La Cruz is a hamlet at an elevation of around 850 m. Hiking trails, views of the mountain landscape and preserved rural architecture give the place a range of different facets. When choosing a route, it makes a difference whether you are looking for a very easy circular walk nearby or want to follow directions with specific changes of direction.
La Cruz can be reached via the LE-8 road. Trails and destinations are not all described in the same way: the length and difficulty of the Molinos de Xomezana circular route are specified, while descriptions of other routes mainly highlight their course or viewpoints.
Circular Walks and Trails from La Cruz
The Molinos de Xomezana circular route runs near La Cruz. It is 2.53 km long and very easy; the trail passes through woodland alongside the river and by the remains of historic watermills. The interiors of the mills are generally not open to visitors. The circular route therefore combines a short walk with visible traces of the area’s former milling activity, without including a visit to the mills’ interiors.
The circular route also leads to the community-run Museo Etnográfico “La Panerona.” The museum presents traditional customs and vernacular Asturian architecture. If you plan to visit, check the access arrangements locally. This lets you consider the trail and cultural visit together without assuming that the museum will be accessible.
A route to La Portiecha starts in La Cruz and initially follows a concrete track towards Mortera de la Cruz. Another set of directions also starts in La Cruz, but initially heads east across the meadows of Chamera. At the Mortera, the path turns north onto an old paved track that climbs to another track. These descriptions offer different reference points: one follows the direction of La Portiecha, while the other goes via Chamera and the uphill paved path. For the Chamera option, it is advisable to check local conditions and access before setting out.
Mountain Views and Landscape
The Riospaso–La Cruz–Peña Cornechana route offers views of the Huerna Valley and the mountain range that includes La Tesa, La Mesa and La Almagrera. From the same route, the view extends towards Las Ubiñas-La Mesa Natural Park and Peña Ubiña. The route description therefore focuses on different vistas across the valley, the mountain range and the striking landscape of peaks.
Las Ubiñas-La Mesa Natural Park encompasses areas in Lena and was declared a Biosphere Reserve in 2012. Among the landscapes mentioned there is Valle del MeicĂn, at the foot of Ubiña in Lena; the VĂa de la Carisa is also listed as one of the protected area’s routes. It can be travelled on foot or by mountain bike and is signposted and officially approved as the GR 100 VĂa de la Plata/VĂa Carisa long-distance trail.
A view of Peña Ubiña is different from climbing it: the route to its summit is a classic high-mountain excursion in Asturias. It reaches the 2,417 m summit, the highest in the Las Ubiñas massif. Check high-mountain conditions before setting out on this route. This helps distinguish a viewpoint on a route from a separate summit hike.
Rural Architecture and Historic Traces
There are also tangible signs of La Cruz’s rural character away from the trails. Some examples of traditional rural architecture have been preserved in the hamlet. La Mortera de La Cruz comprises a group of agricultural buildings, some of them huts. It lies in an old mortera, whose land is now used as meadows enclosed by hedges or fences.
La Cruz was also a stopping place on the CamĂn FrancĂ©s de Santiago de Compostela. Together with the preserved buildings and the agricultural landscape of the mortera, this offers a cultural perspective on the place that goes beyond its hiking routes. When choosing your stay, you can therefore consider not only the trail descriptions and landscapes but also La Cruz’s history and rural architecture.
Discover more destinations: El Bravo, Felgueras, Soto de Ribera, Grandiella, Moreda, Santa Cruz de Mieres, Armada, AgĂĽeria.
For the broader travel overview: Montaña Central.
