Reserva Natural Parcial del Río Navia
Following the Navia River south from the town, this protected natural reserve is one of western Asturias' great quiet pleasures — a deep green corridor of alder forest, granite river pools and cascading rapids where otters, kingfishers and salmon share the water. You can walk sections of the riverside path with almost no other visitors even in high summer.
Wildlife and Landscape
The Navia is one of the last Asturian rivers with a healthy Atlantic salmon population, and between March and June you may spot salmon running upstream at the shallower rapids near the village of Boal, about 20 km south of Navia.
European otters are resident along the whole stretch; your best chance of a sighting is at dawn or dusk on the quieter pools between Navia and Arbón, where the river widens into mirror-flat sections.
How to Explore It
The riverside path between Navia town and the Salto de Arbón hydroelectric dam makes a rewarding half-day walk of around 12 km one way; the trail is well-marked and mostly flat, hugging the eastern bank.
Alternatively, the AS-12 road runs parallel and you can drive to specific access points — the picnic area at Molinos de Doriga is a particularly lovely spot for a riverside lunch stop.
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