Enjoying a summer afternoon in Asturias while the rest of Spain is roasting in the high temperatures of yet another heatwave has been a pleasant experience.
As has become a tradition in recent summers, and taking advantage of a visit from some family friends with their children, I decided to plan a short mountain route in the municipality of Villayón, specifically in the village of Oneta to visit its waterfalls.
This route is one of the most beautiful and little-known routes in western Asturias and nitially runs for about 1 km through a flat area surrounded
by cornfields at this time of year. And yesterday, fortunately, with the fog
looming from the mountains, the temperature was around 20 degrees, which made the initial walk very pleasant.
After the cornfields, the route takes a dirt road that is not very difficult, with green vegetation of chestnut and oak trees providing shade and making the walk even cooler, with the background sound of birds and the water breaking as it falls down the waterfall.
After approximately 400 meters, we reach the first of the Oneta waterfalls, the A Firbia waterfall, which is about 15 meters high.
At this time of year, due to the easy access to the waterfall, it is very common to find visitors and the occasional swimmer enjoying the cold
waters of the Acebo River.
That is why, after taking a few photos with the family in such a mesmerizing place, we decided to continue our walk along the riverbed and enjoy the beauty of the place.
Beauties such as old mills used in the past to grind different grains with the help of water power.
Or beauties such as small waterfalls that form in the riverbed.
But after about 300 meters along a simple route, to reach the second of the waterfalls (Ulloa waterfall), the route becomes more complicated due to the steep slopes and because the narrow path is only supported by a few stones along the way.
However, as you can see, children between the ages of 8 and 12 can complete the route without any problems.
And as a reward, the second waterfall, smaller in size but more peaceful due to its lower accessibility.
All of our friends and family were able to spend a good amount of time there enjoying the sound of the water falling from the waterfall.
Even the most intrepid climbed up the side of the rock to see the waterfall up close.
Meanwhile, the little ones enjoyed discovering small frogs in the water and the occasional newt.
After the fun, it was time to climb back up the steep terrain.
And finally, we arrived at the village of Oneta to enjoy its people.
Best regards.
