Boñar

Historia

The municipality of Boñar is located in the province of León, Castile and León, Spain. According to the 2010 census (INE), the municipality has a population of 2,085 inhabitants with almost all of the residents living in the main town of Boñar. In addition to Boñar, the municipality includes the villages of Adrados, Barrio de las Ollas, Las Bodas, Cerecedo, Llama de Colle, Felechas, Grandoso, Orones, Oville, Poblado del Pantano, Rucayo, Valdecastillo, Valdehuesa, La Vega de Boñar, Veneros, Vozmediano, and Voznuevo. Most surrounding villages in the municipality of Boñar have between 10 and 30 permanent residents. A few larger villages may have as many as 250 villagers.The Town of BoñarFor most of the year, the town of Boñar can be characterized as a sleepy town. Each summer however, the population of Boñar surges because it is a popular vacation destination for people from northern Spain seeking to escape the crowded coastal cities in the north. Many vacationers in Boñar own summer homes there and return year after year for their summer holiday. The rural setting is ideal for enjoying outdoor activities.A popular way to spend daytime hours in Boñar is at El Soto. El Soto is a large municipal park with a snack bar, swimming pool, camping, ball fields, tennis courts and the river Porma for boating and fishing. The nature preserve the Parque Regional de los Picos de Europa is also a popular destination for enjoying outdoor activities. In spring and summer, the pine and deciduous forests in the mountains throughout the region are destinations for hiking and exploring. In winter, skiing and other winter sports are popular activities.Visited by locals and tourists is the reservoir the Pantano de Vegamián. The creation of the reservoir in 1968 necessitated the submersion of six small villages with dwindling populations. The towns were disincorporated and evacuated. Visitors to the Pantano de Vegamián go not only to observe the natural environment of the reservoir, but also to catch a glimpse of the villages below the surface which can be discerned due to the water's clarity. In addition to offering an interesting panorama, the reservoir is now an important source of water and electricity for much of León province. For some locals, however, it is a painful reminder of a lost past which will never be reclaimed.