Nalón Valley Mancomunidad

Redes Natural Park. Biosphere Reserve

Recognised as a Natural Park in 1996, it covers the whole of the Sobrescobio and Caso municipalities and occupies an area of 377.36 km². 

Located at the upper end of the Nalón Valley, it is accessed from the AS-117 by what is called the Nalón Corridor. Due to its ecosystems, scenery and environmental quality, Redes was declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 2001.

It belongs to the Nature 2000 network as it’s considered a Place of Community Importance (LIC), and is also a Special Protection Zone for Birds (ZEPA).

It was awarded the Q certification in 2005 for touristic quality.

Geology and relief

More than half the territory is above 800 metres and more than 40% has slopes exceeding 45º.

The grandeur of its landscape is embodied in a precipitous relief made up of limestone formations of up to 2 104 metres (Picu Torres), narrow passes, ravines and valleys etched into the landscape by rivers.

Vegetation

The vegetation of the Redes Natural Park is remarkable for the large amount of mature woods that cover its surface, almost 45% of the territory. These are made up of beech, oak and holly oak, high mountain birch and chestnuts.

Also to be found are the yellow gentian, holly and yew (included in the Regional Catalogue of Threatened Vascular Flora in the Principality of Asturias) the Asturian narcissus and the trumpet narcissus included in the special interest category.

Fauna

Up to fifty species of mammals, one hundred and thirty birds, ten amphibians and four fish have been confirmed in the area.

Several of these species are included in the Regional Catalogue of Threatened Vertebrate Fauna in the Principality of Asturias.

The brown bear, the Cantabrian capercaillie (both under threat of extinction), the middle spotted woodpecker, the golden eagle, the frog, Egyptian vulture, goshawk, falcon, sand martin, cave bat, Geoffroy bat and the otter.

Noteworthy too is the presence of game animals such as the Cantabrian chamois, roe deer, common deer and the boar, plus the presence of the great carnivore, the wolf.

Ethnography

Apart from the magnificent environmental conditions in Redes, a normal day-to-day life is maintained with the traditional customs.

A special mention is deserved of the local architecture and the ethnographic factors that are tied to the agricultural activities.

The leading livestock is the Asturian mountain cow (the casín cow), from which the local casín cheese comes with its own denominated region and which is one of the oldest in Europe.

Natural Monuments

Inside the Redes Park there are three natural monuments:

• Alba route: pass by the village of Soto de Agues and following the course of the River Alba you will pass through the spectacular Llaímo gorge (or Alba gorge). Due to the abundance of water, there are cascades and waterfalls along the whole route.
• El Tabayón del Mongayu: a spectacular waterfall originating in the Riega del Mongayu. There is a route to get to the cascade that passes the town of Tarna and crosses the magnificent beech woods of Monte Saperu.
• Deboyu cave: a kast cavity excavated by the River Nalón as it passes through the locality of Les Yanes. To observe this impressive natural formation one has to follow the AS-117 road. The entrance and exit can be made out from the road. The cave cannot be visited, as it is the habitat of the Geoffroy bat.

Related links

• Sobrescopio Town Hall: www.sobrescobio.es
• Caso Town Hall: www.caso.es
• Parque Natural de Redes Reception and Visitors Centre: www.parquenaturalderedes.es