Your family will be collected from Bilbao airport and transferred to your first night’s accommodation, situated close to the stunningly-placed village of Pechón, standing proud against the Atlantic. Pechón lies between two estuaries on a beautiful stretch of coast that has one of the best maintained oak groves in Cantabria; a short walk away, the coast offers beautiful sandy coves for exploring rock pools and having a relaxing afternoon or early evening dip.

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch

Our first morning begins by taking in the steady backroad that traverses the side of the deep blue Tina Menor Estuary, with expansive, white-sand beaches. The route crosses the river at Unquera and enters Asturias, where we’ll be riding for the rest of the trip. The area is stunning and we will be riding through rolling pastures and forests, as well as around the picturesque coastline. We soon join a lovely, purpose-built cycle route, called the Senda Costera, that takes in the most awesome scenery along the coast; it’s also well signposted and easy to follow, so it’s time to let the kids take the initiative and try to navigate us along the coast!

Once on the trail we’ll take the route towards the Faro de San Emitrio (lighthouse) and soon arrive at the viewpoint of El Picu de Pimiango. From here the views look west along the magnificent coast that we will be following in the week to come. The route glides down narrow lanes and tracks to the beautiful, cliff-sided beach of La Franca, an ideal place for a picnic lunch. A short climb after lunch brings us to the village of Buelna, our home for the night.

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch

The day begins steadily, picking up the breathtaking, coastal trail again, passing pristine beaches and secluded coves that will easily entice us down for a morning dip. We’ll wind through the streets of Pendueles and past traditional, farming hamlets, until our arrival at Vidiago. Dropping down to the beach we’ll cross over the River Novales and slip into thick woodland where there’s a perfectly-placed picnic area for a refreshment and maybe a dip. On leaving the beach we will begin riding across a flat section between the coast and the mountains known as the Rasa Asturiana.

The trail snakes inland a little until we reach the most dramatic natural phenomena along this stretch of coast, the Bufones de Arenillas. These are deep cracks in the limestone from the sea edge to the clifftop which erupt when the sea is high, creating a spectacular display with jets of water spraying over 10 metres into the air. They are great fun to watch, but mind you don’t get too wet!

The route will then take us down to the village of Cue and along the coast to the dramatic rock formations at the beach of Toro. Tonight we will either stay in Llanes or in Cue – there are fantastic coves and beaches close by.

• Meals: Breakfast

Our base for today proves the perfect spot to stay another day as there’s such a huge range of things to do. You could kick back and explore the local beaches and coves, or take a stroll around the fishing port in Llanes and watch the catch of the day being hauled in. You could contemplate the Cubos de la Memoria, a work by famous artist Augustin Ibarrola, or walk the mystical Camín Encantau through deep, ‘magical’ forest and valleys, telling stories of mythological legends of Asturias, through statues and pictures along the way!

If you’d prefer to get some more miles in your legs, we will be doing a cycling route taking you on a lovely circular route to the medieval market town of Porrua where the Ethnographical museum will give us great insight into the traditional lives, customs and hardships in an Asturian mountain village. If you fancy a day away from the saddle, but still want to be active, Llanes offers a multitude of exciting activities.

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch

Today we head west along the Paseo de San Pedro walkway. Picking up a back lane we will arrive at the deep, tidal inlet of Playa de Poo, a fantastic, safe place for a swim. From here we hug the coastline, taking in many a cove and the Island of Almenada. The route heads south and we’ll climb into the Llera hills and, with just a little work, we’ll be rewarded by one of the most spectacular views along the coast.

After lunch we will take a surf or stand up paddle board lesson with the accredited Asturian Surf School, who base themselves at a nearby beach; it’s ideal, with fine sand and lots of space. Go on, see if you can catch your first wave! Back on the bikes we follow the FEVE railway line until we reach Naves, our home for the evening.

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch

The first kilometres of the day will take us past the unique, inland beach, Playa Gulpiyuri, and as we head west we’ll catch glimpses of the incredibly narrow bay of Villahormes, which points like a finger inland. This part of the route is very picturesque as it meanders through tiny villages, where cows rule the lanes. We drop back down to sea level to the unforgettable Playa de Cuevas del Mar (Beach of the Sea Caves); this is a jewel among the many fantastic Asturian beaches!

Before you know it we’ll be at the Garana picnic area, a perfect place to stop for lunch. When we‘re well fed, we’ll cycle on to the clifftop viewpoint overlooking the small fishing town of Ribadesella, our home for the final night of this tour. If you have time in the afternoon there are optional activities to keep you exploring. A favourite option is to take a short ride or walk out towards Terenes and hunt down the dinosaur footprints in the cliffs. Ribadesella is a lively and attractive town where you can celebrate completing your Asturian Coast adventure!

• Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast, flight time permitting, there may be time to head to the beach for a swim before we pick you up to transfer you to the airport.

Holiday Extension

If you would like to extend your holiday, then an afternoon spent canoeing down the River Sella, one of Europe’s most southern salmon rivers, to Ribadesella is always a hit! If you are interested in this extension, then please contact us for more details.