Journeys through Asturias, greenest Spain

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Journeys through Asturias, greenest Spain

Author: John Michael

“The Road Goes Ever On and On…Down to the Door Where It Began”.
So wrote J.R.R. Tolkien, creator of “The Lord Of the Rings”. My
family lives in Middle-Earth; around here it’s called Asturias.
Surrounded by green mountains and rolling hills, the landscape
bears strong resemblance to the descriptions found in Tolkien’s
works. Located on the north coast of Spain, Asturias is known
for being fresh, temperate and green. Very green. Spaniards call
it “Paraiso Natural”, a ‘Natural Paradise’. Wandering around the
countryside here, I half expect to see elves, trolls, and
halflings- and I must say some folk around here do indeed
resemble hobbits, or characters out of a children’s story. Very
quaint and picturesque.

As I go walking around this land, the thought of roads and ways
‘going ever on’ becomes reality. Every village is connected to
the surrounding fields and woods by a network of linking
cowpaths, which ultimately reach the next set of paths, and so
on. Tolkien was right, all roads are one, like a river with many
branches. That’s what I love most about the walking (or running
or biking or horseback or however you choose); every time is
different, because after 4 years of exploring here I still find
new ways, paths I have yet to tread, or new connections with the
old ones. This is real magic.

The environment here is similar to that of lower Britain, to
Atlantic France. But much softer in climate, warmer and sunnier
(at times). The coastal north of Spain is separated from the
rest of the peninsula by a chain of mountains, the Cantabric
mountain range. This blocks out the southern heat, and forms a
southern border to the great Maritime Arc of North-West Europe.
This is about as far south one can go and still be in Northern
Europe, geographically. Culturally is another story, because
many different people have come through this land at one time or
another. The Celtic influence is strong; bagpipes and wooden
shoes are commonplace. So are castanyets (Arabic finger
cymbals), Gypsy sounds from Andalucia (South Spain), and olive
oil from the Mediterranean. Asturias is certainly part of Spain,
only it lies up north, beyond a barrier of high mountains (the
tallest peak is the third-highest in Europe) that have
historically blocked out much of the rest of the country. The
mountains are hard to get over, but these days tunnels drilled
through work well, what with the freeway and all…a high speed
train line is due at some point in the future, so for now we
must content ourselves with standard Eurorail. There is an
international airport as well. By car it’s 4 hours to Madrid,
and about 3 hours to the border with France. Asturias is an
average 50 miles (90 km) wide, and a debatable 150 miles long
(depending how you mark it).

Given the climate, this is too far north for much wine-making,
but apple trees grow in abundance, so alcoholic cider is the
local drink. And it is renowned throughout Spain, now gaining
popularity abroad as well. The cider is thin and vinegary, best
for clearing the digestion, although there is also a sweet
version, without alcohol. I like it after a nice run through the
hills, which brings us back to the paths. When one goes out
‘trekking’ it will soon be noticed that there are many many
trees, including the apple. Chestnut, oak, sycamore, ash, beech,
walnut, hazel, firs, and eucalyptus…which is an import that took
root in the last century. There are also some palms, especially
closer to the coast (another import of course). In orchards or
standing alone there are cherry, pear, apple, plum, fig, peach,
besides a multitude of berry bushes- blackberry, currant,
raspberry, european blueberry. A favorite pastime when out and
about is stopping to enjoy some of nature’s gifts, a welcome
refreshment on a long hike.

It bears repeating that although this is a Northern clime,
Asturias is far enough south to support a variety of flora; in
addition to the trees named above there are oranges and lemons
that do quite well, as long as they are in a good spot, and
kiwis (must have come with the eucalyptus). As with real estate,
everything is ‘location, location’. A protected hill-side facing
south is perfect for flora that need the heat. Which is also a
good spot for tomatoes, peppers, or melons. There many gardens
here, both floral and vegetable. Sometimes they pop up in
surprising places, far from any house, along side some path with
stone walls and thick hedges. Rows of corn, with beans climbing
the stalks; potatoes and varied greens; different vegetables and
herbs; produce and plenty in season. A careful eye will spot
wild herbs when moving about the land: mint, thyme, marjoram,
rosemary…some of these have been planted, and grown wild, others
happen on their own. Watch out for stinging nettles, but at
least there is no poison ivy!

I have learned something about grazing animals from all this.
Even regular milk cows have a natural environment (outside of
feed-lots and stalls). Sometimes during a walk a clearing in the
woods will appear, and behold! Cows grazing among the trees and
in the meadows. They actually like wandering about, feeding off
the land, winding in and out among the trees, clambering up
hill-sides, getting a cool drink from the creek, relaxing in the
shade…just like humans! Deer are also found, and it is quite
common to encounter these. There is a smaller kind and a larger
more standard variety (bushy white tails) and these will graze
where they find pasture, or move around the woods. Wild boar are
plentiful, and hunting for these and the deer are common. Some
areas have been designated ‘hunting zones’, as well as the
‘fishing zones’. This is a trout and salmon area; the coast is
of course known for the variety and abundance of marine life. In
the higher mountains there are bear and wolves, but so far I
have stuck more to the ‘in- between’ places, away from the coast
and yet below the heights. We are here surrounded by lower
mountains, yet impressive. These provide a plethora of ways to
go, from hilly countryside to higher climbs, where the trees
thin out and goats pasture. The autochthonous breed of cow
(usually for meat) is the ‘Asturian of the Mountains’ which half
resembles a goat in it’s lanky toughness, narrow head with
goatish horns, and the ability to scramble over rocky
mountain-sides with the best of them. These days, with a
declining human population, and a vanishing tradition of
cowherding, people are putting a variety of grazing animals out
to pasture, if only to keep the grass down and maintain the
fields. Sheep, goats, horses, donkeys, whatever will eat the
prairie- we know a family that keeps ostriches!

One of the best routes to take in this particular area is called
Fuensanta, which takes its name from the famous springwater
found there. This water is bottled and sold throughout Europe,
and the natural beauty and freshness of the place tells why.
Here is a gorge which rises steeply into the mountains, reaching
a series of waterfalls which are the source for all this
wetness. Fill your bottles up at the beginning of the path
(there is a public fountain) and walk the 6 mile (10 km) loop,
following the rise of the land to the falls and then descending
again. Make sure you brought some empty bottles in the car so
you can fill them up for drinking at home.

Yes, we live in Middle-Earth. I know this to be true when on an
early morning the mist hangs over the valleys and dales between
hills, when the rolling fields rise to meet the looming
mountains at sunset, when the stars shine clear and bright in
the night-sky. The view from a highpoint shows the landscape
dotted with houses, fields, grazing animals, gardens, fruit
trees, and the wooded slopes of the mountains surround valleys
of hills. There is land to plow and woods to walk and waters to
swim. The sea is less than an hour away from the ski-slopes on
high mountains, whose peaks are snowy most of the year and tower
in the distance. This land is indeed a Natural Paradise.

J Michael www.waytospain.com

About the author:
Email: greenspain@ziplip.com Website: http://www.waytospain.com
Occupations/Activities: Travel (nature/outdoor), Accommodation
(rural Location: Asturias, Spain WAYTOSPAIN offers eco-tours and
Spanish language classes in Asturias for small private groups.
WAYTOSPAIN follows the principles of responsible travel and
sustainable tourism.