PELOÑO FOREST HIKING TOUR SPAIN ASTURIAS

PELOÑO FOREST WALKING ROUTE - SPAIN  - ASTURIAS - NATURAL PARK


Walking Trail: Lineal

Itinerary: Les Bedules - Collada Guaranga- Les Bedules
Distance: 24,9 Km round trail
Walking Timescale: 7 h
Dificulty: Intermediate, due to length, rather than to the actual route difficulty
Height Difference: 300 m aprox
On Mountain Bike: Yes, at 100%
Kids: Yes, if they are used to walk, but we recommend to shorten the route, arriving at Roblón of Bustiello (Natural Monument), which is 6 km from the start and from there turn around, which will make 12 km in total and more than enough to enjoy fully the forest.
Date Completed: 27/05/2012
Location: PO-2, 33557 Ponga, España
TRACK OF THE WALKING ROUTE

The Peloño Forest is one of the largest and best preserved beech forests of the Iberian Peninsula, has the status of Partial Nature Reserve and is included in the Ponga Natural Park.

To access it, you can see the location. From Asturias and once past Cangas de Onis, follow the N-625, to the Port of Pontón, and after a few miles, just before Santillan Village, take the AS-261 towards San Juan de Beleño. Once there, continue along the PO-2 for a couple of Km, until you see a concrete track on your right, with an exhibition panel Peloño Forest, which leads directly to Les Bedules, starting point of our route.

Here's the map of the hiking trail in Google Earth to give you an idea of the trail.

Map of Peloño Forest Walking Route Spain

And for those who like more in datail information, these topographic maps on which you can see in detail all the way. Actually the route has not lost as it runs along a forest track and in places where there are bifurcations, we just have to follow the main track.

Map of Peloño Forest Walking Route Spain

Map of Peloño Forest Walking Route Spain

Map of Peloño Forest Walking Route Spain

Map of Peloño Forest Walking Route Spain

We left the car in Les Bedules, from where we have stunning views of the Picos de Europa to the east and the imposing Pico Tiatordos westward. This photo of  Tiatordos Peak, is taken from San Juan de Beleño.

Tiatordos peak from Peloño Forest 

The Peloño Forest is itself spectacular and if we add the clear weather we had, it makes you not know where to look, if to the heights or to the beech forest. In our case, it´s clear as you see in the many pictures of the mountains.

Peaks of Europe National Park from Peloño Forest Asturias Spain

Along the way you can fill the canteen at the beginning of the route in Les Bedules and at 4.5 km in the Collada Granceno, from there, we did not see any more wells. It is important to consider, because they are many km and is not convenient to run out of water.

Peaks of Europe National Park from Peloño Forest Asturias Spain

Here you have some photos that are described by themselves ...

Peaks of Europe National Park from Peloño Forest Asturias Spain

Walking Tour Bosque de Peloño Spain Asturias

Peaks of Europe National Park from Peloño Forest Asturias Spain

Walking Trail Bosque de Peloño Spain Asturias

After about 4.5 km, we reach the Granceno Meadoes, with "Sen de Los Mulos Peak" to the bottom. Here, as we mentioned before, you can replace water and rest in the meadows for a while (with permission of the cows), before continuing ...

 Sen de Los Mulos Peak with Collada Granceno in foreground

The Peloño  Forest Trail PR.AS-181 follows the route known as "Puente Agüera" - Foz de Los Andamios"  to this point in "Collada Granceno", where if we were to follow the signpost on the left would go to the 2La foz de Los Andamios" and Agüera Bridge, passing the villageof Viboli and the "Foz de Candano". Although we have not been in the village of Viboli, you can see the unique examples "Beyusco Horreo" (Typical asturian constrution used to keep corn and gain). We continue straight...

Collada Granceno - Peloño Forest - Asturias - spain

... To delve fully into the forest, increasingly leafy, as you can see in this photo, with the Ten and Pileñes Peaks, hovering in the background.

within 1.5 km or so, we reached a point where to the left is a signpost of "Roblón of Bustiello" (Big Oak). Here we turn left leaving the track and entering the forest and about 200 m, we´ll see another pole to the right indicating the direction to go, shortly we reach the big oak.

Roblón de Bustiello Bosque de Peloño Ponga Asturias

The truth is it is worth a detour of a few meters, to see The Big Oak.

Roblón de Bustiello Bosque de Peloño Ponga Asturias

And although in the pictures does not look that big, I can assure you that yes, it is.

Roblón de Bustiello Bosque de Peloño Ponga Asturias

... Besides being listed as Natural Monument.

Roblón de Bustiello Bosque de Peloño Ponga Asturias

we decided to investigate and went down through the woods to a creek just below the oak, to eat the sandwich and enjoy the peacefulness of the place ... The only sound was the river, the birds and the wind through the branches .. .

Walking Los Bustiellos Woods Asturias spain

We continue to the "Collada Guaranga" with gentle slopes up and down, except the last 1,700 m where the slope is somewhat higher but not excessive.

Walking Trail Asturias Spain Peloño Forest

remark that the route can be done perfectly and even mountain bike a hybrid bike, at least until the Collada Guaranga. From there to the chapel of Arcenorio, I guess too, though I could not tell.

Walking Trail Asturias Spain Peloño Forest

These peaks in the photo, we believe are the Rasu  and Zorru and, although we are not sure, so if someone can clarify it, comments are welcome.

In the forest, apart from Roblón of Bustiello, we could see lots of beech trees and oaks some of them quite large.

Peaks of Europe National Prak from Peloño Forest Asturias Spain

A few meters from the iron gate that leads to the Collada Guaranga, we find this image. The mother, licking the calf, while watching, and milking. By the appearance of the calf, seemed to have not a day of life

We carefully  closed the hatch on our way, and we find these machine gun nests of the Civil War. Above them is a small meadow, perfect to eat and relax for a while before taking over. From here I estimate that in about 2 or 3 km, you will reach the Arcenorio Hermitage .

Nidos de Ametralladora en Collada Guaranga Ponga Asturias

View to the north of the Zorru Collau from the Collada Guaranga.

And one last picture of the  famous "Picos de Europa" (European Peaks) to say goodbye to the route .... hope you like it and you feel encouraged to do it. Personally, I kept wanting to do it by bike ... maybe next time.

Picos de Europa National Park from Peloño Forest Asturias Spain

Here you have the TRACK OF THE WALKING ROUTE.

That though is not really necessary to pass all the way through a forest path, it may be interesting to know at any moment where we are and the distance traveled and remaining.

Greetings

PynAstur