There is nothing better in this life than an escape to that part of the north of Spain who lives of calm and tranquility. They know a lot about that in Asturias, that hides some towns that seem to remain unperturbed by the passage of time, that remain isolated between mountains, clinging to ancient traditions and the know-how of people who still keep good customs.
You can even go further, venturing among the cold and powerful mountains that crown the Picos de Europa beyond Poncebos , to reach one of the most peaceful places in our country.
Following the path that the duje river we arrived to Sotres, the highest town in Asturias, a place where silence imposes its law, between an air as clean as icy and the scandalous greenness of a pasture land that has made the grazing something more than an art.
Sotres
TOUCHING THE SKY WITH YOUR FINGERS
Getting to Sotres is not easy. In fact, in the collective imagination of its people it is known as the “last town of Asturias” , perhaps due to its proximity to the roof of the Picos de Europa and the richness of its pastures for grazing that climbed here a few hundred years ago.
A funny similarity comes to mind between these mountains dyed green with the Alps through which Heidi ran after Grandpa's goats, under the watchful eye of those peaks that seem to caress the sky. But it's not the Alps, it's Cabrales council.
In this small Asturian town hardly a hundred people live, that over time they have become accustomed to coming and going from mountaineers who see in the Picos de Europa an Eden for their sports demands. but also lovers of high level hiking , fans of sports experiences in a completely isolated nature that offers stillness as a cover letter. We have reached the top of the council of Cabrales.
sotres is the most spectacular part of Cabrales, a small town of just a handful of houses that are hidden between the mountains. You have to come warm and prepared to make the route, since we are going to travel gorges and valleys where walking can be heavy.
The sheep reign next to the winter cabins of Sotres.
From the town depart various routes to challenge the Picos de Europa and get closer to Pico Urriellu, better known as Bulnes orange tree , one of the emblems of the Natural Park that we are treading.
This peak reaches an altitude greater than 2,500 meters and it is one of the most appreciated by professional climbers due to its difficulty. Its sheer wall looks like a giant chimney, and although you can't climb to the top if you're not professional, you can reach the base to take the perfect picture.
From there, the views are priceless. It is time to enjoy the contrasts of the dryness of the cliffs above against the greenery of the valleys where perhaps some clueless chamois he has left the rock to look for something to put in his mouth. Soaring through the sky with your eyes, you can see the majestic flapping of wings of the peregrine falcon or even the griffon vulture, if you are lucky and there is not too much wind.
Bulnes orange tree.
A VILLAGE PREPARED FOR THE VISITOR
Back to Sotres you have to regain strength, if possible with something warm to set the tone to continue the experience. One of the best options in Sotres is the Treselcorral Restaurant, basically for its meats kid and lamb and by his fabada out of series that crown with frixuelos and homemade cheesecake. An eating house that has a hostel to spend the night, although it is not the only option that you can find in the town.
Finding accommodation in Sotres is easy as it has a good handful of hostels and rural houses due to the interest it generates as a destination for mountain lovers (especially in spring). Opposite Treselcorral is Cyprian House , a more comfortable and peaceful hostel where you can also find a very good chap on the restaurant menu. And of course with great presence of the Cabrales cheese and others Asturian cheeses , with those who dare to enrich a pizza that we give a very good account of.
In the upper part of the town is a public car park to leave the car and that we recommend to take into account since it is impossible to park inside the town. From there, everything is a stone's throw away, even the Sotres cheese factory , one of the most fascinating places in the town that it is necessary to visit. And that is the next stop in this unforgettable experience.
Asturias, land of cheese.
THE CHEESE AS A STARTING POINT
The history of the towns of the Picos de Europa is closely linked to cheese production thanks to the milk of their cows. It is impossible to leave Sotres without taking home one of its famous PDO Cabrales cheeses. But buying Cabrales cheese in Sotres goes much further. Main cheese factory , the Sotres cheese factory, has been making the same Cabrales cheeses with know-how that has passed from generation to generation. The result of their excellent craftsmanship has led them to deserve the award of the best Cabrales cheese in the world in 2011 and 2014.
In Main the cheese is made as in the past, with care, care and patience, fundamental ingredients to make a category cheese. The maturation of its cheeses is done in a cave, which can be visited for a fee and with a guide who explains everything the fermentation and maturation process. The experience in the cave is very curious since the maturation of the Cabrales cheese has been done in this way since centuries.
The cave is not in the town, you have to walk about twenty minutes off-road and also access is not comfortable. Inside, they rest the cheeses that have been made by the family at different points of maturation.
These caves were used for the constant temperature inside and for the very high level of humidity which allows the fungus to do its job more easily. The smell that emanates from every square centimeter of the cave is pure ambrosia, and can materialize on the palate with a cheese and cider tasting rear for which you can not resist.
BONUS TRACK FOR THE CURIOUS
Sotres is a town that took a long time to modernize. As a curious fact, and n the 1960s there was still no electricity in the town and access was through an unpaved road since there wasn't even a road.
the cave has a vent so that the ammonia and the gases that emanate from the fermentation have an outlet and the cheese is aerated. This means that as one passes along the road in the vicinity of Sotres, the smell of cheese So, as you come to town, Roll down the car window and enjoy.
there are so many hiking trails from Sotres. The town is very small and there is no tourist office, but the parishioners can give a good account of the number of paths that can be enjoyed in the foothills of the Picos de Europa. The Monetas Lake either the neighbor Liebana These are two other routes that are well worth an excursion.
Cabrales cheese has become the most expensive in the world. This happened in the year 2019 when the Valfriu cheese factory , from the neighboring town of Tielves , sold his Cabrales for 10,250 euros per kilo. Most of the caves where these cheeses mature are in Sotres.
Sotres