San Ignacio sits above the Los Beyos Gorge in Ponga Natural Park as a hanging village. Its houses are set in tiers along the limestone edge of Beyu. Here, a striking gorge landscape, regional architecture and a range of hiking and climbing opportunities come together.

Explore the village and gorge

The approximately 12-kilometre-long limestone gorge of Los Beyos was carved by the Río Sella. You can reach San Ignacio and El Beyu via a turnoff at the Pombayón Bridge. A narrow but safe road runs through the gorge, making it easy to explore the landscape. It is worth checking the current road conditions before travelling. In the Beyos villages, steep, paved paths lead to the houses—a feature that can be helpful when finding your way around.

Architecture and a regional speciality

San Ignacio is home to a beyusco hórreo with a three-sided roof. The beyusco hórreos are adapted to the high-mountain setting and are considered possible precursors to the standard Asturian hórreo. The distinctive roof feature and the possible regional precursor role offer different ways to explore the architecture of the Beyos.

The Queso de los Beyos also connects the area with the gorge. Shepherds make it in the vicinity of Los Beyos, in the municipalities of Ponga and Amieva in Asturias and Oseja de Sajambre in León. Since 2013, the cheese has held protected geographical indication status. Its production area therefore extends beyond San Ignacio and includes places in two provinces.

Via ferratas and hiking trails

Multiaventura Vidosa is located in El Beyu, in the Los Beyos Gorge and Ponga Natural Park. Its offerings include seven via ferratas, seven zip lines and several Tibetan bridges, including the Puente de las Nubes over the Río Sella. Before visiting, check which facilities and activities are available on your chosen date.

The El Beyu por la Cueva via ferrata in San Ignacio offers a specific route profile: it is 160 metres long and includes two emergency exits and a suspension bridge. The route then continues to the abandoned village of Rubriellos. The route’s length, individual features and destination are specified; trail conditions and availability may change.

The available information for the hikes varies. The Senda del Cartero is a moderately difficult mountain trail starting at Puente Vidosa; its marked path begins about 700 metres from Hotel Puente Vidosa. The Carriá route from Puente Vidosa is approximately 10.5 kilometres long. It passes through San Ignacio, Canisqueso, Valle Mura, Collado los Cabrios, Pico Roble and Pico Carriá; the return route goes via Collado Trecho, Silla del Cabestredo and Vallesotu to San Ignacio. You can therefore choose between a trail with a stated difficulty level and a route with a specified length and detailed description. Check current trail conditions and markings before setting out.

Stay near the trailheads

Hotel Puente Vidosa is in Vidosa near San Ignacio, in the Los Beyos Gorge by the Río Sella and the Aguasaliu waterfall. It is also on the southwestern slope of the Picos de Europa and within Ponga Natural Park. If you are considering this location for your trip, check availability for your travel dates. Its location near San Ignacio and Puente Vidosa provides a specific point of reference for planning visits to the hiking and via ferrata destinations mentioned, without implying a walking time or duration.

Discover more destinations: Taranes, Sellaño, Cazo

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