El Las Ubiñas-La Mesa Natural Park and Biosphere Reserve It stands out for its scenic and ecological richness, a result of its complex topography and geological diversity. From the imposing peaks of the Peña Ubiña massif to river valleys and gorges such as the Foz de la Estrechura, where the Cueva Huerta Natural Monument is located, this protected area is home to a remarkable diversity of habitats and species.
Its beech, oak, and birch forests provide shelter for a rich and diverse fauna, among which the brown bear stands out, present throughout the natural area and with excellent birdwatching spots. Among the birds, in addition to the wallcreeper, the golden eagle, and the rock ptarmigan, you can also observe the alpine sparrow, typical of the higher altitude areas. The park is also home to a remarkable variety of diurnal Lepidoptera, among which the emblematic Apollo butterfly stands out as the main representative in the stony high mountain areas. The rock flora adds unique botanical value, with species adapted to rock faces and some endemic species of great interest. Added to all this is a valuable ethnographic heritage, with brañas (mountain pastures) and traditional buildings associated with mountain livestock farming.
The variety of trails, viewpoints, and interpretation centers allows you to explore this area in depth, connecting nature and culture. Las Ubiñas-La Mesa is an ideal place for hiking, birdwatching, landscape interpretation, and experiences linked to local knowledge and sustainability.
Spring through autumn are the best times to visit this area, as during these months the mountain trails and high-altitude passes are more accessible and snow-free, allowing you to fully enjoy the landscape, the trail network, and the cattle trails. Spring is marked by flowering, especially in pastures and subalpine slopes, and by the activity of wildlife after winter.
Autumn, for its part, is ideal for contemplating the deciduous forests in full chromatic change, listening to the bellowing of deer, and enjoying the soft light perfect for landscape photography. It's also the best time to observe traditional herding activities on the high-altitude passes, as from May to October the cattle ascend the high-altitude passes. In October, they descend and graze in the meadows ever closer to the valley. In winter, if conditions warrant, they are stabled for a few weeks.
In spring, the process is reversed. First, the crop is left in the valley meadows, and then gradually moved up to the higher ground.
El Las Ubiñas-La Mesa Natural Park and Biosphere Reserve It allows you to enjoy a wide variety of activities in an exceptional natural and cultural setting. Interpreted hiking is one of the most recommended ways to explore this area, with routes that traverse high mountain landscapes such as the Peña Ubiña massif or areas of great geological interest such as the Marabio Passes. These trails offer karst formations, waterfalls, forests, gorges, and high-altitude pastures traditionally used for grazing. Birdwatching is another notable activity, with species characteristic of the Cantabrian mountains and the possibility of spotting the wallcreeper in areas such as the Foz de la Estrechura. The presence of brañas (mountain pastures) and traditional buildings adds a valuable ethnographic component, ideal for those seeking a more complete experience of rural Asturias. Specialized companies offer interpreted routes focused on fauna and flora, landscape interpretation, the night sky, and understanding human use of the land.
El Las Ubiñas-La Mesa Natural Park and Biosphere Reserve It offers a variety of sites representative of its natural, geological, and cultural riches. One of the most spectacular places is Cueva Huerta, declared a Natural Monument. This impressive cave features a large entrance gallery and more than 14 kilometers of underground passage, the interior of which can be visited, always under the supervision of a guide. This enclave is home to important bat colonies, was a refuge for the Maquis after the Civil War, and is also an excellent spot for observing wallcreeper, especially during the breeding season, when they can be seen at lower altitudes. Next to the Val de Sampedro River gorge, where the cave is located, is the Las Cadenas braña, with its characteristic corros (corros), small livestock buildings that reflect the area's pastoral tradition.
The climb to Puerto de Ventana begins in Teverga, crossing a magnificent mountain beech forest. In the municipality of Lena, the area around Tuiza de Arriba offers impressive views of the Peña Ubiña massif, with access to the meadows of Puerto de La Cubilla, a vast plateau of gentle relief that extends toward Babia and is especially interesting for observing butterflies, both day and night. Puertos de Marabio, on the border with the municipalities of Yernes and Tameza, display a highly chaotic karst relief, where poljes and sinkholes covered with grasslands and heathland extend at the foot of Pico Caldoveiro, creating a unique landscape of great geological and ecological value.
The Bear Trail, one of the best-known Greenways in the northern Iberian Peninsula, crosses the municipalities of Santo Adriano, Proaza, Teverga, and Quirós, and allows you to enjoy the landscape on foot or by bike. At the Valdemurio reservoir, in addition to a recreational area and information center, you can enjoy water sports and observe wildlife such as the brown bear. Finally, Alto de San Lorenzo, on the historic Camín Real de La Mesa, is a notable landmark on this ancient communication route between the Asturian coast and the Meseta, used since Roman times. Its thatched huts, so characteristic of the surroundings, evoke the proximity to Somiedo and the traditional livestock use of these mountains.
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The Green Spain Ecotourism Reserve is an invitation to experience northern Spain in a different way. It's not a network of accommodations.
