This route is ideal for lovers of mountain routes in good shape, as the steep slopes are a constant until you reach the summit. Do you want to get back to your more adventurous and mystical side? Follow the remains of the Neolithic settlers starting in the village of Barandón, in the council of Villayón, in the southwest of Asturias.
How to get there
There is no direct public transport to this route, so we have to drive along the AS-25 (Navia-Villayón road) to the capital of the council, Villayón, where we continue straight on along the AS35 to Valdedo, where we turn left to continue along the VY-6 to Castanedo, where we leave the car.
Did you know that?
The locals know it as Dolmen da Filandoria (weaver). This burial mound is crowned by a horizontal monolith more than 2 m long and legend has it that a spinner carried it on her head to the place, while she was weaving non-stop between the San Roque mountain range and Enterrios. We tried to lift it, but we lacked some strength ;).
Circular route or round trip
This route has two options, a round trip to the Dolmen from the village of Barandón, or a circular route Castanedo -Barandón- Dolmen- Campellín and back to Castanedo. Both are approximately the same length (8 km).
Don't forget to take enough to drink and suitable footwear, preferably waterproof, as you will sometimes have to negotiate streams along the way.
Route from Castanedo-Barandón to the Dolmen
There is no public transport until Barandon, so we will have to drive. We recommend that you park right there near the public school and start your route on foot to the village of Barandón.
Between these two villages, there is a two-kilometre path that can be covered by car, but parking space in Barandón is limited.
In the picturesque village of Barandón, we find the Chapel dedicated to San Juan Bautista (s. XVIII) which indicates the beginning of the steepest part of the route.
There are signs all the way to the dolmen, so it is not difficult to follow the path. After a fairly steep climb through oak and beech woods, we reach the dolmen at an altitude of 930 m high in a spot known as Enterrios.
Its location allows us to see the mountainous landscape until the Cantabrian Sea.
Here we can sit and enjoy the scenery and the spectacular views of the Asturian mountains, and then descend to Barandón by the same route or continue on the circular route:
Circular Route through Campellín, Cuitiella and Braña de Castanedo
Continuing along the crest of the mountain, towards the east, we soon reach the top and can see the "Campellín" in the valley, where it is not unusual to find herds of semi-wild horses grazing freely.
We follow the marked path until we enter an oak forest, full of trees that are several hundred years old. The air quality is so high that it allows the growth of the "beards", lichens and mosses that only grow in ideal conditions, which give the place the appearance of a magical forest.
Viejo
From here, we go down to the valley until we find the Regueiro da Cuitiella, where we find old mountain meadows, still enclosed in stone, and immediately after, the Chao a Braña, where we can see stone huts that shelter the cattle in winter. The descent to Castanedo from this point takes no more than 20 minutes, and crossing the village down the mountain, we arrive back at the starting point.
What to see in the surrounding area
After the route, you can recharge your batteries in one of the restaurants in the area, or visit some of the council's attractions along the way, such as the pre-Romanesque bridge of Polea, the Arbón reservoir jetty or the Mouro Well.
If you are staying more days in Villayón, be sure to visit the Oneta Waterfalls.
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