Muniellos is one of Spain's great oak forests, protected as part of the Fuentes del Narcea, Degana and Ibias natural park. It is wild by Spanish standards: brown bears, wolves, capercaillies, steep valleys, and a feeling that the forest has been allowed to breathe.
The core reserve is not a casual walk-in attraction. Access is strictly limited and requires official authorisation, so plan well ahead if you want the full route. Even without entering the core forest, the visitor areas and viewpoints make clear why Cangas is more than a town with a monastery.