recreational area of Trambesagües, an exceptional place that allows us to enjoy the Ponga rivers that join the Sella, and a spectacular riverside forest where you can appreciate the rich aquatic ecosystem.
Route of the Beyu Pen
It is not just another route, but one so magical that it encourages us to return as prisoners of the enchantment. A …
Information:
However How to get to the Mythological Route of the Beyu Pen?
Very easy. From Cangas de Onís take the N-625 (Pontón road) following the course of the Sella river to the south and 10 km., Just before reaching the town of Santillán, we turn right onto the AS-261 in the direction to Beleño and Sellaño. At about 500 meters we leave the car in a parking lot in the Trambesagües Recreational Area next to the road. The route itself connects the famous Camín de la Reina with the town of Pen. You can go around at any time but if we decide to get to the town of Pen, the complete excursion, round trip, is around two and a half or three hours.
Above the recreational area, where we have parked the car, a comfortable caleya (road) goes down to the confluence of the river Sella and the Ponga river where a footbridge allows access to the route from the town of Santianes. Some 400 meters later we reach the river that descends through the forest of the Beyu Pen and that we will cross by a wooden bridge. Here begins the true Mythological Route, the sign says so. If we follow the course of a stream always present, we will not have major complications. When leaving the foz a new bridge is reached. It would only be necessary to climb up to the nearby village of Pen. In the end it is a vertical drop of the walk has not exceeded the 242 meters.
Interpretation center of the Amieva Karst. Location: Santillán (town of the eastern Asturian council or municipality of Amieva, whose capital, Sames, is 1,5 km away), at the junction of the Pontón highway with access to Ponga. Telephone for information and reservations: 985 944 832 Hours: June to September: Friday, Saturday and Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 14 p.m. and from 16:30 p.m. to 19:00 p.m. Easter, long weekends and holidays: from 11:00 a.m. to 17:00 p.m. XNUMX h Rest of the year: prior reservation Groups: prior reservation.
Tourist Office Santillán (Amieva)
Schedule: Friday and Saturday of 10: 00 to 16: 30, Sundays of 10: 00 to 12: 00 Tel. 650617791
Text: © Ramón Molleda for asturias.com
