Wood and Madreña Museum

From there, with the necessary knowledge, we set off for the village of Veneros, an Ethnographic Complex , with more than one hallmark of Asturian identity, among which the Wood Museum stands out . It was established by a local association and currently boasts a diverse collection of the most common woods found in the park and throughout the Principality. These include ash , which is very abundant, and oak , a mythological tree venerated by the ancient Druids; chestnut ; and beech , the latter being widespread throughout Asturias.

Visiting the Wood Museum offers more than one reward, such as learning to discern, from then on, which tree species we encounter along the way. We also learn more specific details, like the fact that a beech tree can reach 40 meters in height and live for 300 years.

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Moreover We will discover the tools used in forestry workas well as the most commonly used tools in the area for carpentry and cabinetmaking, including the artisanal production of wooden clogs, of which Caso is a leading center in the Principality. In its heyday, it employed nearly a hundred artisans and generated a significant number of related jobs.

To speak of "madreñes" is to speak of a culture , like rural culture, that in Asturias coexisted for decades with unpaved roads and muddy lanes that required traditional footwear to solve the problem of walking without getting too muddy . These wooden clogs occupy a prominent place in the aforementioned Veneros Wood Museum. They come in all shapes and sizes, and from all over the world, mainly from Cantabrian Spain and continental Europe.

They essentially resemble Central European wooden clogs , but they are taller and better suited to the terrain, featuring a heel and two front cleats for improved insulation against moisture and mud. There are basically two models : narrower, closed versions for feet encased in thick socks, and those designed for feet that are already inside a shoe.

Wooden clogs were the footwear of choice for generations of rural people , and the clog makers, their artisans, only began to dwindle with the appearance of other types of footwear made of rubber, waterproof, and cheaper . In any case, many people still wear these clogs out of habit, and many others, out of romanticism or nostalgia, even collect them in the most unexpected places in Asturias and the Iberian Peninsula.

Workshop of the Mother of Banners

A wooden clog is not just any old thing. Luis Testón Lozano knew this well , and in his Wooden Clog Workshop in the village of Pendones (a center complementary to the Wood Museum) he developed this noble craft with great mastery.

Luis told us that the first recorded generation of clog makers dates back to 1770-1780, although he, like many other experts on rural history, maintains that this craft goes back many more decades, given its extreme practicality for rural communities. The municipality of Caso is a prime example of what has now become a select craft that is in danger of disappearing.

Testón would take the axe and carefully shape the log to form the wooden clog . It starts with a thin beech trunk, more precisely from the lower part of the tree because it's harder. At the end of the process, the pair is symmetrical and can be fitted to any exact shoe size: 36, 37, 38, 42. Luis said that in this work, "you have to be more careful than a heart surgeon ." And he wasn't wrong, because seeing how the splinters fall capriciously, it's hard to believe there hasn't been a miscalculation that ruins the whole thing.

The final stages of crafting are, if possible, even more meticulous. The axe is replaced with an adze, which allows for greater control in the fine work . A drill is then used to create the indentation for the foot. The exterior of the clog is finished with tools such as a rasp, a scraper, a brush, and a steady hand. Finally, the clog can be varnished or smoked with broom smoke . Skillfully, grooves are carved into it, eventually forming a design, primarily floral, and then it is rubbed with a piece of bacon. Ready to be worn with confidence.

Caso once supplied the Asturian market with around 50.000 pairs of wooden clogs a year . Today, this craft is almost a cult, and the footwear itself, more than a market commodity, is now a relic of pure Asturian wood, very pleasant to the touch. If you have the chance, don't miss this magnificent opportunity to experience this craft firsthand, or rather, to witness a culture and nature intertwined, each supporting the other and remaining true to itself.