In the Principality of Asturias, due to its irregular and abrupt orography, it is full of high mountain roads, which converts the region into a paradise for all cyclists or cyclists to which we love to climb ports and to enjoy the landscape outside of urban environments.
The Alto del Naranco or the Angliru are probably mountain ports to rise a better known bicycle, due to its prominence in several editions of the Cycling Tour to Spain.
But there are other promotions in Asturias ideal to enjoy and suffer by bicycle. One of them is the port of the Cubilla, an ideal climb for cycling and, for many, the most beautiful rise in all of Asturias.
Where is it located
Las Ubiñas Natural Park - The table is located in the center of the Cantabrian Mountains limiting with the province of León in the south. It is an area that alternates forests full of beans with steep peaks of more than 2,400 meters altitude.
It is the habitat of a wide fauna that goes from wolves, foxes and deer, to urogals, eagles and vultures. A paradise for nature and mountain lovers.
From the point of view of the cyclist we can find already mythical increases, such as Cobertoria (with its different aspects that get each of them to seem a completely different rise), the port of San Lorenzo (one of the toughest in Asturias), The Port of Pajares (with its climb to Cuitu Negu, higher point of the Pajares ski station), Gamoniteiru or the beautiful Cubilla, which is the climb that we analyze in this post.
The climb from Campomanes
This port of almost 28 kilometers of climb and 1,300 meters of ascent starts in the town of Campomanes, although the first kilometers are a false plain of 9 kilometers at 1% and 2% until reaching the town of the pontoons.
From here the thing changes and we will find the first ramps at 10% slope, and then stay in a means of 5% and 6% enjoying areas of beech, carbayos and chestnut trees, and suffering an asphalt in quite a bad condition ( which has been causing continuous neighborhood complaints for years) until reaching Tuiza.
From Tuiza we will take a right detour to the last kilometers of the port. Here we will meet some slope of 10% and little by little we will leave the trees while opening the valley, which will allow us to see the top and enjoy some views that will turn the rest of the climb into a continuous enjoyment.
From here we will shoot some earrings between 5% and 9%, since this port is very constant and without strong slopes (so fashionable lately in the return to Spain), until reaching the last 3 kilometers.
In this last section we find the horseshoe curves so characteristic of this port that they can have some slope touching 10%, but not hard to what is already uploaded.
We will finally crown at 1,683 meters of altitude right on the border of Asturias y León, with incredible views. To one side we will have the Las Ubiñas-La Mesa park and the other the Babia and Luna Natural Park.
What you should consider before uploading
If you dare to make the climb to this port, there are some details that you must take into account when planning the route.
Hydration: You have sources in the villages
Remember that it is a 28 -kilometer climb and it is evidently long. Depending on the level you have, they can be 2 hours of ascent, so it is important to hydrate correctly and take advantage of the sources that you will find in the villages of the pontoons, Riospaso or Tuiza.
Road: The asphalt is in poor condition
Despite the complaints of the residents of the area and cycling clubs, the asphalt in most of the climb is in poor condition. With the arrival of the Vuelta in the 2019 edition they have fixed 2 kilometers between Riospass and Tuiza and another section above, but it is still insufficient for a port as beautiful as this one.
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The descent: Be careful with neck pain
28 kilometers of descent are very long. And if we add the poor state of the road to that, the descent can become a quite hard time above the bicycle.
The body in general and the neck in particular usually suffer in this descent. So a halfway stop to enjoy the views and rest is not a bad option.
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Without a doubt this is a port that is enjoyed more than going down.
Asturian food to crown the route
A good option to enjoy the Cubilla could be starting from Pola de Lena, where we will have about 5 kilometers with a flat profile (rather a false plain, that this is Asturias) until reaching Campomanes.
This section, along with the 9 kilometers to the pontoons are enough to heat and not take a disgust in full rise.
From there to the top and then we return along the same path so that about 70 kilometers come out.
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And if you want to spend a round day at all, you can go to eat homemade Asturian food rich at Casa María.
From the top, the alternatives that are are to roll through dirt roads, which can take you to Pajares or San Emiliano.
Port assessment
This port can be the antithesis of the typical Asturian climb, and that is that with that length, those slopes maintained, with such an open valley and those final curves, seems more a port of the Alps than the characteristic Asturian port.
For all this, the cycling of this Autonomous Community has been considering, together with Lagos de Covadonga, one of the most beautiful ports of Asturian cycling paradise.
