The Peña Ubiña Massif is, after the Picos de Europa, the main mountain range in the Cantabrian Mountains. The declaration of the Ubiña-La Mesa Natural Park made this area the fifth natural park in the Principality of Asturias . It borders the province of León to the south, the Somiedo Natural Park to the west, and the municipalities of Belmonte de Miranda, Grado, and Proaza to the north.
Furthermore, the International Coordinating Council of the Man and Biosphere Programme of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) approved on July 11, 2012 in Paris the declaration of the territory of the Las Ubiñas-La Mesa Natural Park as a Biosphere Reserve.
Hiking through the Natural Park of Las Ubiñas – La Mesa
One of the most outstanding aspects of this privileged landscape is the intense glacial shaping , a geological imprint that is most evident in the wide valley of the Puertos de Agüeria , in the center of the Park: one of its most beautiful spots.
The best view of these mountain passes is from the summit of nearby Peña Rueda, a limestone pyramid 2.155 meters high . The route to reach it begins in the village of Lindes. During the ascent, the different shades of the pastures on the slopes are visible, browner where the snow has taken longer to melt. Ancient glacial systems are also clearly visible in Veiga el Robezo, Socellares, and Llaseiru. Glacial cirques, troughs, basins, and moraines are geological scars from a past when snow was perpetual in this area.
Reaching the summit within the boundaries of this Park is relatively easy, as there are mountains for all tastes, with dozens of options: from the most relaxed hiking to the most risky climbing.
An excursion suitable for all ages is to reach the Natural Monument of the Ports of Marabio, an authentic Asturian arcadia located between the councils of Yernes y Tameza , Teverga and Proaza.
Ports of Marabio
A true Asturian paradise. Despite its name, the Marabio mountain passes are not located on the coast… Read more
At the southern end of this park lies the Peña Ubiña massif , the second highest mountain in the region after the Picos de Europa, with peaks exceeding 2.400 meters, as well as the Huertos del Diablo, with peaks surpassing 2.100 meters. On the border with Somiedo rises the La Mesa mountain range , reaching 1.830 meters at Alto de la Cugurza and Peña Negra. In the northern part of the park, between Quirós and Teverga, is the southern end of the Sierra de La Sobia, with heights exceeding 1.600 meters.
Pena Ubiña
Reaching this summit highlights the other mountains that surround it. They seemed enormous, but… Read more
Caves and sinkholes are also abundant , such as the Trabe complex, Vallina el Corro, and Manín, subterranean areas that have been studied and mapped by speleologists for years. The Huerta Cave , in Teverga, has galleries extending for fourteen kilometers and is listed as a natural monument . Of particular note is the interesting karst gorge formed by the Val de Sampedro River, which runs from the town of Fresnedo to Páramo, where the aforementioned Huerta Cave is located.
Huerta Cave: caving in Teverga
At the foot of the majestic Sierra de la Cruz, in the municipality of Teverga, lies Cueva Huerta , as… Read more
The topography of this region, its humidity, and rainfall favor the formation of torrents, streams, and waterfalls. The most well-known and visited waterfalls are those that give rise to the Xiblu waterfall , which is 100 meters long.
Route to the Xiblu waterfall
Mountains always in view, forest everywhere, ancient beech trees with intricate roots, wildlife that ... Read more
The Ubiñas Natural Park is notable for its abundance of beech forests (covering over 5.000 hectares) , the finest example being Montegrande (1.500 hectares). Other forests, such as oak and birch, exceed 500 hectares. There is also a significant presence of ancient yew trees. Above the forests lie extensive pasturelands that have long provided grazing for native livestock. These pastures have also traditionally been used to feed flocks of transhumant Merino sheep from Castile and León and Extremadura.
Montegrande Hayedo
A bucolic place to forget everything and let your senses guide you. A true immersion in nature… Read more
The Park forms part of the easternmost range of the bear population , which is in the best condition. The capercaillie maintains several active leks in the forested areas and finds refuge in the numerous holly groves. In the lower areas, the presence of significant forest cover allows for the settlement of wild boar, roe deer, goshawk, and sparrowhawk. However, high-mountain species are more representative of the Park: chamois, eagle, griffon vulture, and Egyptian vulture.
The best way to get close to the bear is on the hugely popular Bear Trail (Senda del Oso ). This most traveled greenway in Asturias has its roots in the area's mining past. In the mid-19th century, a railway line was built to transport coal from Proaza and Teverga to Trubia. A century later, the line was abandoned. Today, without rails or trains, it offers a journey through the landscape, combining adventure, sport, and nature, traversing valleys in parts of the Quirós, Proaza, and Santo Adriano districts.
The Path of the Bear
It's an ideal route for hiking and cycling enthusiasts . Its great natural beauty and… Read more
The Bear's Trail is also an increasingly popular route among cycling enthusiasts . Within the Las Ubiñas Natural Park, there are many other routes for cycling, and the municipality of Lena is particularly well-suited for those who enjoy challenging mountain biking.
Lena, a cycling paradise
Asturias lives and breathes cycling. Fans pack the roads during races, founding... Read more
Beautiful villages of the Natural Park of Las Ubiñas - La Mesa
The archaeological and ethnographic heritage , as well as the preservation of traditional land uses, are additional values beyond the natural ones. The area is sparsely populated and located along the banks of the main rivers. Communication between towns and villages is via unique roads, with the route from Campomanes to the Puerto de la Cubilla pass via Tuiza being particularly beautiful.
In the villages, one can find fine examples of traditional Asturian mountain architecture , with houses built of stone masonry and wooden balconies. Alongside these valley settlements, the mountain pastures known as brañas coexisted, where simple stone huts with tile or thatched roofs (teito) were built, in addition to the so-called corros or cabanos, circular structures with a false stone dome. In the municipality of Teverga, good examples of these brañas are preserved, such as those of Tuiza, El Rebellón, Llamaraxil, and Funfría.
Very close by is the village of Bermiego (Quirós), with its yew tree over 10 meters high and 6 meters in diameter and its late medieval center; it is one of the most beautiful in the area and certainly deserves a visit.
Information:
The main access roads to the Park are the A-66 highway and the N-630 national road, which connect Oviedo with the capital of the Lena council, as well as the AS-228 regional road that, from Avilés and crossing the entire downtown area of the region, reaches the Puerto de Ventana in the council of Teverga. A Bárzana, capital of Quirós and gateway to the central area of the Park, is accessed by the AS-229 regional road, both from Pola de Lena, by Alto de la Cobertoria, and from the junction with the AS-228, by the Valdemurio reservoir. The road network of the Park is completed with lower order roads that start from the council capitals, serving the different valleys in which the territory is organized.
Text: © Ramón Molleda for asturias.com
