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The Principality of Asturias is located towards the north of the Iberian Peninsula, and Sotres is a village and a parish that belongs to the Council of Cabrales. This village is nestled in a valley, about 19 km from the capital of the council, called Careña. It has an area of 38 square kilometers and a population of less than 200 inhabitants; moreover, it is located at 1050 m above sea level.
It is a small village that hides among the mountains of the Picos de Europa, and that follows the traditions of their ancestors and good customs; heirs of the pastoral activity. They stand out for their quietness, fresh air, high level hiking and, of course, the passion for the elaboration of their Cabral cheese.
Sotres, being an isolated village, in the 60s still had no electricity and access was very difficult, since it had no paved road. For mountaineers and hikers, going up to this village is the best time to start certain routes and climbs.
How do we get to the Asturian village of Sotres?
The locals say that Sotres is the “last village of Asturias”, and getting to it is not so easy, although access has improved in recent times. Let’s remember that it is surrounded by mountains, in addition to its height. So, to get there by road we must leave from the town of Arenas de Cabrales and head towards Poncebos, and then travel 11 km uphill.
It is said that Poncebos is the starting point of this road that has the name of the “Ruta del Desfiladero del Cares”, an ascent shaping the valley mountain and winding. As you ascend you pass through handcrafted tunnels in the rock, while following the path of the Duje River; which accompanies them.
On the way you also begin to observe the flocks of sheep and goats that can be seen among the trees or that cross the road. We can also see the Peña Maín, which is more than 1,500 m. high; and just in front of us we can also see the walls of the Portudera, with more than 1,200 m. of altitude.
What do we see when we reach the village of Sotres?
It is important to mention that those who bring their car must park in the parking lot for the public, since it is not possible to park in the internal part of the village. So, we start from Poncebos and arrive at Sotres. Here we find a town already more urbanized than some time ago, where livestock farmers, businessmen and a high level of hospitality coexist.
In addition to the high quality of its artisan and traditional products, such as sausages, cheeses and meats, as well as its popular handicrafts. Also, there are guides for the realization of hiking trails.
Another aspect to highlight is that the town of Sotres has natural caves, which have been used for the maturation of different stages of its Cabral cheese. The people who make this cheese have won several awards for this traditional and popular product of the area.
If we stay in Sotres, where can we stay?
If we wish to stay in Sotres we must look for accommodation, which is simple because it has several hostels, as well as rural houses; ideal in the spring season for lovers of mountain activities. However, we can mention some examples: Hostal Treselcorral, which also has its restaurant and is famous for its goat meat, suckling lamb and homemade cheese cake.
Also, in front of Treselcorral is located another hostel called Casa Cipriano, which also has its restaurant, famous for the cachopo and, of course, Cabral cheese and other varieties of these cheeses that are included in the preparation of their pizzas. Also, in the vicinity there is a wide variety of apartments, cottages and hotels very comfortable and quality.
The most important activity in Sotres: Cabrales cheese.
Asturias is famous for the elaboration of its 40 cheeses, and 5 of them enjoy the label of the Denomination of Protected Origin (DOP) of its products since 1981; among them are Cabrales, Gamoneu, Afuega el Pitu, Casín and Los Beyos cheeses.
The Sotres cheese factory called Main has generations and generations making Cabrales cheese in an artisanal way, which has led them to the award, in 2011 and 2014, of the best Cabrales cheese; for its excellent quality. Their secret is that they have continued with the family tradition and experience; transmitting their advice, ways of working and some little tricks for its authenticity.
The raw material, or milk, is obtained from the herds of cows, goats and sheep that enjoy the PDO. To make a cheese weighing 2.5 kilos, the morning and evening milking is needed to cover the 25 liters needed for a single cheese of this weight. It is also possible to use mixtures with goat’s or sheep’s milk, but they prefer to make their cheeses with cow’s milk.
These cheeses are made every 2 days; the milk is cut with rennet and then the cheeses are made, after which the whey is left to drain out. The cheeses are then salted in several batches for 24 hours and then left to dry to eliminate their humidity. Then, in the cave, they are left in the air so that the fungus called pennicilium penetrates naturally into the cheese, and the spores can develop.
These spores will then give the cheese its characteristic color and flavor. This is thanks to the humidity, temperature and air flow of the cave, helping the fermentation and maturation of the cheese; a process that has been going on for centuries. These caves are located about 20 minutes from the town, crossing the countryside to reach the place; in addition, the access is not very comfortable.
These cheeses must be placed in their internal part, for their different maturation points; and, by the way, the more mature the cheese is, the creamier it will be. This cave has a vent so that the gases and ammonia emanating from the fermentation process can escape and the cheeses can be aerated.
What are the hiking routes that leave from Sotres?
As we have already seen, Sotres is a small town and does not have an office dedicated to tourism. However, there are guides who can inform you about the different hiking trails that leave from this town. Among them is the Pico Urriellu, better known as Naranjo de Bulnes, which has an altitude of more than 2500 m; very appreciated by professional climbers.
Another of the routes is to the Moñetas Lake; for this we go to the wintering grounds of Texu, towards Aliva, to Vegas del Toro, where we will see the flocks of sheep and from there we head towards the lake. But if you do not want to walk you can hire the services of a 4×4 in the village of Sotres, and we will contemplate the landscape sitting in the back.
If we continue in the direction of Aliva, there is a wide track and walk to the division of Asturias and Cantabria, a route that now circulate both all-terrain vehicles and hikers, where formerly the area was mining activity. You can also go to the Liébana region in Cantabria.
Similarly, from Sotres, instead of taking the Aliva direction, you can take the direction of Pandébano to Pico Urriellu, to enjoy this mountain of Paleozoic origin. The path is a little long, but with a spectacular view.
