Unquera to Llanes Stage

After a good breakfast based on ties bathed in milk chocolate, we started crossing the bridge over the Tina Mayor estuary, where the Deva gives its last few steps before surrendering to the sea. In this way we enter Asturias. It goes up a road that passes by a chapel of souls where a bronze inscription marks the distance to Santiago: 427 kilometers. The road leads to Colombres. On sunny days, or after the storm, we will see the blue façade of the Fifth Guadeloupe, an Indiana mansion that built the emigrant Iñigo Noriega and that has hosted the Indians Archive since 1987.Colombres is left by the streets Pio Noriega and Francisco Sánchez and on a road we go to the N-634. Now begins a dangerous stretch with a lot of traffic.

There is no other option but to advance through the arcén of the N-634 passing the Peral neighborhood and later La Franca, population also of the council of Ribadedeva. On the beach of La Franca, which is accessed from p.k 286 of the Nacional, the Camping Playa de la Franca has several wooden huts to accommodate pilgrims (see observations). The itinerary leaves the National in the direction of Tresgrandas and by a carpool of land we are parallel to the train path. We crossed a bridge and went forward on ascent until we met the N-634 at the height of its kilometer 287. See here because when crossing the road, on a curve just before the PK-287 there is a variant to go to Penduels on a coastal path and take off miles of road. If we opt for it, we must go through an opening on the national's scaffolding, cross "with care" the train's way and after jumping a wooden fence to the cliffs where the buffets of Santiuste are located, from there continue westward along a path between vegetation to the beach of Buelna where there is a choice to go to that town and continue along dirt roads to Pendueles.

It is appropriate to stop at some of the following locations, whether in Buelna or Penduels, because once in the GR-E-9 we will not be able to buy anything, without deviating from the route, to Andrín. This long tour is taken in Pendueles , and is an alternative to the official route. It is marked by the typical red and white band of the GR. The official route, however, continues a couple of kilometers through the N-634 to Vidiago. Then, by roads parallel to the National and by the road itself, visit Puerta de Vidiago and San Roque del Acebal to reach Llanes.

As we have said, we propose to continue with the GR-E-9. This nice road, through which we will advance 15 kilometers to Llanes , will reward us in some sections with good views of the sea. We will have the opportunity to approach him after the campsite, at Playa de Vidiago. Later, after three and a half kilometers, a poster will tell us that we are before the Sandstone Bufons. These are open cracks or fireplaces on the coast, and connected with sea tops, through which salt water penetrates under pressure, forming sprayed water pumps that can reach more than 20 meters high. If the conditions are met we will be able to admire it.

Today, historical heritage is making a space for natural heritage. The viewpoint of the Purón River is another landmark. From here we go down to a bridge to cross it where you can read the indication 20 max people. In less than two kilometers we are in Andrín. The GR signs continue and we turn towards a pedestrian walk parallel to the road that goes up to the viewpoint of the Playa de La Ballota. From here there are nice views of Llanes and the Castro islet, below. From this point it is best to ignore the road and take a path that at half a hillside leads, after a great turn, to the chapel of the Christ of the Way. The view it offers from the village of Cue, Llanes and the Cantábrico is unbeatable.

From the hermitage we go down to Llanes, former Aguilar Puebla, which retains traces of its medieval past. Here we can taste your native cider and take a walk through the port, where the barrier of buckets painted by Ibarrola emerges. This coastal population also has no municipal refuge for pilgrims, so there is no choice but to try it in youth hostels, private hostels, pensions or hotels.