About this place
La Grande is one of four glacial lagoons inside the Muniellos Nature Reserve, in the municipality of Cangas del Narcea, Asturias. Together with the neighboring lagoons of La Isla, La Honda and La Peña, it forms the group locally known as Las Lagunas, sitting at the foot of the Pico de la Candanosa. It's a destination for hikers ready for a demanding but rewarding trek into one of Europe's best-preserved oak forests.
How do you get to La Grande?
Access to the Muniellos reserve is tightly controlled — only 20 visitors are allowed per day, and every visit requires a prior reservation and authorization. Applications are submitted online or by phone, and the visit date must be confirmed 15 to 23 days in advance. Each person is granted only one permit per year, so this is a trip that needs to be planned well ahead of time.
The starting point is the Visitor Reception Centre in Tablizas, from which a circular route of roughly 20 km begins. The trail climbs toward the lagoon group and returns along the river valley. The stretch from the Tablizas forest house up to the lagoons themselves covers about 11 km one way, making this a full-day hike that calls for solid fitness.
What will you see there?
La Grande is a lagoon of glacial origin, carved out by Pleistocene-era glacier activity. Together with the other three lakes in its group, it forms a small but striking system of high-mountain pools set among rocky ridgelines. The climb to this altitude is considered one of the finest hiking routes in the whole reserve, rewarding the effort with views over a wild, little-accessed corner of the Cantabrian Mountains.
The approach to the lagoons runs through Muniellos itself, one of the largest and best-preserved oak forests (robledales) left in Europe. The walk lets you experience an intact forest ecosystem before the trail breaks above the treeline into the rocky terrain where the lagoons lie.
When is the best time to visit?
Given the high-mountain nature of the trails and the seasonal weather in the Cantabrian range, summer and early autumn are the best months for the trip to the lagoons, when routes are free of snow and daylight hours are long enough for a full day's walk. Keep in mind that entry to the reserve always depends on a permit obtained in advance, regardless of the season.
Frequently asked questions
Can you drive to La Grande? No. The lagoon lies deep inside the Muniellos Reserve and is only reachable on foot, as part of an authorized route starting from the Visitor Reception Centre in Tablizas.
Do you need a permit to enter? Yes. Access to the reserve is capped at 20 people per day, and reservations must be confirmed 15 to 23 days before the visit. Each person can only receive one permit per year.
How long is the hike to the lagoons? The circular route from the Tablizas centre runs about 20 km, and the stretch to the lagoon group alone is around 11 km one way — this is a full-day trek.
What makes this spot special? La Grande is a glacial lagoon, one of four forming the Las Lagunas group at the foot of Pico de la Candanosa, surrounded by one of Europe's best-preserved oak forests.
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