Thanks to the high mountain shepherding, the village of Xinestosu is famous for its excellent handmade cheese. It has an intense flavour and it is made in an esparto mould. It is the cheese of the transhumance because shepherds of Castilla and Extremadura provided the esparto rings to mould and drain the cheese. The transhumance was made along steep passes by tight routes that connected, as here, the valleys of Somiedo and Cangas del Narcea with León.
Nowadays you can go over the same paths, going along pastures, lakes... and on the highest peaks, on cloudless days, it is possible to see the coast of Galicia and Asturias. To stop in the middle of the way and enjoy the views over the Xinestosu Valley and the pastures of Somiedo is worthy.
TRACK INFORMATION
Origin : Xinestosu
Duration: 5 h. 30 min.
Distance: 14,46 km
Difficulty: Media
Gradient: 691 m.
Type: circular
Crossing:
from 16 june to 15 august
and from 1 october to 30 november
DON’T MISS ...
Go back to Xinestosu trough La Gobia. It is a path that offers impressive views over the valley and it communicated the Cerezal Valley (Somiedo) to the Acebo Valley (Cangas del Narcea) by León.
DO YOU KNOW THAT…?
The highest part of the track shares its route with the stage Etapa Xinestosu - L'Acebu GR.203 "Por donde camino el oso" (a large track called where the bear walk by). Because of that, this route is not allowed during the months of the year with more bear activity.