Surrounding Area - La Arganosa

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Mountains

The Picos de Europa, translated as 'The Peaks of Europe', is a small but spectacular mountain range full of environmental richness. High alpine meadows, snow clad peaks, beautiful forests, tumbling waterfalls and a huge variety of flora and fauna make this a naturalist’s paradise. Distinctive villages, steeped in culture, combine with traditional farming activities to give this part of Asturias a truly timeless feel.

The mountains offer fantastic walking from gentle strolls to exciting high altitude treks amongst glaciers. There are also many world-class climbing venues. Walking directly from the house, there are excellent opportunities to discover the charms of several local villages, or to follow trails onto the slopes of the mountain which overlooks the garden.

Historic Covadonga, the birthplace of Spain, is easily drivable and its nearby lakes and well marked scenic mountain trails with incredible vistas and sunsets are well worth a visit. A little further afield, near Potes, the Fuent De cable car is a great way to get quickly above the snow-line and follow fantastic mountain paths.

For wildlife enthusiasts, the Picos area is home to over 70 mammal species including wolves, lynx and bears. There are 176 bird species including kites, sparrow-hawks and several types of eagle. Many birds, including vultures and owls, can be spotted from the terrace of the house.

The hay-meadows of the Picos are glorious from May to June with an abundance of wild flowers and over 155 species of butterfly. As this part of Asturias is renowned for cider-making, at different times of the year, the trees are laden with blossom and fruit. In the autumn, families gather for the traditional apple harvest, and celebrate with local festivals.

Beaches

The wild and rugged Asturian coast can be reached in about 40 minutes from the house. The beaches range from vast, open expanses of unspoilt sand and exciting surf to little coves and picturesque fishing harbours reminiscent of Cornwall. In addition, many of the villages, as well as the attractive seaside resorts of Ribadesella and Llanes, have excellent seafood restaurants.

On the cliffs 9km east of Ribadesella, and reachable by car or on the coastal footpath, is a fascinating area of marine potholes called Los Bufones de Pria where the sea blows into underground channels with eerie snorts and whistles, then sprays up through the limestone canyons with an effect similar to that of a geyser.

Cangas De Onis

Cangas de Onis, capital of the area, sits in the valley formed by the Rivers Sella and Güena. The town can be reached in about 25 minutes from the house. The most famous sight in Cangas is a beautiful Roman Bridge, declared to be a Historic-Artistic site in 1931.

The town is full of lively shops, 'siderias' (cider houses) and restaurants with outdoor terraces perfect for a coffee or a glass of wine and 'people watching'. It is the place to buy local cheese, bread sausages and cider or to try the local 'fabada' dish. There is a busy tourist office with a wealth of local information, an outdoor swimming pool and a lovely traditional Farmer's Market on Sunday mornings.

Adventure Centres offer quad biking, horse riding and canoe hire on the famous River Sella (where thousands gather every August for the biggest canoe race in spain). There are several banks and internet cafes and two attractive squares which offer live music on summer evenings. As the biggest town in the area, this is where the locals gather to stroll, eat and drink as the sun goes down. In addition, several entertaining weekend festivals, when the Asturians wear traditional costumes, take place throughout the year.