Bike Tour: Asturias family cycling - 8 days

You arrive in Asturias, by car or bus (max. 1 hour from Santander airport). Time to settle in at your friendly rural accommodation in Vilde, a small family-run hotel on a working farm with a garden and sitting room. At meal time, everyone eats together at one large table. Fresh fruit from the garden is often served.

Challenge: Arrival in Asturias.

Villages along the way: Vilde

After a hearty breakfast, you start off with a test run on your (hire) bike, then do a circular cycling route through green hills on the border between Asturias and Cantabria. Choice of doing a longer or shorter ride: a 41km route (with a total of 440m in ascent, spread out over a few short but steep sections) or a short ride of 14km to the beach at Pechón or to Cueva Pindal , with its prehistoric cave paintings. Optional short walking route through Mediterranean woodlands to reach the ruins at Santa Tina chapel on the Camino de Santiago pilgrims' trail.

Challenge: Option 1; (Circular long cycling route) 41km or 46km, 440m or 505m ascent // Option 2; (short ride) 14km, 150m ascent

Villages along the way: Vilde, Unquera, Pimiango, Pechón

Today you cycle just 4km, to the canoe rental shop in Unquera. Transfer up-river to Panes, starting point for your canoeing excursion. Armed with wetsuits, paddles and a packlunch, you spend 2-3 hours paddling down the pretty Deva River. Small beaches on the riverbanks provide a place to stop along the route. In the afternoon, optional walk from Vilde to Colombres, to visit the Casa de Indianos, a beautiful colonial-style building which houses an interesting emigration museum.

Challenge: Canoeing excursion. Walking route; 14km, 265m ascent

Villages along the way: Unquera, Panes, Colombres

Via quiet country lanes, you cycle into Valle Oscuro ("Dark Valley"), an ominous name for a beautiful place with traditional family farms and tiny villages at the foot of the Sierra del Cuera coastal range. Stop for a short rest at an authentic local bar. Option of doing up to 25km (with a total ascent of 325m, spread out over 3 small hills). By afternoon you're back at the coast, to a short ride nearby blowholes on the cliffs, or a protected otter habitat on the tiny bay of Andrín. From Puertas de Vidiago you only have to cycle the last  7km to reach the next accommodation, located in Poo de Llanes, only 700 m away from a beautiful beach. 

Challenge: (Cycling route) 29 km, 325m in ascent

Villages along the way: Vilde, La Borbolla, Puertas,  Cué, Poo de Llanes

Your hotel in Poo de Llanes is just 2km from the lovely fishing village of Llanes, with its Medieval centre, Gothic church, two beaches, lots of shops and restaurants, and colourfully-painted wavebreak on the harbour. If you're lucky, there will be some local celebration on nearby. The county of Llanes has a busy calendar of patron saint's Days, with interesting traditional processions and local folklore. Option of cycling to the village of Porrúa, with its interesting ethnographic museum, or to the beach at Póo de Llanes.

Challenge: (Cycling route) 19,5 km, with 325 m ascent

Villages along the way: Cué, Parres, Porrúa-Celorio, Poo, LLanes

Today you do another splendid, and incredibly varied, cycling route with 2 different options. First you cycle to Posada de Llanes. From there you can either follow the coast (easier route) or turn inland and do a circuit up into the Sierra, to point with stunning views. Both routes follow (mainly) country roads through picturesque scenery and offer a glimpse of real rural life in Asturias. Option of stopping along the way for a paddle in the sea. 

Challenge: (Route inland) 24 km, 425 m ascent 

                 (Shorter route- coastal) 21 km, 200 m ascent

Villages along the way: (inland) Llanes, Barro, Niembro, Posada, Rales, Cardoso, Nueva

                                  (by the coast) LLanes, Barro, Niembro, Naves, Nueva

Just 2,5km from Nueva, you have the pretty beach called Cuevas del Mar, perfect for swimming and playing in the sand. You can also choose a circular cycling route to the west towards Ribadesella, following the pilgrim´s trail "Camino del Norte" . In Ribadesella you can swim, surf, canoe or follow fossilized dinosaur tracks on the beach. The Cave Museum of Tito Bustillo, offers a replica of valuable cave paintings some 25,000 years old.

Challenge: Choice of activities on the coast // Cycling route: 30 km, 50m ascent

Villages along the way: Nueva, Llames de Pría, Cuerres, Ribadesella

Today your programme ends after breakfast. If you have hired a bike through Spanish Bike Tours, it will be collected at your accommodation. If you're returning to Vilde, you can make the trip by bus or train.