La Pornacal brana from Villar de Vildas

La Pornacal is the largest and best-preserved brana in Somiedo: a group of stone huts with broom-thatched roofs, the teitos, in a meadow in the Pigüeña valley where the vaqueiros de alzada took their cattle up in summer. Turismo Asturias counts some 33 teito huts here, out of the 370 recorded in the whole park. The river splits it in two and there is a natural spring where you can stop.

The path

It starts from Villar de Vildas, at the head of the valley, a village that was named Pueblo Ejemplar de Asturias in 2004. About 400 metres from the centre of the village you take a concrete track on the left of the Pigüeña river, which accompanies much of the climb. Around kilometre 1 you pass the first brana, Vildéu, and around kilometre 3.6 La Pornacal appears.

The full route continues up the valley. About two kilometres past La Pornacal, from a bridge, you see the Corralón waterfall across the valley; the forest gradually shrinks to a strip along the riverbank. About 400 metres after the bridge there is a junction: keep straight on to the Los Cuartos brana, also called Braña Viecha, older than La Pornacal and with broad views of the valley, about 6.5 km from the start. You return the same way.

Distance and time

In all it is 13.08 km out and back, with 556 metres of cumulative ascent, between 854 and 1,405 metres in altitude. Turismo Asturias rates it as medium difficulty and reckons over five hours for the whole route with stops; walking without dawdling it is about four. It recommends it in spring, summer and autumn.

With children

Go only as far as La Pornacal and back: it is the most interesting stretch and half the effort, about 7 km in all. According to Turismo Asturias the path admits a pushchair or baby seat, although it has a lot of concrete and some slopes, and it can also be done by mountain bike, even with children. Wear hiking boots if you go further: the path is stony and gets muddy after rain.

Cattle and dogs

There are loose cows in the valley. Keep your dog on a lead and do not approach the cattle. If you see mastiffs guarding a flock, do not approach, do not pet them or give them food, and do not let them follow the group. Take all your rubbish with you, including organic waste.

Before you go

The official page does not detail where to park in Villar de Vildas or the path's waymarking: ask at the park reception centre, in Pola de Somiedo, where they also give information on the state of the paths. There is nowhere to eat on the way; bring water and food, or eat afterwards in Pola de Somiedo. If you prefer to do it accompanied, the guided route through Somiedo covers the mountain and the branas with a local guide.