Embalse de Valdemurio

Embalse de Valdemurio sits at the bottom of the Quirós river valley in the municipality of the same name, roughly 35 kilometres south of Oviedo in central Asturias. Built in 1966 on the Trubia river, the reservoir holds 14.5 cubic hectometres of water across a surface of about 40 hectares that shifts in colour with the seasons: leaden grey under low winter clouds, emerald green when the beech and oak forests on the slopes cast their reflection in spring.

The surroundings belong to the Cantabrian slope of the central Asturian massif, with elevations ranging from 350 metres at the dam to 1,200 metres on the surrounding ridges. Riparian vegetation — alders, willows and ash trees — forms a continuous strip along the shoreline, while the upper slopes alternate patches of beech forest, pedunculate oak woodland and chestnut groves that turn the landscape ochre and copper in autumn. Heather, blueberries and ferns carpet the forest clearings.

The reservoir and its tributary streams harbour native brown trout (Salmo trutta), and fly fishing draws enthusiasts between March and August under permits managed by the Principality of Asturias. Grey herons, great cormorants and kingfishers are regular sights along the banks, while roe deer, wild boar and red fox roam the surrounding forests. On moonless nights, the tawny owl's call carries across the water, and in spring the cuckoo sets the valley's rhythm.

A forestry track circles the reservoir over roughly 8 kilometres with gentle elevation gain (under 150 metres), suitable for families with children from age six. From the dam, a south-facing viewpoint overlooks the valley and the first foothills of the Puerto de Ventana pass. For more demanding routes, trail PR-AS 30 connects the reservoir with the Senda del Oso through Proaza — a 14-kilometre walk through chestnut woods and stone hamlets where original oak-planked granaries (hórreos) still stand.

The villages of the Quirós municipality — Bárzana, Bermiego, Ricao — preserve traditional Asturian architecture with stone houses and paneras (raised granaries). Bárzana, the municipal seat, hosts an artisan market during summer and serves as the starting point for the ascent to Pico Caldoveiro (1,476 m). Local cuisine centres on pote asturiano (bean and cabbage stew), fabada, Casín cheese (aged in hand-carved wooden moulds) and natural cider poured in the area's traditional bars.

The reservoir operates as a recreation area with no commercial infrastructure on its shores — no beach bars, no boat rentals. For many visitors, this absence of services is part of the appeal: a place to bring your own picnic, sit on the grass by the water, and let the sound of the stream feeding the reservoir replace every other soundtrack.