Cantabria and Asturias: environment, geography, climate, natural history and wildlife

IberiaNature

A guide to the natural history of Spain

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Cantabria and Asturias

Practical information
Places to stay in Asturias	Places to stay in Cantabria	Ask a question about Asturias or Cantabria on forum
Articles about Asturias on the blog
Geography
Climate of Asturias and Cantabria	Cantabrian mountains	Naranjo de Bulnes and the history of Spanish conservationism
River Deva
Wildlife
Brown bears in Asturias	Chamois in the Cantabrian Mountains	Wolves in Asturias and Cantabria
Wildlife photos of Asturias	A wild cat in Grado	Capercaillie in the Cantabrian Mountains
Lammergeyer return to Picos de Europa	List of nature reserves in Cantabria and Asturias
Nature sites in Asturias
Picos de Europa	Somiedo	Muniellos
Redes
Nature sites in Cantabria
Santoña marshes
Human geography, traditional architecture, history, food, etc
Horreos in Asturias and Cantabria	Altamira	Cantabrian anchovies threatened with wipe-out
Places to visit
Bufones de Arenillas	Dinosaur prints in Asturias
Outside links
Fapas - Fondo para la proteccion de los animales salvajes. Excellent source for bear news. A favourite. Mammals of the Picos de Europa Lisa of the iberianature forum has put together this great page on Picos de Europa mammals with some fantastic photos by Carlos Sanz. There are also sections on birds, flora and butterflies. Butterfly and moth tours in the Picos de Europa : Join Teresa Farino, author of Travellers' Nature Guide: Spain , for a week-long exploration of northern Spain's Picos de Europa mountains, home to almost 150 species of butterfly and around 550 of macro-moths Photos of Asturias Beautiful photos of Asturias - rivers, forest, fauna, etc. Cordillera Cantábrica and Central Zome of Asturias by Luis M.Lafuente Photos of Asturias by Antonio Vasquez

Climate of Cantabria and Asturias

Asturias and Cantabria are the symbols of "Green Spain" with good reason. Waves of depressions sweep in from the Atlantic bringing plentiful precipatation in its various guises throughout the year, though with a dip in the summer months.

Climate of Asturias. The region is one of the wettest in the Penisula, and the Picos de Europa is home to some of the heaviest snowfalls. Tempeatures in the capital Oviedo are a yearly average of 12.9ºC, typical of the region, with the coast enjoying mild summers and winters, while the latter are harsh and bitterly cold in the mountainous hinterland. Somiedo for example has an average of 15ºC in July and just 3ºC in January. The Somiedo region and the Picos receive plentiful snowfalls between November and February. Degaña receives an average of 2127.9mm of rainfall, making it one of the wettest spots in Spain. Precipatation on the rest varies between 1000 and 1500mm.

Climate of Cantabria. Similar to Asturias in its dual maritime and mountainous nature and in figures for rainfall, Cantabria is together with the Basque Country the least sunniest region of Iberia. Santender for example gets 1638 hours of sun a year compared with an excess of 3000 in parts of Andalusia and just 74 hours on avarage in dark December. Again tempeatures on the coast are mild with yearly averages of around13-15ºC, while inland winters are very cold- Reinosa (from "Reino del Oso": the kingdom of the bear). at 855 metres has 90 days of frost a year, and a January temperature of 2.2ºC and just 8.8ºC as a yearly average. Inland few areas fall below 1,000mm, and most of Cantabia has 1200-1600mm a year, with areas in excess of 2,000mm. Orographioc fog is common throughout the year. Cantabria is famous for the suradas, a sharp rise in tempeartures due to the föhn effect when winds blow across the Cordillera Cantabrica and arrive to the coast reheated, where in places such as Santender temeperatues in Santener can reach 40ºC when the average in August is only 20ºC.

(Adapted from the truly excellent "Guía del Clima de España. Vicente Aupi. Omega 2005. Buy it!)

1971-2000	Jan	Feb.	March	April	May	June	July	August	Sep.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.	Year
Oviedo average temperatures	8.0	8.8	10.0	10.6	13.3	16.1	18.3	18.7	17.3	14.0	10.8	9.0	12.9
Oviedo average precipitation (mm)	85	85	82	109	94	53	52	55	64	98	101	96	973

Source: INM

Geography of Cantabria and Asturias

Surface area of Asturias and Cantabria in km2

Asturias (Principado de)

10604

Cantabria

5321

Highest mountains in Asturias and Cantabria

Carlos de Haes ; Los Picos de Europa. (1860 )
Museo del Prado (167 x 123 cm.)

ASTURIAS
Asturias	Torre Cerredo	Picos de Europa	2648
CANTABRIA
Cantabria	Torreblanca	Picos de Europa	2617

See: Naranjo de Bulnes and the history of Spanish conservationism

Nature reserves in Asturias

National Parks in Asturias / Parques Nacionales en Asturias

Picos De Europa

Natural Parks in Asturias / Parques Naturales en Asturias

Somiedo
Redes
Fuentes Del Narcea Y Del Ibias

Nature Reserves in Asturias / Reservas Naturales en Asturias

Bosque De Muniellos
Peloño
Cueto De Arbás
Ria Del Eo
Ria De Villaviciosa
Barayo
Cueva De Las Caldas
Cueva Del Sidrón
Cueva Del Lloviu
Cueva Rosa

Protected Sites in Asturias / Espacios Protegidos en Asturias

Costa Oriental
Costa Occidental
Cuenca Del Esva
Cabo Peñas
Sierras De Carondio Y Valledor
Sierra Del Aramo
Sierra Del Sueve
Sierra Del Cuera
Peña Ubiña
Pico Caldoveiro

Natural Monuments in Asturias / Monumentos Naturales en Asturias
Bufones de Arenillas
Complejo de Cobijeru
Bufones de Santiuste
Playa de Gulpiyuri
Entrepeñas y Playa de Vega
Saucedas de Buelles
Sistema del Trave
Yacimiento de Icnitas de la Costa Centro-Oriental
Ruta del Alba
Sistema del Jitu
Torca Urriellu
Tejo de Santibañez de la Fuente
Red de Toneyu
Carbayera del Tragamón
Foces de el Pino
Carbayón de Lavandera
Isla de la Deva y Playón de Bayas
Desfiladero de las Xanas
Charca de Zeluán y Ensenada de Lloredo
Playa del Espartal
Tejo y Rebollo de Bermiego
Cueva Huerta
Turbera de las Dueñas
Puertos de Marabio
Tejo de las Salas
Alcornocal de Boxu
Carbayón de Valentín
Fayona de Eirós
Tejo de Lago
Hoces del Esva
Tejo de Santa Coloma
Playa de Frexulfe
Cuevas de Andina
Cascadas de Oneta
Playa de Penarronda

Nature reserves in Cantabria

Parque de la Naturaleza de Cabárceno
Parque Natural Saja-Besaya
Marismas de Santoña, Victoria y Joyel
Parque del Macizo de Peña Cabarga
Parque Natural Dunas de Liencres
Parque Natural de Collados del Asón
Parque Natural de Oyambre
Parque Natural de los Picos de Europa

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