Fun and Games in Teverga

While I was at BritMums Live last weekend being inspired by many amazing women (and a handful of men), Richie and Jack were attending a slightly more testosterone laden event here in Asturias.

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Yes. That’s a man doing pull-ups with a crate full of cider attached to his waist. A perfectly Asturian test of strength concocted for the annual climbers’ meet at Teverga. (The ladies’ version was sans cider. Such a shame I wasn’t there to compete. ;-) )

From this angle you can see another regionalised challenge in action – a jamón ibérico is the prize perched atop the greasy pole being climbed in the background.

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 In the tug of war the local farmers fielded a team against some super-fit elite climbers. It was a victory for the heavy-set over those who train fanatically as the climbers yielded rapidly, ending in a pile of perfect pecs on the grass of the football field at Entrago.

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 The only way to refuel post such macho goings on would have to be the traditional barbeque. And this was some barbeque. A meat feast fit for the 500 plus climbers in attendance from all over Spain.

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As with just about all Spanish events, the festival was also perfectly child and family friendly. In addition to their sterling work organizing a free camping area and constructing a toilet and shower block and facilities for campervans in the carpark at Entrago, the organizers (Grupo de Montaña y Escalada de Aguja de Sobia) have also built a climbing wall there for the littlest climbers.

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There were also games and competitions for children, as well as the ever popular face painting.

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My little Spiderman. (Or espiderman as he pronounces it, Spanish style.)

Some actual rock climbing even got done over the course of the weekend on the magnificent cliffs that rear up above the Senda del Oso. Pretty impressive considering the bands didn’t finish until 6 in the morning, not to mention the amount of cider that was consumed.

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My friend Luisa demonstrating that you don’t have to be macho to climb well, on a route in Entrecampos.

Thanks to Richie for the photos and for looking after Jack so well in my absence. I don’t think they even noticed I was gone!

P.S. Have you noticed I’ve gone to a new site? This is where you’ll find me from now on – asturiandiary.com. Here’s hoping the transfer of subscribers was successful or it’s going to be a little lonely around here….

Country Kids from Coombe Mill Family Farm Holidays Cornwall

Comments

  1. So smooth a transition that I didn’t feel a thing! The notification arrived in my inbox and I read & enjoyed (as always).
    It’s a bit like the Highland Games in Scotland, don’t you think?

  2. Wow, that bbq looks amazing and kudos to your friend for climbing what looks like a sheer face of wall. Your little espiderman looks supercute.

    • And the cost for it all, incl bbq and event t-shirt was only 10 euros! Espiderman’s the cutest though, right? Thanks for stopping by :-)

  3. Nothing better than traditional local events. Which reminds me, our town recently started a ‘new’ tradition of cabbage hurling. I didn’t go to see it but it was unveiled as a world’s first. I may have missed a treat.

    I really must move my blog to .com at some stage. I just can’t decide when to do it and should have done it a long time ago. I worry if I change now, page rank and all that guff will plummet.

    So lovely to see you at the conference. Glad you’re going next year too x

    • Cabbage hurling? Sounds like something I’d do if I went on that cabbage soup diet. Most inventive.
      It was remarkably straightforward to move the blog and I kind of reckoned that I would just have to take the plunge at some time. I’ll let you know how it goes with recuperating page rank. Friends tell me it’ll take about 6 months. There’ll never be a time when you want to lose it but the way I see it the sooner you do it the sooner you start rebuilding it.
      And yes, it was FAB to see you at the conference. I really can’t wait till next years already! x

  4. I have some serious barbecue envy now! Looks like a fabulous weekend – although I’m sure you had an equally fabulous time at Britmums Live!

    • They couldn’t have been two more different weekends. I’m not sure my dirty late night bucket of KFC post All Bar One was quite of the same standard as the bbq but I enjoyed it at the time!!

  5. Yeah, I’ve noticed. It now looks like a professional family resource. But don’t worry, I just went through the old address and got here :) Espiderman is cool :)

  6. My goodness that BBQ looks just up my street. I’m a bit of wuss when it comes to heights to I will happily watch that from the sidelines.

  7. What a great event and a very impressive BBQ, and how nice that they cater for the whole family. I’m sure they did miss you but they obviously still had fun! Thanks for sharing their outdoor adventure with Country Kids.

    • It’s one of the very best things about Spain. It’s so child and family friendly. Super important when you don’t have grandparents or other support networks (read: babysitters!) nearby!

  8. Looks like they had a great time without you – so you should def be able to go again next year without any fuss. Mind you, I am partial to cider so might sell my ticket and go to yours lol.

  9. I had loads of things I was going to say until I saw that barbeque, now all I can think of is that barbeque and how I want to eat that barbeque. The pictures are brilliant as usual, especially the………………..barbeque. I’m drooling over it lol x

  10. Chin ups with a crate of cider – oh my word – I couldn’t even do it with 1 bottle of cider! And that bbq looks absolutely amazing!!

  11. Now that is a serious BBQ! Bet that was delicious for both your boys…. And I am a complete chicken when it comes to heights too! X.

  12. Ps. It was lovely to meet you at Britmums. Hope you come again next year – then we can have a proper chat!

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  1. […] it’s more likely than in the UK – so for those craving a bit more heat, head south into Spain. Teverga, near Asturias, is a great destination for the adventurous, with brown bears and wolves living in […]

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