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I have learned something about grazing animals from all this. Even regular milk cows have a natural environment (outside of feed-lots and stalls). Sometimes during a walk a clearing in
woods will appear, and behold! Cows grazing among
trees and in
meadows. They actually like wandering about, feeding off
land, winding in and out among
trees, clambering up hill-sides, getting a cool drink from
creek, relaxing in
shade…just like humans! Deer are also found, and it is quite common to encounter these. There is a smaller kind and a larger more standard variety (bushy white tails) and these will graze where they find pasture, or move around
woods. Wild boar are plentiful, and hunting for these and
deer are common. Some areas have been designated ‘hunting zones’, as well as
‘fishing zones’. This is a trout and salmon area;
coast is of course known for
variety and abundance of marine life. In
higher mountains there are bear and wolves, but so far I have stuck more to
‘in- between’ places, away from
coast and yet below
heights. We are here surrounded by lower mountains, yet impressive. These provide a plethora of ways to go, from hilly countryside to higher climbs, where
trees thin out and goats pasture. The autochthonous breed of cow (usually for meat) is
‘Asturian of
Mountains’ which half resembles a goat in it’s lanky toughness, narrow head with goatish horns, and
ability to scramble over rocky mountain-sides with
best of them. These days, with a declining human population, and a vanishing tradition of cowherding, people are putting a variety of grazing animals out to pasture, if only to keep
grass down and maintain
fields. Sheep, goats, horses, donkeys, whatever will eat
prairie- we know a family that keeps ostriches!
One of
best routes to take in this particular area is called Fuensanta, which takes its name from
famous springwater found there. This water is bottled and sold throughout Europe, and
natural beauty and freshness of
place tells why. Here is a gorge which rises steeply into
mountains, reaching a series of waterfalls which are
source for all this wetness. Fill your bottles up at
beginning of
path (there is a public fountain) and walk
6 mile (10 km) loop, following
rise of
land to
falls and then descending again. Make sure you brought some empty bottles in
car so you can fill them up for drinking at home.
Yes, we live in Middle-Earth. I know this to be true when on an early morning
mist hangs over
valleys and dales between hills, when
rolling fields rise to meet
looming mountains at sunset, when
stars shine clear and bright in
night-sky. The view from a highpoint shows
landscape dotted with houses, fields, grazing animals, gardens, fruit trees, and
wooded slopes of
mountains surround valleys of hills. There is land to plow and woods to walk and waters to swim. The sea is less than an hour away from
ski-slopes on high mountains, whose peaks are snowy most of
year and tower in
distance. This land is indeed a Natural Paradise.
J Michael www.waytospain.com

Email: greenspain@ziplip.com Website: http://www.waytospain.com Occupations/Activities: Travel (nature/outdoor), Accommodation (rural Location: Asturias, Spain WAYTOSPAIN offers eco-tours and Spanish language classes in Asturias for small private groups. WAYTOSPAIN follows the principles of responsible travel and sustainable tourism.