Quirós is the council the southern branch of the Bear Trail runs through: 14 km from Caranga to Santa Marina, the least-visited of the three sections. This is where you’ll find the Bermiego yew (one of the oldest trees in Spain), the Las Ubiñas-La Mesa Natural Park and a municipal hostel with the best value for money in the area. If you’re after nature without the crowds, Quirós is your council.

This guide covers the essentials: what to see, how to get there, where to eat, where to sleep and why to choose Quirós over Teverga or Proaza.

The essentials in 30 seconds

  • Council: Quirós, south-western Asturias.
  • Capital: Bárzana.
  • Distance from Oviedo: 50 min by car.
  • Most distinctive: the least-visited branch of the Bear Trail and the ancient Bermiego yew.
  • Perfect for: those after peace and quiet, groups on a tight budget, and hikers heading for Las Ubiñas.

6 must-sees in Quirós

1. The Bermiego yew (over a thousand years old)

A monumental tree declared a Natural Monument and one of the oldest in Spain, with an estimated age of more than 2,000 years. It stands in the village of Bermiego, next to the church. Tradition has it you touch it and walk a full circle around it. The visit is outdoors, free and with no ticket office.

2. The southern branch of the Bear Trail (Caranga to Santa Marina)

14 km of the route linking the main trunk with Santa Marina, the least-travelled of the three branches. It crosses the Valdemurio reservoir and riverside woodland, and works just as well by bike as on foot. To understand how the sections fit together, it’s all laid out in where the Bear Trail starts.

3. Las Ubiñas-La Mesa Natural Park

A protected area crowned by Peña Ubiña (2,417 m). It has hiking routes for every level and varied wildlife: chamois, capercaillie and brown bear. There is access from several villages in Quirós, and it’s the main reason many mountain walkers choose this council as a base.

4. Casas Prieto (Santa Marina)

Rural houses with their own small zoo, with animals in semi-freedom. It’s a curious combination for a visit with children, about 8 km from the Bear Trail.

5. Arrojo municipal hostel

The best value for money in the whole area for groups, backpackers and school trips. Run by the council, it has rooms for 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 people. It’s the best choice if you’re coming with a big group of friends or a school.

6. Bárzana, the capital

A small capital with a parish church, the town hall, a tourist office and restaurants serving traditional Asturian cooking. It’s the natural place to stop for lunch if you’re riding the branch.

How to get to Quirós

By car (the most practical option):

  • From Oviedo: 50 min, 45 km, via the A-63 and AS-229 to Bárzana.
  • From Gijón: 1 h 5 min.
  • From León: 1 h via Puerto Ventana.

From the Bear Trail: if you ride the Quirós branch, you set off at Caranga (the fork with the trunk) and reach Santa Marina after 14 km downhill. We’ve rented bikes in Entrago since 2005, and if you prefer the popular one-way route, you ride down from Entrago to Buyera and we pick you up there by van to bring you back to the start. It’s all explained in the complete Bear Trail guide.

Where to eat in Quirós

Bárzana has most of the options, with three or four restaurants and cider houses serving traditional Asturian food: fabada, beef, escalopines al cabrales. Set menus run 14 to 18 €, à la carte 25 to 35 €. In the smaller villages there are bars with simple sandwiches, but for a proper set menu, Bárzana is the safe bet.

One food note: Casín cheese, one of the oldest cheeses in Spain, is made in the neighbouring councils and can also be found in Bárzana.

Where to sleep in Quirós

  • Arrojo municipal hostel: around 30 beds in rooms for 2 to 10 people, at a very competitive price (check the Quirós council website). Ideal for groups, school trips and backpackers.
  • Quirós rural tourist apartments: run by the council, spread across several hamlets, with good value for money.
  • Casas Prieto (Santa Marina): rural houses with a small zoo, handy for families.
  • La Posada de la Xana (Llanuces): a rural hotel further from the trail, the quietest and most secluded option.

To compare with the other councils, there’s the guide to accommodation near the Bear Trail.

When to visit Quirós

  • Spring (May and June): the best season, nature at its peak and few people.
  • Summer: far less crowded here than Teverga or Proaza.
  • Autumn: spectacular colours, especially in the beech woods and the forests of the Aramo.
  • Winter: very quiet, with possible snow on the high ground of Las Ubiñas.

Quirós, yes or no?

Choose Quirós if you want nature without tourists, you’re travelling with a big group on a tight budget, you’re a hiker (Las Ubiñas is your park), you want the ancient yew among your trip’s highlights, or you’ve already done the popular route and want a deeper second visit.

Leave Quirós for another day if it’s your first time on the Bear Trail (then Teverga or Proaza are better for the main sights), if you want to see the bears in the enclosure without a detour (it’s on the main trunk, not the Quirós branch), or if you’re after plenty of restaurants and services.

Our advice

If it’s your first time on the Bear Trail, ride Entrago to Buyera and leave it there. When you come back, give Quirós a full day at a slow pace: the whole branch, the Bermiego yew and Las Ubiñas if you like walking. And if you come in high summer, you already know, Quirós is where you can still find silence.