Another Day in Paradise

Yesterday was one of those perfect days that yet again reminded me how lucky we are to live in ‘el paraíso natural‘. We spent the morning exploring Seguencu, in the concejo of Onís. It´s a west-facing crag and thus the perfect venue for a morning of shaded climbing on a cloudless summer’s day.

Despite being a short drive outside the busy tourist town of Cangas de Onís (gateway to the Picos mountains and hub for adventure tourism), Seguencu itself is peacefulness personified. At over 600 metres above sea-level and with the last few kilometres of access via a bumpy and steep track the approach is not for the faint-hearted driver (nor for the owners of low-slung cars.)

The views from Seguencu crag yesterday

By two pm the sun had shifted round far enough to be creeping on to the rock face and it was time for us to beat a retreat. Walking out in the sun we felt the full, fierce heat of the day and the desire to immerse ourselves in cool waters quickly overcame us.

Where there are mountains there are, of course, rivers and where there is Richie there is always an eye to exploration. This was his opportunity to investigate a spot he had previously spied from the car as we drove through the Amieva valley outside Cangas and which he had speculated upon as a potential swimming hole.

Now, many are the wild goose chases we have embarked upon together. Richie is prone to frequent sightings of ‘El Dorado’ from behind the steering wheel. A drive through any new area is never complete without a few impromptu stops where we swing off the road and then hike off the beaten path to investigate something that has caught his eye and sparked his enthusiasm. Often the crag that looked spectacular from a distance turns out to be a chossy pile of dangerous, loose rock. Sometimes, though, the shimmer in the distance denotes a real jewel. And so it was in this instance.

A short, easy walk down from the roadside brought us to the meeting of two rivers. One was shallow and gentle with rocky platforms perfect for paddling, splashing and young swimmers. The other had deeper pools perfect for plunging into. Both were cool and crystal clear.

The perfect end to a perfect day.

 

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Comments

  1. Heavenly!

  2. So beautiful….natural swimming pools!

  3. That really does sound like the perfect day. Your pictures are incredible. I think you may just live in one of the most beautiful places on earth.

    • Without wanting to sound too smug (or hateful!) I have to agree with you about Asturias. It’s lovely to live somewhere so beautiful – sure, we’re not immune to the usual stresses and strains of life but at least we suffer them amidst beauty! lol

  4. bavariansojourn says:

    How beautiful…. And that water looks incredible!! :)

  5. Stunning!!

  6. So much similarity between where you are and here! My children like nothing better on a hot day than to take a dip in our river, we just don’t get so many hot days! I think I may have to visit your part of Spain one day, you make it sound so perfect. Thank you for sharing on Country Kids

    • I think country life the world over shares many, many similarities. And yes, you’ll have to come visit and check out Asturias for yourself one day. I’m sure you and your family would love it!

  7. Just lovely. Really makes you want to visit

  8. sometimes it’s worth trusting him…. (I will remember that)

  9. Wow, this looks amazing. It is such a hot sticky day here (cloudy and close rather than the usual bright searing sun) and that water looks so inviting. When Mr and B and I ever get around to doing some exploring in Spain Asturias is going to be on the top of my list.

  10. I have aquintances from Següencu and friends from places around but never been in Següencu. Seems beautiful!!!!!

    • Següencu is really beautiful, with stunning views to the Picos. Definitely worth a visit. The swim spot is actually on the Río Dobra, 5 minutes outside Cangas, direction Amieva. So lovely – and much more tranquil than Rodiles! ;)

  11. Can’t believe how beautiful it is… I’ve visited Spain a lot but still haven’t explored the north. Looks like a great place to live… -jealous!

  12. It sounds heavenly, what a beautiful spot! And lovely to find it so close to a busy tourist town. Thank you for linking up with #familydays on mumsdotravel.com

  13. That river looks perfect, would love to jump in

  14. What a gorgeous place to live! You’re so lucky to have such beautiful and natural surroundings.Popping over from County Kids.

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