This circular route, in the municipality of Parres, allows us to enjoy two distinct forest areas . On one side, 260 hectares of large oak trees and uniquely shaped beech trees; on the other, 120 hectares of Douglas fir , larch (the only European conifer that sheds its needles in autumn), Monterey pine, and Chamaeecprais . All of this is located in the vicinity of Mota Cetín , a mountain easily recognizable by its isolated silhouette, visible from many high points in central and eastern Asturias.
some considerations
With an elevation gain of approximately 480 meters, this 9-kilometer route takes just 3 hours to complete, offering panoramic views of the Sierra del Sueve mountain range and its surroundings. The trail is mostly well-marked and quite comfortable, with two gentle climbs: PR-AS 274. However, there is an important point to bear in mind : the southern section of the route, partly due to the Mampodre River flowing through a shady, wooded area, is very prone to mud. This makes the hike considerably more difficult, so it is highly advisable to undertake this excursion on dry days , ideally after several days of rain.
The height of El Caleru
The approved trail (PR-AS 274) starts at the top of El Caleru.
From Arriondas, driving along the N-634 towards Oviedo, we reach Ozan, where we will take to the left the PR-4 in Address to Llerandi. Traveled about six kilometers, and after leaving behind the villages of Romillo, Granda and Tospe, we reached The Caleru, which is easily identified because at this point begins a sharp decline towards the town of Llerandi. On the left of the road there is a wide track. For it we will ascend about three hundred meters to the place known as The Prau de Arriba.
An information panel describes the route in a clockwise direction, although, being a circular route, it can be done in reverse. In fact, most hikers usually do it in this reverse direction so they can descend through the beech forest, crossing the entire Cea Forest downhill. This is the route we describe below.
On Route
From Prau de Arriba, we head to the right and ascend a track for a kilometer and a half towards Mota Cetín, until we reach Campera Llaxe (680 meters), from where there is a good panoramic view of Arriondas, the Vízcares area, and La Llambria. There is a signpost indicating the split between PR.AS.275 towards Pico de la Mota Cetín and, to our left, PR.AS.274 , which leads to Llerandi along the Mampodre River. This is the one we should choose.
After walking just 300 meters, we find two farmhouses with roofs at our height; from here a path leads to the left and another less traveled path goes straight ahead, this is the one we must take (be careful at this point because it is easy to go to the left because it is more traveled and not signposted).
The path continues downhill, making a couple of bends. Then, we continue descending through a dense forest until we reach a meadow where we can see the Mampodre River and, on the other side, a couple of meadows with cabins (this point is the most challenging part of the route, as finding the correct path that leads to the river to cross it via the wooden bridge can sometimes be difficult due to mud and the effects of rain). Once across the bridge, we continue along the path to our left. We then cross, via another bridge, the so-called Bramador Stream.
Here begins a climb along a narrow, stony path, with the Sierra la Vega always to our left, until we reach La Llombecina, where we find another official sign for the route. This mountain pass is the gateway to the Cea Forest proper and leads to a beautiful path, a wide forest track that we take straight ahead and which descends through the woods. A mixed forest made up of beech, oak, fir, larch, and other less common species (although beech is the predominant one).
This is undoubtedly the most spectacular part of the route . If we walk quietly, we might even spot a roe deer. The whole area is a tangle of impressive trees. Furthermore, the river offers continuous delight, with the cool sound of rushing water, the occasional rapid, and a series of small waterfalls.
We continue downhill until we reach a junction (Cruce del Sedu) where we must leave the river and turn left to tackle a long climb of just over two kilometers that will lead us back to the junction with the track we started on in the opposite direction. Before reaching the junction, we will find an information panel about the entire mountain range in front of us, highlighting Picu Pienzu as its highest point.
Photographs: © Roberto Molero on Flickr
