CASTAÑERU MONTES WALKING ROUTE ASTURIAS -SPAIN - REDES NATURAL PARK AND BIOSPHERE RESERVE

CASTAÑERU MONTES WALKING  TRAIL  SL.AS-12 ASTURIAS - SPAIN


Walking Trail: Circular

Itinerary: Rioseco - Castañeru Montes - Rioseco
Distance: 5.3 km
Walking Timescale: 2 h
Dificulty: Easy
Height Difference: 220 m aprox.
On Mountain Bike: Sí, with hard ramps the first 2 Km.
Kids: Yes
Date Completed: 08/07/2012
Location: Lugar de Rioseco, 195, 33993 Sobrescobio, España
TRACK OF THE ROUTE.

To reach the trail head coming for the AS-117, up to Rioseco, we take the SC-2 road to Soto de Agües and just past the bridge, we turn left and park the car. You can also view the LOCATION.

This hiking trail is very simple and short but not without its charm and considering that runs almost entirely by a beautiful chestnut forest. It is fairly well marked except in a couple of places where we must be careful not to deviate. On this map, we´ll explain later where those places are.

Castañeru Montes Orthographic Map Asturias

Castañeru  Montes Topographic Map Spain

We start walking up the road till we get to this traditional construction used in the old days by the village women to wash the clothes. A few meters ahead we just turn right to get into the Chestnut forest.

In this part of the route, taking a look back, we can see the village of Rioseco, which we left a few minutes before.

Castañeru Montes walking trail Asturias

We continue the way up almost all the time in the shade of the chestnut trees, to the area known as The Tumbon and, passing the well of Foncarrón, which we did not see because it was somewhat hidden on the right side of the track. In any case, being a short walking route, if we take some water, it will be more than enough to make it smooth.

Soon we reach the Trepe Meadows  in this photo and the following

Trepe Meadows Asturias

Trepe Meadows Asturias spain

And shortly after crossing thi Canadian way ..

we reach the meadowsof Cueria, there are several houses and stone cottages ...

Cueria Meadows Asturias

... and from where you can see at the bottom Peñaescrita Peak.

From here, there is little ascent left. We crossed this porthole, closing it as we passed ...

... To soon reach Roces meadows where we took this picture of Rioseco Reservoir and decided to stop to eat the sandwich ...

... beside this hut. Our idea was to stop eating at Castrín Recreational Area, but it got a little late and this little meadow beside this huts, wasthe perfect place for lying a time while enjoying the sandwich and the tranquility of the place.

We continue the walk, penetrating back into the Castañal, but we shall also see some other oak and plenty of holly trees. From here the route is almost flat and, past the place known as The Castrín, it goes down hill all the way until the end. At this crossroads, the panel tells us that we come from Rioseco, and we are going to the Recreation Area The Castrín.

soon reach this clear in the forest, known as the Castrín, where if we don´t keep a watchful eye, and continue straight, we will go down directly to the road. Here we have to get out to the right ...

... and follow the direction the arrow indicates us ...

... here, we keep onbordering the wooden closure of the farm and, after a few meters ..

.. in this picture, we continue to the left, rather than follow the small path that we see in front ...

...we passed this cottage ... ...

... and a few meters past the meadow, continue straight through the forest, rather than following the perimeter of the property to the left.

In reaching this road, marked on the map as "cruce" we continued straight crossing the road, but there is no indication and, according to what we read about the route, here we should continue to the right and up the road. The issue is that the road  ends a few meters away, in a fence and a building of considerable size, which we later found out to be "The Center for Recovery of wildlife" on which have been spent several million euros to be currently closed for lack of funds And on the other hand, it has been built in what once was the Recreational Area of ​​the Castrín. No comments.. neither recreation area nor recovery center ... Luckily we ate the sandwich a while ago. By the way, in the Commonwealth Nalón Valley website, it says  this recreation area is still there for the "enjoyment of hikers" .. Anyway, we decided to continue on the path crossing the road ...

Passing beside this cottage and the photo below.

Entering fully into the Castañeru Montes forest. In this curve of the trail attention must paid and go straight ahead and not to the left.

Redes Natural Park Castañetu Montes Asturias

Redes Natural Park Castañetu Montes Asturias

To shortly reach this other path down the mountain, which it was probably the path that should take us to the non-existent  recreation area. Just follow the girls ..

Redes Natural Park Castañetu Montes Asturias

A little further down, almost reaching the end of the route, we can see on our left the village of Villamorey.

Villamorey View from The Castañeru Montes Asturias

Y ya en La Polina, junto al cementerio de Rioseco, están las ruinas de la Iglesia de Santa María La Real, destruida durante la Guerra Civil.

Iglesia de Santa María La Real - La Polina - Rioseco

From here we only have go down to the road that is a few meters away and continue along the same towards the right for about 300 m. to where we left the car.

Church of Santa Maria la Real - The Polina - Rioseco - Redes Natural Park

"Horreo" (traditional Asturian construction) in the village of Rioseco

Here we leave you the TRACK OF THE ROUTE.

Greetings

PynAstur