36 hours in Asturias - from the slopes to the surf.

Playa de Xivares

A 36 hour action packed adrenaline adventure to the under-rated Spanish region of Asturias that took us from the snowy slopes to the soaring surf.

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Oviedo was our natural base for a long weekend of outdoor adventures, a city of true contrasts, located in a bowl of mountain sides - where you can view the peaks of the snowy mountains and sense that the ocean is close by. Being from England the 15 degrees was warmly welcomed. The winter sun pricked our cheeks and we relished in every beam, gathering all our gear for a long weekend of exploration and adventure we had some local recommendations and had drawn up a mental map for an action packed three days.

Road tripping in Asturias

DAY 1 - Exploring the city of Oviedo

Was spent wondering the old streets of Oviedo, stopping in coffee shops and bars to try the local tapas and pinchxos and trying to avoid meat which was a bit trickier. The cobble-stoned streets wind and cross in a maze of quaint architecture and crawling greenery. Every coffee and Cana was accompanied with a free plate of nuts or olives, we sat in Plaza …. People watching and planning our weekend in this underrated region.

As the sun started to dip Mangala was our obvious dinner choice offering a 3 course vegetarian Asian style menu including wine and bread for 15 euros a head. The restaurant brought a cosy feel, the dishes were bursting with flavours and seasoned to perfection. The evening rolled into busy streets filled with Spanish and Asturias chatter, clinking wine glasses and a mish mash of songs competing to be heard. The smell of bitter Asturias cider stung my nostrils as the local tradition of pouring at a fully arm extended height. I watched stunned as the waiters let the liquid flow, only sparing a few drops to the street below.

Day 2 - The slopes of Fuentes de Invierno

An early rise to blue skies accompanied with warming tea and fresh croissants helped us ease ourselves into the day. The early February air was fresh but bearable, the only hour drive sailed by as we slowly ascended the snowy giants. Drawing closer to the peaks the snow built up subtly and silently. The uncertainty of the day ahead brought us curiosity and an excitement. In the last town before the slopes you can find ski rental, where we rented our boots, skis and poles for 15 euros. Locating Venues de Invierno was pretty simple and we were greeted by a winter wonderland of ant like skiers and snowboarders descending the mountains.

Taking in the dramatic landscape we boarded our first ski lift amongst the clouds. As we rose a spark of nerves tingles my senses as my second time on the slopes was about to immense. After a few warm ups we sailed feeling weightless down the crisp snow, relaxing into our turns. Hearing the sound of skis on fresh snow glide past our ears as our fellow skiers zig zagged down the mountain face. As the afternoon started to fade we descended as a satisfied duo with tired legs and sleepy eyes ready for our road trip back.

Day 3

A slow rise and wonder into the city to find an ambient coffee shop set us in good stead for our opposing day of adventure - surfing. A true passion for us both, we were raring to go with a flask of hot tea and loose almonds. Boards strapped to the roof, stacked one on top of the other with a level of balance and hope for their safety. Our half an hour drive lead us to Playa de Xivarres (If you need to rent go to Gijon). The jagged cliffs met a lovely ocean vastness, the stormy skies above creative an atmospheric scene. Ready to head into the depths we pulled our wetsuits and boots on and headed down to the waters edge.

The waves were rolling in each one unique with a different shape and power. Our eyes, so fixated on the horizon, as we watched the waves cascade towards us trying to read their unpredictable nature, that we had not realised the skies were clearing. I watched as Jasper took off on a steep peak, picking up momentum as he turned effortlessly spraying his tail as he went. We waited until the sun's rays started to grow cold and a the hot drink in the car had tempted us to return to the sands. Catching out last tandem wave in, heads back laughing as we lay on our fronts gliding the board back to the sand with clear minds and sun kissed noses. The worst ordeal was to come, the de-robing of the neoprene with numb fingers to assist. Driving back to the setting sun their was a silence of content in the car as we reflected on our waves and our 36 hours of unforgettable adventure.

It had been a blissful time surrounded by nature's song in a new region with good company, until the next time.