REAL CAMÍN DE LA MESA – LA BUSTARIEGA ROUTE

The Real Camín de la Mesa was a Roman road and later the main way into Castile, still in Jovellanos’s time. This route, the GR-100, follows its line from the San Lorenzo pass (1,394 m) north-west, along the west side of the Sierra de la Verde, to La Bustariega: 9 km one way, 150 m of ascent and 3 hours. From the same pass the other stretch heads south, the Camín Real de la Mesa to Torrestío (GR-101, 20.5 km).

Split times

Times from the Puerto de San Lorenzo, according to the official trail sheet:

Point	Time
Spring	55 min
Llanu Fasqueru	1 h 40 min
Campa Cueiro	2 h
La Bustariega	3 h

Route description

The route starts at the Puerto de San Lorenzo (1,394 m), reached from the Somiedo village of La Riera after an 11 km climb up a winding road, or from La Plaza, capital of the municipality of Teverga. From the pass, take a path heading north-west, leaving on the right the forest track that starts at the same point.

The route follows the line of what was first a Roman road and later the main road into Castile, even in Jovellanos’s time. The path runs along the western slope of the Sierra de la Verde, at the foot of Peña’l Caspu, Picu la Mirandiella, Picu Vingladoiro (or de la Abeja), the Picos de la Verde and Las Troncadas. This stretch offers a splendid panorama of the municipality of Somiedo, the Cornón ridge and the Sierra del Páramu. You can stop to enjoy the landscape at Las Troncadas, where there is a spring to refill your water.

The path then descends to the Llanu Fasqueru (1,446 m), from where you can see the municipality of Teverga and Peña Sobia, as well as the Somiedo valley of Clavillas. Heading north-east, the route crosses this col to the Campa Cueiro, the point where the municipalities of Somiedo, Belmonte de Miranda and Teverga meet. Every year, in early September, the romería (pilgrimage festival) of Santa Marina or Virgen del Cueiro is held here, bringing together the people of those three municipalities and of nearby Grao. At this festival, once an important livestock fair, there are horse races and various rural sports competitions. From this point you can see the vast meadow of the Veiga de Cueiro.

Beside the Campa Cueiro, the route leaves the Camín Real and continues along a track that goes off to the left towards Picu Monegru, recognisable by the antenna on its summit. The peak is left on the right and the route descends to the village of La Bustariega, one of the prettiest, best preserved and least known in Somiedo, with one of the finest examples of traditional Somiedo architecture.

Notes: given the nature of the route, it is advisable to use two vehicles, leaving one at the Altu San Lorenzu and the other in La Bustariega. Another option is to split into two groups, each starting from one end, and swap car keys at a meeting point agreed in advance. Finally, you could consider hiring transport for the way back.

Download the route map (PDF, in Spanish)