Cabrales is a place most people know by taste before they know it by sight. The municipality lies in the foothills of the Picos de Europa in eastern Asturias, northern Spain, a steep, green country of narrow valleys, stone barns and limestone walls. It is the home of Cabrales cheese, a strong, crumbly blue made from cow's milk, sometimes mixed with sheep or goat, and traditionally matured in natural mountain caves where cool, damp air encourages the blue veins to spread. The cheese has protected status and a flavour that is unmistakable: salty, sharp, earthy and long on the tongue.
Much of life here still revolves around livestock and high summer pastures. Herders take cattle, sheep and goats up to the high meadows each spring, and cheese is made in small huts during the warmer months. Villages like Carreña have a handful of small bars, craft shops and cheese sellers, and it is easy to taste before buying. Cider, poured from a height into a wide glass, is the usual accompaniment, along with fabada, the white bean and sausage stew that fuels anyone who has been out in the hills.
The ride is spectacular. The roads through the valley of the Cares river twist between steep limestone walls, with the grey, jagged ridges of the Picos towering above, sometimes with cloud draped across the tops. Bends are tight and frequent, the road is narrow, and rain is a fact of life in Asturias, so surfaces can be damp even in summer. Nearby, the gorge walk of the Cares starts at Poncebos, and a mountain road climbs to viewpoints from which the Naranjo de Bulnes, the iconic orange-tinted limestone tower of the range, can be seen on a clear day.
Fuel is available in the bigger villages, but for a reliable choice, Llanes, a coastal town about fourteen kilometres away, has everything. Morning is the best time for the road, when mist hangs in the valley and traffic is light. Spring brings wildflowers and green slopes, while autumn is quiet and golden. Take your time, look up often and buy a small wedge of cheese from a local producer, which keeps well in a pannier if you wrap it carefully and do not mind a strong smell in your luggage.