The San Jorge Valley is a small, distinct region within the municipality of Llanes. Bordered to the east and west by the Bedón and Guadamía rivers, and crossed by the Ereba and San Cecilio rivers, this valley is a vast plain dotted with villages, hamlets, and solitary manor houses, meadows, cornfields, oak, chestnut, and walnut forests, streams, beaches, and a slender mountain range that serves as a balcony for admiring the entire landscape. Towns such as Llames, Garaña, La Pesa, Villanueva, Silviella, Piñeres de Pría, Nueva, Ovio, Picones, Cardoso, Hontoria, Villahormes, and Naves are fully visible from the Picu del Mediodía (Midday Peak). But the panorama behind us is equally impressive, offering a clear view of the Picos de Europa mountain range , with the Naranjo de Bulnes as its majestic peak. A 360-degree panorama that's hard to match.
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The Picu de Mediodía is located in the Sierra de Cueva Negra mountain range , which rises above the coastal plain with a rugged yet gentle profile and stretches for eight kilometers between the towns of Santianes (on the banks of the Sella River) and Nueva de Llanes. This range is the first elevation parallel to the eastern Asturian coast, and beyond it, a succession of mountain ranges gradually gain altitude until reaching the Picos de Europa. Even from sea level, from any vantage point, including the highway or local road, it promises exceptional views. So let's climb a little to see part of the Asturian landscape in all its dimensions.
The maximum altitude we will reach is 563 meters , with an elevation gain of 550 meters. This hike will take us 4 hours and 30 minutes (round trip) and is easy until we reach the viewpoints, but becomes moderate if we want to reach the summit of Picu Mediodía. This last section is less accessible and not suitable for children , as it is practically pathless, and the mountain is quite overgrown with gorse (thorny bushes).
The Route to Picu Mediodía
The route begins on a track that branches off to the right from the AS-340 near the Vallina mill , just past the sign marking the end of the town of Nueva de Llanes. This track should not be confused with another entrance located between the bridge and the mill, which is actually a stream bed. We need to gain altitude along a track that crosses a eucalyptus grove until we reach a house, after which we make a 180-degree turn. We then follow a track to the right, covered in silica sand, towards a mountain pass between Rinueva Peak to the left and Maor Peak to the right. We turn towards the latter, leaving the track and ascending its slope covered in gorse. From the ridge, where we can already enjoy magnificent views, we head west, following the paths that circle the nearest hill . We reached a mountain pass and from there entered a pine forest. At the end of the forest, we arrived at a small wood which we skirted along the path until we reached a small meadow. From there, we began the ascent to the first peak; the climb was easy. The view was beautiful. We noticed that the adjacent peak to the west had a cross on it . We descended a few meters and from the meadow took another path towards the summit of Picu Mediodía. From there, the coastal panorama was splendid, and on clear days we could see the entire coastline between Lastres and Llanes , with the Picos de Europa mountains in the background.
The descent is made by the same site.
Text: © Ramón Molleda for asturias.com
