La Guarida del Cunqueiru craft workshop

Guarida del Cunqueiru is an artisan shop and workshop in the small Asturian village of Trabau which aims to be a place where visitors can learn about the cunqueira culture and the rural characteristics of Fuentes del Narcea, Degaña e Ibias Natural Park. Through our work, we have tried to dignify and promote a traditional profession that was almost lost, known as “cunqueiru” or “tixileiru,” using ecotourism as an advertising tool and pivotal element that contributes to directly maintaining rural identity and the primary sector.

The Guarida del Cunqueiru project is run by Rosa and Victor, who both love their work, but is somehow made up of a large group of people who believe in and support the initiatives we carry out, from our families to all of our clients and friends.

Our new Artisan Shop/Workshop opened in June 2021 as a new venture after working for more than 15 years for another project called El Rincón Cunqueiru, started in 2005 by Victorino García (who sadly passed away in September 2020). In this new venture, we adhere in our own way to the philosophy that guided us throughout our previous journey – keeping the cunqueira culture alive:

Making tambourines
Castanets
Pandeiros
Working wood in the traditional way, as taught by our ancestors

Surroundings

Fuentes del Narcea, Degaña e Ibias Natural Park
Biosphere Reserve
Muniellos Nature Reserve
Cueto de Arbás Partial Nature Reserve

Accessibility

Our activities are adapted for people with limited mobility

Languages

English

Quality and/or sustainability practices & awards

Company certified by the Ecotourism Club in Spain

Company’s commitment to conservation of biodiversity and local development

La Guarida del Cunqueiru has always used ecotourism as a driving force for its development, integrating our visitors’ experiences with the unique qualities of our local area.

We value and take into account the importance of the primary sector, and the notion that neighbourhood and rural community are part of it, and how we must care for and maintain the sector through our life in the village.
We are committed to an economic diversification model based on that of our ancestors but adapted to the modern world, walking the fine line between profit and sustainability and being able to earn a decent living with income from different elements and resources, while also ensuring that we do not have to overexploit or monopolise any of them, thus maintaining the economic, social, and environmental sustainability of our livelihood.
We continue to do craftwork and still have a small herd of 6 to 10 Asturiana de los Valles cows, which we combine with our Trabau Ecotourism activities initiative to be self-sufficient and produce food ourselves as much as possible.
We built La Guarida del Cunqueiru ourselves almost from start to finish and we have tried to make it a reflection of what we love and want to share with our visitors, enjoying the fantastic view of the Muniellos Nature Reserve.