San Martin Del Rey Aurelio
Hillside villages, San martin del Rey Aurelio, Winter-time
San Martín del Rey Aurelio is a municipality (conceyu) of the autonomous community of Asturias, in northern Spain.
Is situated in the central part of Asturias in the ‘foothill’ of the Natural Park of Redes.
There are 3 principal towns in the municipality: Sotrondio, El Entrego (Asturian: L’Entregu) and Blimea.
Historically the valley bottom has been a coal mining community, which today is changing dramatically. European money has helped in rebuilding the infrastructure, improving communications, public amenities, introducing modern technology and protecting the natural environment. The towns are becoming modern in every respect with the young people choosing to live in apartments rather than houses. The Coal Mining Museum El Entrego, is a very popular tourist attraction giving valuable insight into the history of the area.
El Entrego Wednesday Market: March 2007
There are excellent road, rail and bus systems in the area, and a new fast road which cuts through the hills to the N634 and the coast is currently being constructed. From El Entrego it is twenty five minutes to the region’s capital city, Oviedo and forty minutes to Oviedo/Asturias airport which has daily Easyjet flights to and from Stansted.
In 2002 The area became part of a protected landscape.
The Rio Nalon flows through the heart of the region, once black and polluted it is now delightfully healthy and inhabited by all manner of wild birds. Fishermen in waders are a common sight.
The hills surrounding the valleys are steep, covered by dense deciduous forest and home to many tiny villages. Most of the inhabitants still farm their land, often immaculately terraced, there are luscious flower meadows and always the mellow sound of the bells of grazing animals.
It is in these small villages that many old properties can be found, some in need of restoration, others ready to move into and almost always the views are exceptional.