Puntos de Interés
Orography
Sierra de Valledor
The Valledor mountain range, named after the valley of the Oro River, which flows through its western slopes. The eastern slopes give birth to the rivers Comba, Arganza, and Pumar, each weaving a story that dates back to Roman times when they were harnessed for gold mining.
The Sierra de Valledor and the Sierra de Carondio were designated as a protected landscape in Asturias in 1994, under the Natural Resources Management Plan of Asturias (PORNA, Decree 38/94), which included them in the Regional Network of Protected Natural Spaces (RRENP). As it emerges in a northerly direction from the northwestern end of the Cantabrian Mountains, it reveals a panorama of peaks such as Onón (Orúa) at 1,369 meters, La Vieja at 1,342 meters, Gargolais at 1,312 meters, Lampazoa at 1,343 meters, and Piqueiru at 1,363 meters. These peaks, with their gentle, rounded slopes, create a harmonious siliceous landscape of slate and quartzite, forming smaller ranges like Los Lagos and Cazarnoso.
Amidst the crags and valleys of the Sierra de Valledor, lush vegetation unfolds in expansive meadows where cattle graze, and dense oak groves (Quercus pyrenaica) intermingle with carob (Quercus robur) and shrubby arbutus (Arbutus unedo). Pine (Pinus sylvestris) repopulated in the mid-20th century adds to the diverse landscape, with red heather (Erica australis) thriving in areas that have witnessed repeated fires.
The Sierra de Valledor is also a haven for diverse fauna, including the Iberian wolf (Canis lupus signatus), foxes (Vulpes vulpes), roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), wild boar (Sus scrofa), weasels (Mustela nivalis), martens (Martes foina), and martens (Martes martes). Otters (Lutra lutra) grace the rivers, while birds include Montagu's harrier (Circus pygargus), kestrels (Falco tinnunculus), and the abundant buzzard (Buteo buteo). A unique resident is the ocellated lizard (Timon lepidus), a species more commonly found in the Mediterranean that is rarely found in Asturias, highlighting the distinctive biogeography of this region within the Atlantic environment.