El Faedo de Ciñera is the name given to a beautiful beech forest located in the community of León, between the towns of Villar del Puerto and Ciñera de Gordón. This forest is included within the protected area of the Alto Bernesga Biosphere Reserve. A few years ago the Ministry of the Environment gave it the award for the best-kept forest in Spain, which gives us an idea of its richness and natural beauty.
A small getaway to charming places such as Faedo de Ciñera It teaches us that trips should not only focus on discovering large cities or popular destinations, but also search among small destinations. This forest offers us a beautiful weekend getaway with a hiking route in a natural area.
Tips to see Faedo de Ciñera
This area of forest has hiking trails that they are not very wide nor involve too much difficulty. That's why you really don't have to do too much preparation. Be that as it may, when we go on some routes it is always advisable to carry a backpack with some food and water, especially if we go with children. In addition, we can carry a bag to avoid leaving any object or garbage in the area. It is important to wear suitable clothing for the walk. It must be remembered that even if we go in good weather in lush areas of humid forest like these, it can get a little cold. So it is always best to bring something warm just in case. Comfortable footwear with good grip is essential, because these forests with their humid areas can have places that have worse access or where you can slip. Always respecting the environment and taking into account the climate and the hours of light, we will only have to prepare ourselves to enjoy a unique experience. If we bring the food we can even have a nice picnic in the area with tables near the forest.
Hiking route
If what you want is to do the hiking route through Faedo de Ciñera, you have some alternatives. These routes start in the town of Ciñera de Gordón, a town that is about XNUMX kilometers from León. From here the routes can be small, of a couple of kilometers or larger, of up to 11 kilometers, depending on what we want to do. The long route is the one used by the miners of Villar del Puerto to access the Ciñera mines. At first, you can easily reach an area with tables and benches that is a picnic area where you can stop to eat. You pass through this area on the way back, so there are many who reserve food for when the route has been completed.
If we continue with the route, we continue through a meadow and after passing a bridge and some areas with water we reach the beech forest which is one of the most beautiful areas. The smallest route ends here, although if we feel like it we can continue exploring the area because the route continues. Also, later on we will be able to see other interesting things in the forest. One of them is the Arroyo del Villar that crosses the forest and fills everything with the sound of water which is magical. You have to be careful with wet areas to avoid accidents. There is also a less accessible and rocky area where you must be careful but this part of the forest is very beautiful and it is worth doing the whole route. On the other hand, we can also see the oldest beech in the forest that is also considered one of the oldest in all of Spain. This beech has been named Fagus and is believed to be about 500 years old.
When to visit Faedo de Ciñera
This beech forest provides us with a changing landscape throughout the year. Although summer is a great time due to the good weather that will allow us to have a picnic, there are other times when it can also be interesting. It is autumn the time when this beech forest gets to put on its best face and when there are more visitors to discover the natural beauty of this place. The colors that can be seen in these trees in autumn make the area seem like a fairy tale place, a totally magical place that also offers us a good time to do the hiking trails. It is better to avoid visits in winter because it can rain and have more humidity and be less accessible, in addition to the cold. That is why the best times are spring, when the forests are in all their splendor, or autumn, when they have very special colors.