Somiedo Natural Park

The park is shaped by four main valleys corresponding to its four most important rivers: Somiedo, Pigüeña, Valle and Saliencia.

The area also contains numerous lakes and lagoons. The most notable — by size and setting — are the Saliencia Lakes (La Cueva, Calabazosa and Cerveriz) at 1,600 metres altitude, and the Lago del Valle. The latter is the largest lake in Asturias, situated at 1,580 m above sea level at the foot of Picos Albos and Peña La Mortera. Originally much smaller (23.7 ha surface area, 50 m maximum depth), its size increased after the waters were dammed for electricity generation at the La Malva hydroelectric station.

The significant difference in altitude — ranging from 2,194 m at El Cornón peak down to 400 m at Aguasmestas — combined with the local climate, shaped a territory that offered its earliest inhabitants sheltered habitats and a way of life based on mountain farming and transhumance. The result is a landscape carpeted with rotating pastures or brañas, where the thatched-roof teito huts were built. Livestock farming remains the main economic activity in Somiedo, though Natural Park status has brought a notable rise in tourism.

A large part of the area is covered by different types of woodland, moorland, brañas and pastures.