8-day Asturias Coastline Family Cycling Holiday

Arrival in Asturias, by car or bus (max. 1 hour from Santander airport). Time to settle in at your friendly rural accommodation in Vilde, a small family-run hotel on a working farm with a garden and sitting room. At meal time, everyone eats together at one large table. Fresh fruit from the garden is often served.

Challenge: Arrival in Asturias.

Villages along the way: Vilde

After a hearty breakfast, you start off with a test run on your (hire) bike, then do a circular cycling route through green hills on the border between Asturias and Cantabria. Choice of doing a longer or shorter ride: a 45 km route (with a total of 440 m in ascent, spread out over a few short but steep sections) or a short ride of 14 km to the beach at Pechón or to Cueva Pindal, with its prehistoric cave paintings. Optional short walking route through Mediterranean woodlands to reach the ruins at Santa Tina chapel on the Camino de Santiago pilgrims' trail.

Challenge: Option 1 (Circular long cycling route): 45 km / 28 mi, 440 m ascent

                       Option 2 (Short ride): 14 km / 9 mi, 125 / 265 m ascent

Villages along the way: Vilde, Unquera, Pimiango, Pechón

Today you cycle just 4 km, to the canoe rental shop in Unquera. Transfer up-river to Panes, starting point for your canoeing excursion. Armed with wetsuits, paddles and a packlunch, you spend 2  -3 hours paddling down the pretty Deva River. Small beaches on the riverbanks provide a place to stop along the route. In the afternoon, optional walk from Vilde to Colombres, to visit the Casa de Indianos, a beautiful colonial-style building which houses an interesting emigration museum.

Challenge: Canoeing excursion (8 or 12 km), 3 km / 2 mi optional walk

Villages along the way: Unquera, Panes, Colombres

Via quiet country lanes, you cycle into Valle Oscuro ("Dark Valley"), an ominous name for a beautiful place with traditional family farms and tiny villages at the foot of the Sierra del Cuera coastal range. Stop for a short rest at an authentic local bar. Option of doing up to 25 km / 15,5 mi (with a total ascent of 325 m, spread out over 3 small hills). By afternoon you're back at the coast, to a short ride nearby blowholes on the cliffs, or a protected otter habitat on the tiny bay of Andrín. From Puertas de Vidiago you only have to cycle the last 7 km to reach the next accommodation, located in Poo de Llanes, only 700 m away from a beautiful beach.

Challenge: Cycling route 30 km / 18,5 mi, 325 m ascent

Villages along the way: Vilde, La Borbolla, Puertas, Cué, Poo de Llanes

Your hotel in Poo de Llanes is just 2 km from the lovely fishing village of Llanes, with its Medieval centre, Gothic church, two beaches, lots of shops and restaurants, and colourfully-painted wavebreak on the harbour. If you're lucky, there will be some local celebration on nearby. The county of Llanes has a busy calendar of patron saint's Days, with interesting traditional processions and local folklore. Option of cycling to the village of Porrúa, with its interesting ethnographic museum, or to the beach at Poo de Llanes.

Challenge: Cycling route 19.5 km / 12 mi, 150 m ascent

Villages along the way: Cué, Parres, Porrúa, Celorio, Poo, Llanes

Today's cycling route takes you to the spectacular beach of Cuevas del Mar, 2.5 km from the colourful village of Nueva, where the next accommodation is located. The route (generally with little gradient) runs along country roads in an incomparable natural setting. Only at the end of the route there is a steep climb that can be avoided by taking the old national road N-634 (short option) in Posada de Llanes. However, if you cycle slowly and walk some stretches with your bike in your hand, the effort will be rewarded with the spectacular views of Picos de Europa offered by the Mirador de Los Carrilles viewpoint (long option). Once on the coast you can opt for a dip there or walk along the coastal path to the hidden Playa de San Martín. Nueva has shops and several restaurants and cider bars offering local cuisine.

Challenge: Short bike tour: 21 km / 13 mi, 250 m ascent.

                        Long bike tour (Mirador de los Carriles): 24 km, 425 m ascent

Villages along the way: Llanes, Barro, Niembro, Naves, Nueva

Just 2.5 km from Nueva, you have the pretty beach called Cuevas del Mar, perfect for swimming and playing in the sand. You can also choose a circular cycling route to the west towards Ribadesella, following the pilgrim´s trail "Camino del Norte" . In Ribadesella you can swim, surf, canoe or follow fossilized dinosaur tracks on the beach. The Cave Museum of Tito Bustillo, offers a replica of valuable cave paintings some 25,000 years old.

Challenge: Choice of activities on the coast // Cycling route: 24 km / 15 mi, 200 m ascent

Villages along the way: Nueva, Llames de Pría, Cuerres, Ribadesella

Your cycling program comes to an end this morning after breakfast. It you have hired a bike through S-cape Travel, it will be collected at your accommodation. If you're returning to Vilde, you can make the trip by bus or train.