Tereñes cliffs and dinosaur footprints

West of Ribadesella, at Tereñes, a hamlet with a lighthouse, the cliffs date from the Jurassic and preserve dinosaur footprints in the sandstone strata. They form part of the protected track sites of the Asturian coast, a set of coastal stretches between Villaviciosa, Colunga and Ribadesella with footprints more than 150 million years old. Tereñes also gives its name to one of the three Upper Jurassic formations where they appear, along with Vega and Lastres.

Which footprints you can see

On the Dinosaur Coast there are footprints of bipeds, theropods and ornithopods, and of quadrupeds, mostly sauropods. At Tereñes, the Geological and Mining Institute records ornithopod footprints in the sandstone layers. They are three-toed prints marked in the rock: they are best seen in raking light, first thing or at the end of the afternoon, and with the rock dry.

Getting there

From the western end of Santa Marina beach, at Punta el Pozu, the road that climbs to Tereñes starts, a few kilometres from the town; you can also walk there from Ribadesella. To see the first footprints you must go down to the rock and walk about 40 metres to the sandstone stratum. Turismo Asturias's Dinosaur Coast route links in Ribadesella the Vega beach, the Tereñes cliffs and Santa Marina beach, which also has footprints at its western end.

Tides and safety

Go at low tide and never with groundswell: the rock is slippery and waves arrive without warning. Check the tide table before setting off and wear footwear with grip; with children, do not go near the water's edge. There are no lifeguards or services on the cliffs. It is a protected area: look at the footprints without scratching them or stepping inside them, and do not take anything away.

Duration and who with

Allow an hour for going down, looking for the footprints and returning to the car; a little more if you walk from the town. It is free and can be done all year, always in good weather. For children who are already steady on rock it is a very rewarding outing: looking for the next footprint is addictive. With small children, or if the sea is rough, stay up by the lighthouse and leave the descent for another day.

How to combine it

Continuing west you reach Vega beach, one of the largest in Asturias, with dunes, a good wave for surfing and beach bars; there is Güeyu-Mar, a fish grill right on the beach. If you want more dinosaurs, the Jurassic Museum of Asturias, in Colunga, outside Ribadesella, displays footprints taken from this coast.