January dawns slowly. Rain, wind and damp weather are common on the Asturian coast; frost may settle in the valleys, and snow falls in the mountains. There are clear days, of course, but winter is measured not only by cold: it also means fewer hours of light and a slower pace of daily life.

The month: resting hills, hidden life

Many deciduous trees have shed their leaves. Branches, waterways and footprints in the mud are easier to see. Beneath this quiet appearance, life goes on: animals search for food and plants wait for the moment to sprout. At home, winter was a time to care for livestock, mend tools and gather by the hearth.

The voice of the forest: the Busgosu

“Busgosu” is the name of a being in some Asturian legends, associated with the hills and forest. There is no single portrait: its appearance and behaviour can change with the storyteller. Imagine a path between bare trees; someone hears a noise off the trail and thinks the forest has inhabitants of its own. That is the beginning of a story, not a scientific explanation of the woods.

Listening to these stories is also a reminder that the hills are not here solely for our use. We enter carefully, respect wildlife and leave the place as we found it.

An ancient name, treated with care

Riuros appears in the Coligny calendar, a Gaulish inscription found in France. Its meaning and equivalence with January are uncertain. We connect it here with winter as a literary device, not as evidence of an ancient Asturian festival.