The centre of Mioño stretches along the banks of the Cabrera River, which flows into the sea at Dícido Beach. Playa de Mioño is 350 metres long; its shore features pebbles, gravel and fine golden sand. Two coastal settings are found side by side: Dícido, with the river mouth, and Mioño, with its beach and varied shore materials. Several reminders of the mining past add to the character of the area, from the loading structure to sculptures.
River, Beach and Trails
Mioño can be reached from Castro-Urdiales via the N-634 towards Bilbao. A path along the river leads from Dícido to the centre of Mioño. Other routes offer different highlights: the route from Mioño to Saltacaballos follows the N-634 and offers coastal views; a second route reaches Lusa and passes the San Román site. The Vía Verde de Dícido in Mioño passes through three tunnels and by a mineral loading quay.
Check current road conditions before setting out. Check the surface and access conditions along the riverside path, as well as the walking conditions on the other routes, locally. Near Playa de Mioño, there is an area where dogs are allowed on the path to the Cargadero in the bay of the same name. If you are travelling with a dog, check the applicable access rules before your visit.
Mining History at Dícido Beach
The Cargadero de mineral de Dícido was built at Dícido Beach in 1896 to load iron from the mines onto ships. The original structure was destroyed in 1937 during the Spanish Civil War; the present structure was built in 1938. Since 1996, the Cargadero has been protected as an asset of cultural interest. It is the only cantilever loading structure of its kind on the Cantabrian coast. The mining history is also reflected in the Máquina Anita nº 6: it was used in the Dícido mines and was built in 1909 by Cía. Almena Orenstein & Koppel.
The Caballo sculpture commemorates the animals that, alongside people, contributed to the area's prosperity through mining and lost their lives in the Dícido mines. The Monumento al Minero is a bronze work by local artists Pablo Labiano and Carlos Goitia. Beyond individual structures and works of art, a mining cultural landscape extends across the eastern part of the municipality of Castro-Urdiales, including as far as Mioño.
San Román: Architecture and Art
The Iglesia de San Román was extended between 1694 and 1710. Its floor plan is in the shape of a Latin cross; the nave is divided into three sections, with the choir at the rear. The complex also includes a polygonal apse and an attached sacristy. Inside the church is a freestanding, polychrome stone statue of the Virgin Mary, which, based on its characteristics, can be associated with Gothic Marian statues.
The Kiosco de la campa de San Román is another distinctive architectural feature: it was built in 1989 and received an award for its design from the Colegio de Arquitectos de Cantabria. Together with the church, the statue of the Virgin Mary and the mining sculptures, it adds various aspects of architectural and art history to the picture of Mioño.
Discover more destinations: Islares.
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