Peña Mea, 1,557 metres high, stands between Laviana and Aller, and below its summit opens the Ojo de Buey, a natural arch more than 15 metres across. The official route, the PR-AS 262 from Pelúgano, is 10 kilometres there and back with 910 metres of ascent and more than 5 hours; there is a variant from Les Campes, in Laviana.
Between the Nalón valley, in Laviana, and the municipality of Aller rises a limestone mountain: Peña Mea. Below its summit the rock has a hole more than 15 metres across through which you see the sky, the Ojo de Buey. Climbing to it is a proper mountain route, with more than 900 metres of ascent, which you can start from the Aller side or from the Laviana side. How to climb it from each side, how long it takes and what to bear in mind.
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A mountain between two municipalities
Peña Mea stands between the municipalities of Laviana and Aller. Turismo Asturias gives its summit 1,557 metres in the text and 1,558 in the technical sheet. The waymarked PR-AS 262 trail climbs the Aller side, sharing part of its course with the GR-109; on the Laviana side there is a variant from Les Campes.
The Ojo de Buey
It is a hollow more than 15 metres across that karst erosion opened in the limestone, and it works as a natural window onto the valleys. It is also called El Furacón or El Arcón de la Finestra, and it sits at about 1,300 metres, according to asturias.com. From the Ojo de Buey to the summit there are about 250 metres more of climbing.
From Aller: the official route from Pelúgano
It starts in the upper part of Pelúgano, Peḷḷuno in Asturian, in Aller, a village with 37 hórreos and paneras according to asturias.com. Turismo Asturias puts it at 10 kilometres there and back, more than 5 hours, 910 metres up and as many down, with a minimum altitude of 638 metres, and rates it very hard, with an IBP index of 89. Turismo Asturias also notes that Peḷḷuno has one of the largest concentrations of hórreos and paneras in Asturias, so the starting point itself deserves some time.
The path climbs a livestock track to the La Vallina farmstead, passes the El Truncu spring, where people usually rest, leaves the GR-109 at the Peḷḷuno pass and continues across the Cerreo meadows. Then the ground turns rocky and steep up the Canal de las Cuevas to the Ojo de Buey. The final stretch to the summit is steep but has no technical passages, and you come down the same way.
From Laviana: the Les Campes variant
According to asturias.com, from Pola de Laviana you head towards Villoria and, before San Antonio de Tolivia, turn left towards Fresnedo to take a track up to Les Campes, where the Visitación chapel stands at 890 metres. From there, a wooded track leads to the Pelúgano pass; you continue towards Cerreo and, following cairns, reach the Canal de las Cuevas and the Ojo de Buey in roughly an hour and a half. It rates this ascent as medium difficulty.
You can make it a loop by descending the north face towards Doñango; Turismo Asturias mentions this variant via Doñango and La Boyica. From either side, asturias.com speaks of more than 800 metres of climbing.
What you see from the top
Turismo Asturias describes a 360-degree panorama: to the east, the Picos de Europa and Peña Ten; to the south, the Riotuerto valley and Babia; to the west, Peña Rueda and the Ubiñas; to the north, the Sierra del Aramo, the Mostayal and, on clear days, the Cantabrian Sea. Near the ridge there is also a large cave, La Iglesiona.
Warnings
This is not a route for anyone with vertigo, and in some stretches, especially from Pelúgano, you need to use your hands. The ground behind the arch is slippery. Asturias.com advises against climbing in fog, rain or wind, and recommends carrying plenty of water, although there are two springs along the way; in summer, a cap and sun cream, because there is hardly any shade.
Turismo Asturias asks for mountain experience on the steepest stretches, dogs on a lead, keeping away from livestock and the mastiffs that guard them, and carrying all rubbish back down. In autumn and winter the days are short: decide your turnaround time before you set off.
Checked
Facts checked in October 2026 against: Turismo Asturias (Peña Mea route, PR-AS 262, on its hiking and mountain route pages) and asturias.com (Peña Mea).
Quick questions
How hard is the Peña Mea route?
Turismo Asturias rates the route from Pelúgano as very hard, with an IBP index of 89; asturias.com rates the ascent from Les Campes as medium difficulty.
How do you climb Peña Mea from Laviana?
From Pola de Laviana towards Villoria and Fresnedo up to Les Campes, by the Visitación chapel, then via the Pelúgano pass and Cerreo; roughly an hour and a half to the Ojo de Buey.
How far is it from the Ojo de Buey to the summit?
About 250 metres of ascent, on a steep stretch with no technical passages.