Nestled among the lush valleys of western Asturias, just minutes from Santa Eulalia de Oscos , lies a short but captivating route. This semi-circular trail begins and ends in the village of Barcia, winding through oak forests and past ancient cortines (traditional structures built to protect beehives from bears). Wooden footbridges cross streams along the way, and the trail ascends to Pico del Orro, the highest point on the route.
Description of the Os Cortíos route
The PR-AS 278 route , known as Os Cortíos , is a semicircular trail of approximately 8,5 kilometers , with a very moderate elevation gain (around 330 meters), making it ideal to complete in 2,5 to 3 hours and suitable for almost any hiker. It has two distinct sections : the first (and last) is a riverside path that follows the Barcia River; the second is a circular trail that circles the hillside. It presents no technical difficulties, although good footwear is recommended, especially if it has rained, as mud and wet leaves can make what would otherwise be a pleasant walk slippery.
The route begins in Barcia , a small village with the typical architecture of the area: cubic houses with quartzite and slate walls, gabled roofs, and well-carved granaries. The most striking feature is "La Casa de Aquel Cabo" (The House of That Cape) , which is not only an 18th-century manor house but also the work of a disgruntled nobleman—Antonio Martínez Lastra y Ron—who, after a dispute with the monks of Villanueva, decided to build his own fiefdom, beyond their reach and overlooking the river. The complex has it all: a manor house, a chapel with an interior gallery, a granary, a large hut, and a perimeter wall of slate, as if to say, "I'm in charge here."
From the designated parking area next to the AS-27 , you can walk to the village of Barcia. After crossing the village, take the riverside path through oak, chestnut, and holly trees, with mosses creeping unchecked up the stone walls. The route's name comes from unique elements of Asturian ethnographic heritage: the cortíos or cortines , which are simply stone enclosures (built using dry stone masonry), circular or ellipsoidal, with walls up to three meters high, topped with projecting flagstones that provide reinforcement against rain and invasive animals. In the past, they were built to protect beehives from fire and bears , an insatiable predator that was not a character in a fairy tale but a real presence in the mountains. The bear never turned down a morsel of honey, but the farming economy couldn't afford to lose even a single swarm. Within these fortresses for the bees were installed the trobos , traditional hives made from hollowed-out cork oak trunks, arranged high up and neatly aligned. The structure, which today appears as functional as it is beautiful, is a testament to a beekeeping practice that provided sustenance, trade, and heritage.
This excursion includes visits to two farmhouses: Cortín de Carrelo and Cortín de Navallo . Both are signposted and in good condition, restored with respect and understated elegance. Next to them, information panels display excerpts from ethnographic studies that remind us that honey, in addition to its sweetening properties, was used to pay rents to monasteries or as part of dowries.
From the Carrelo sheepfold, the path ascends gently to Pico del Orro , which, at 630 meters, is the highest point of the route. On the descent, we reach the A Pasadía stream , which we cross before gradually climbing and then descending again to reach the Navallo sheepfold, the second of the day. From here, walking slowly along the riverside path, we complete the loop back to the starting point. A wooden bridge over the Barcia River clearly marks the junction of the outward and return journeys. This final stretch is particularly pleasant: cool, shady, with thick mosses and giant ferns, as if walking through an enchanted forest imagined by Tolkien.
An ethnographic and natural lesson
Those who walk this path at a leisurely pace will take away more than just beautiful photographs. They will gain a profound understanding of life in these mountains: hard, resourceful, frugal, but also wise and enduring. In a world where everything quickly becomes obsolete, a stone wall that has stood for two hundred years has much to teach. These walls are symbols of a domestic economy based on self-sufficiency, where bees were treated like any other livestock. Honey was sugar before sugar, a remedy before medicine cabinets, a luxury before the market. A beehive or two were a common part of marriage dowries, and feudal dues included a tribute of wax.
The route is also a verdant song : oak trees that stop time, hazel trees that frame bridges like scenes from a pastoral novel, and a diverse undergrowth with different species of heathers, gorse, ferns, broom, blueberries, etc.
The Barcia River , modest in flow but generous in beauty, accompanies much of the journey. And when the path climbs, amidst ferns and heaths, the effort is rewarded with views over the Barcia Valley, the nearby villages, and the endless green tapestry of the mountains.
Os Cortíos route data
Semicircular (linear section + circular section).
Total distance: 8,5 – 8,8 km
Estimated duration: 2 h 30 min – 3 h (at a leisurely pace).
Total elevation gain: approx. 330 m uphill.
Difficulty: easy.
Signage: PR (white and yellow). Well marked, although it is recommended to carry a map or GPS.
Points of interest: Aldea de Barcia, Cortín de Carrelo, Pico del Orro, Cortín de Navallo, oak, chestnut and holly forests.
Access and parking: From the AS-27, near Santa Eulalia de Oscos.
Recommendations: Hiking boots, sun protection and raincoat, water and some food.
Text: © Ramón Molleda for asturias.com
