18.1
PDI
7.7 mi
DISTANCE
2,839 ft
GAINED
7 %
AVG. GRADE
FULL CLIMB STATS
INTRO
Puerto de Ventana is the pass where the AS-228 leaves Teverga and crosses the Cantabrian divide into León. Our route covers the upper half of the road: 12.4 km (7.7 mi) from La Foceicha, just below Páramo, with 865 m (2,839 ft) of gain at a 7.0% average, rising from 714 m (2,343 ft) to 1,580 m (5,183 ft), just below the pass sign at 1,587 m (5,207 ft). Riders who start lower, in San Martín de Teverga, add about 7 km of gentle valley road for a full climb of roughly 19.7 km (12.2 mi) at 5.7%.
The character here is consistency. The first 3 km (1.9 mi) average about 5.5% through Páramo, then the grade settles at 7-8% and barely moves for the next 9 km (5.6 mi), with the last kilometer the steepest at about 8.3%. On the way up the road passes the Braña La Puerca car park, the trailhead for the Montegrande beech forest, and climbs out of the woods into open limestone mountain country.
The pass sits on the line between two natural parks, Las Ubiñas-La Mesa on the Asturian side and Babia y Luna in León, and the view south drops over the San Emiliano valley in Babia. This is a quiet road with no bar or services at the top, so it rewards riders who come prepared. Before you set off, check conditions at the summit with our Weather tool.
PLAN YOUR ROUTE
We've partnered with Sherpa-Map.com to bring you the best route planning tool. With a PRO Membership you can use this climb as a reference when creating your route. Puerto de Ventana climbs 12.4 km (7.7 mi) at a 7.0% average, gaining 865 m (2,839 ft) from 714 m (2,343 ft) to 1,580 m (5,183 ft).
The opening 3 km (1.9 mi) through Páramo are the gentlest part of the climb at roughly 5.5% to 5.7%, a good place to settle in. From about km 4 the road steps up to 7-8% and holds there almost without a break: kilometers 4 through 11 run between 6.9% and 7.9%, and the final kilometer to the pass is the steepest at about 8.3%.
The steepest kilometer averages 8.5%, the steepest 500 m (0.3 mi) 8.6% and the steepest 5 km (3.1 mi) 7.6%. The hardest 91 m (100 yd) touch 9.6%, so there are no wall-like ramps here - just a long, steady grade that rewards even pacing.
Roadway: The AS-228 is paved the whole way to the pass, and recent climb guides rate the surface as good. It is a mountain road rather than a highway, winding up through the beech woods before opening out on the upper slopes. The pass is high enough to see snow well into spring and again in late autumn, and in winter storms chains are required on the Ventana road, so check conditions before riding outside summer.
Traffic: Light. Recent climb guides count roughly 10-30 vehicles an hour, and summer weekends add hikers driving up to the Braña La Puerca trailhead.
Parking: The start is a small hamlet, so leave the car considerately in Páramo rather than on the narrow road edge. The Braña La Puerca car park, a few kilometers up the climb, serves the Montegrande beech forest walk and is a better option if you plan to combine the ride with a hike.
Provisions: There is no bar or shop at the pass, so fill your bottles and pick up food before you start. Páramo has a hotel with a restaurant and café, Casa Manolo, the last stop we know of on the way up; otherwise stock up in San Martín de Teverga on the way in.
Gear: With 9 km (5.6 mi) of nearly uninterrupted 7-8% climbing, a compact crankset with a 28-32 tooth largest cog keeps the cadence comfortable. The top is close to 1,600 m (5,250 ft) on an exposed ridge, so carry a windproof layer and arm warmers for the descent, even in summer.
Before heading out on any cycling adventure check out our Things to Bring on a Cycling Trip and use our interactive check list to ensure you don't forget anything.
The Braña La Puerca car park on the climb is the start of one of Teverga's best walks: a trail of roughly 6.7 km (4.2 mi) with little more than 100 m (330 ft) of climbing through the Hayedo de Montegrande beech forest to the Cascada del Xiblu, a set of falls about 100 m (330 ft) high in total. The path near the falls can be slippery, and a fork after the bridge lets you loop back down to La Foceicha at the foot of the climb. Páramo is also a quiet place to stay, with Casa Manolo open all year.
Down the valley, the Senda del Oso greenway follows an old mining railway through Teverga and Proaza, an easy rest-day spin on flat, traffic-free trail. For the Prehistory Park, the Colegiata de San Pedro and food in La Plaza, see our Puerto San Lorenzo (La Plaza) page. From the pass the road drops into Babia toward San Emiliano, so Ventana also works as a crossing between Asturias and León rather than an out-and-back.
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