Fragas do Eume

As Pontes, Pontedeume, Cabanas, A Capela and Monfero

The course of the river Eume and the forests that surround it, as it enters the province of A Coruña in the direction of its mouth, form a space of unparalleled natural and scenic value. The Fragas do Eume, declared a natural park in 1997, is one of the best preserved Atlantic riverside forests in Europe and offers visitors a multitude of attractions. Its oaks, chestnuts, birchs, hazels, alders and other tree species combined with the waters of the Eume make up images of great beauty in which botany enthusiasts can also look for the more than 20 varieties of ferns and 200 varieties of lichen that grow there. An ideal place for walking, cycling and even kayaking, the Fragas do Eume are also home to jewels of our heritage, such as the monastery of Caaveiro.

Fraga de Catasós

Lalín

Declared a natural monument two decades ago, this forest of oaks and chestnuts trees stands out for the size of its specimens, which in some cases reach 30 metres in height and 5 metres in perimeter. They were planted at the beginning of the 19th century by the owners of the Pazo de Quiroga, located nearby, which is why the place is also known as Fraga, Carballeira or Souto of Quiroga. It occupies a total surface area of just over 45,000 square metres and it is possible to walk around it along a circular path of just over a kilometre in length, signposted with interpretative panels.

Souto da Retorta

Viveiro

The need to fight against the flooding of the river Landro by draining some of the surrounding land was the reason why the first eucalyptus trees were planted in the parish of Chavín, in Viveiro, in 1860. One of them, known today as the Grandfather of Chavín, boasts of being the tallest tree in the community thanks to its height of more than 60 metres and has been included in the catalogue of singular trees of Galicia. In addition, the entire woodland, made up of more than 600 specimens and covering an area of just over 3 hectares, is considered a natural monument.

Souto de Rozavales 

Manzaneda

This chestnuts forest located in the lands of Manzaneda in Ourense is often cited as an example of the balance between agricultural use and respect for nature. The chestnuts of the trees that can be seen here have been harvested for centuries and some of these specimens reach surprising dimensions. The Pumbariños chestnut tree (included in the catalogue of singular trees of Galicia) is more than 12 metres in circumference and is one of the main natural tourist attractions of the municipality. The Souto de Rozavales has also been declared a natural monument.

Fraga da Marronda

Baleira

The most westerly beeches in southern Europe grow among oaks, chestnuts, holly and other trees in this ancestral autochthonous forest that extends over an area of 600 hectares in the mountainous areas of the municipality of Baleira, in the province of Lugo. A 20-kilometre route, which starts in the recreational area of A Cortevella, allows you to enjoy the place to the full, visiting places such as the source of the river Eo, crossing old bridges and contemplating old mills.

Devesa de Rogueira

Folgoso do Courel

The heart of the Courel Mountains Geopark holds countless natural treasures. One of the most outstanding is located in the municipality of Folgoso do Courel and consists of a primary forest of great diversity. Located in the parish of Seoane, the Devesa de Rogueira covers an area of 3 square kilometres of forest located on steep slopes and which serves as a habitat for a large number of different animal species, such as roe deer, martens, wildcats, dormice, martens, as well as the endemic species that live in the waters of its streams. A nature classroom, located in the village of Moreda, serves as a gateway to this forest and the route that runs through it.

Teixadal de Casaio

Carballeda de Valdeorras

At the foot of the highest peaks of Galicia, the Pena Trevinca mountains, is another of our most unique forests. The Teixadal de Casaio is the most important group of yew trees in Europe, with three hundred of them. Its location, on a hillside that is difficult to access, has contributed to its conservation and although there are several routes that lead to it, these are routes of high difficulty. It is advisable to have the services of a guide and be prepared to walk for 9 hours along a winding route that reaches an altitude of over 1,800 metres before descending towards the vegetal treasure of Casaio.

Bidueiral de Montederramo

Montederramo

The birch trees that give it its name make this space located between the Ribeira Sacra and the Central Massif of Ourense, on the slopes of the Sierra de San Mamede and in the heart of the Natura Network, a special place since it is one of the best examples of Eurosiberian vegetation in the north of the Peninsula. Oaks and holly trees can also be seen in the Bidueiral de Montederramo (or Gabín), a place that, apart from its landscape and natural values, is known for being the scene of some of the crimes committed by Manuel Blanco Romasanta in the mid-19th century, who claimed to be a werewolf who could not control his impulses and whose figure is also related to legendary characters such as the Sacamantecas and the bogeyman.

Laurel forest in Cortegada

Vilagarcía de Arousa

Forests also grow in the Parque Nacional das Illas Atlánticas de Galicia. The most unique of them all is the one that can be seen on the island of Cortegada, a place that has a long history, as can be seen in its buildings, but which stands out especially for its laurel forest. Strolling among these trees, some of which reach a height of 13 metres, with their gastronomic and curative properties, is one of the experiences that make it worthwhile to embark and sail the waters of the Arousa estuary to reach this destination, so close and yet so far from the landscapes of the mainland.

Bosque da Fervenza

O Corgo

The waters of the Miño feed, and sometimes flood, this autochthonous forest located in the upper course of what is considered to be the father of all Galician rivers. In a landscape of lagoons, river islands and ponds, centuries-old oak trees and large alders, as well as ash and willow trees, form one of the most important flood forests in the Peninsula and is included in the Terras do Miño Biosphere Reserve. An old mill, the dam built to feed it and the small waterfall formed by the Miño and which gives its name to the place, are other attractions of this space, ideal for strolling and relaxing, when the waters allow it.

Fraga de Cecebre

Cambre

Although its dimensions are smaller than when Wenceslao Fernández Flórez sought there the inspiration to write his most famous novel, “The Animated Forest”, the Fraga de Cecebre is still a place full of magic. On the banks of the river Mero or the reservoir of Cecebre, nature offers surprising landscapes to those who follow in the footsteps of the writer’s characters. Villa Florentina also stands there, the house where Fernández Flórez lived and which currently houses the foundation that bears his name.

Fraga de San Xoán de Río

San Xoán de Río

The course of the river Navea, a tributary of the Bibei and this in turn of the Sil, has given shape to an area of great value, as evidenced by the fact that it has been declared a Protected Landscape. As it passes through the municipality of San Xoán de Río, there is a unique forest popularly known as A Fraga, where numerous oak trees can be found, as well as other tree relatives, the “rebolos”, which also give the place the name of As Reboleiras do Navea. Mouruás is the starting point of a circular route of 6.8 kilometres that also leads to a nature classroom.

O Demo Bridge

Silleda and Vila de Cruces

The name of this bridge of medieval construction and a single arch built over the Deza River and located in the vicinity of the monastery of San Lorenzo de Carboeiro is not accidental. Legend has it that it was the devil himself who built it after a deal with the monks, who were tired of seeing how the floods caused damage to the viaducts they had built earlier. The monks undertook to hand over the souls of the dead to the devil during a Sunday day, but when the day came, they prolonged the prayers throughout the day in order to avoid fulfilling the agreement. 

Pontedeume Bridge

Pontedeume

Although today the name of the town of Pontedeume is clearly linked to the river that bathes its lands, the Eume, there is also room for legend here. In this case, the story that has survived to the present day speaks of how the monumental viaduct that links this municipality and Cabanas was built by the devil to capture the soul of a beautiful young woman who owned land on both banks and who had been trapped on the opposite side of her castle. As in the previous case, they also avoided the devil and from that episode only the name Ponte do Demo would remain, although it was reconverted over the centuries in Pontedeume.

Gatín Bridge

Becerreá

The intervention of the devil is also present in the legend that gave its name to this pass over the Navia River located in the municipality of Becerreá in Lugo. The riverbed separated a couple of lovers who made a pact with the devil to give him a newborn baby if he built a bridge that would allow them to meet. The devil agreed and raised the viaduct, but the couple gave him some newborn cats so that they would not have to give him the child they were expecting. Hence the name of the place.

O Pasatempo Bridge

Mondoñedo

Formerly known as Ponte dos Ruzos, this viaduct located on the edge of the town of Mondoñedo owes its current name to a story in which history and legend are mixed and which links it directly to the tragic end of Mariscal Pardo de Cela. This famous nobleman was condemned to death by the Catholic Monarchs for confronting them, and although his wife, Isabel de Castro, managed to get him pardoned, she did not arrive in time to hand over the document and avoid execution. The delay took place precisely on that bridge. Legend has it that the Canons of Mondoñedo, the Marshal’s enemies, kept Isabel de Castro there long enough to prevent her from delivering the news of the pardon and having the sentence carried out. 

As Febres Bridge

Tui

Here again, history and legend come together to explain the name of this small viaduct located on the outskirts of Tui, on the old road to Compostela and the road where pilgrims on the Portuguese Way still travel today. The fevers that give it its name are those of the illness that forced San Telmo to interrupt his journey to Santiago and that would cause his death a few days later. The bridge would be the place where he felt the effects of the disease. Once there, he decided to cancel the pilgrimage and return to the city of which he was later named patron saint.

A Ramallosa Bridge

Nigrán and Baiona

The figure of San Telmo is also linked to the medieval viaduct that links the municipalities of Nigrán and Baiona. In this case, legend has it that a great storm hit the place while the saint was preaching to the faithful. Those present tried to flee in fear, but the saint managed to open a clearing between the clouds and prevent the bridge from suffering the effects of the storm. This is not the only legend that has inspired this viaduct. The bridge was also, in times, the scene of fertility rites. 

Os Padriños Bridge

Ribadumia and Vilanova de Arousa

The bridge that joins the two halves of the Ponte Arnelas village separated by the River Umia is also a place related to ancient fertility practices. And it is these rites that have led to the viaduct being known as the Os Padriños Bridge (Godfathers Bridge). According to tradition, those women who had not been able to carry previous pregnancies to full term had to go to the bridge and ask the first man who crossed it if he could pour water from the River Umia onto her belly. Afterwards, a small party was celebrated on the spot and the dishes were thrown into the river. If the pregnancy ended positively, the stranger would became the newborn’s godfather.

A Ponte Maceira

Ames and Negreira

Located in the middle of Fisterra Way, A Ponte Maceira viaduct is linked to a legend related to the Apostle Santiago. The story explains that a group of disciples who had escaped from the Roman captivity crossed the Tambre River through a viaduct, the As Pías´ Bridge, which collapsed when the legionaries who were trying to hunt them down were crossing it. Although there are several locations where this episode has been situated, the link between A Ponte Maceira and the Jacobean phenomenon has meant that this supposed relationship with the old As Pías´ Bridge has taken on a special intensity in this place.

Furelos River Bridge

Antas de Ulla

It is said that on one of the stones of this bridge located over the river that gives it its name, it is possible to see the outline of a hand. According to the legend, it is the mark left by the “mouro” (a character from Galician mythology) who built the bridge on behalf of the neighbours. This “mouro” had finished the work leaving a stone badly placed so that the structure trembled with the aim of forcing the locals to pay him again for the repair. When he saw that the stratagem had taken effect he repeated it successfully several times. But when the neighbours realised what was happening, they decided to teach him a lesson by heating the badly placed stone with fire in such a way that when the “mouro” move it, his hand was burned and engraved there.

As Partidas Bridge

Ponteareas

Two legendary stories already mentioned converge in this medieval bridge built over the River Tea. One of them tells us that it was built by the “mouros” and the other refers to the fertility rite according to which the woman who wanted to carry her pregnancy to term had to ask a stranger if he could pour water from the river onto her belly. As in other places, the legend here also includes a small feast, the pouring of the remains of the celebration into the river and for the stranger to become the child’s godfather. In addition, the origin of the name of the bridge also moves in this terrain halfway between history and legend. There are those who maintain that it is known as the bridge of As Partidas because it was the usual meeting place of a group of thieves to distribute their booty, but others defend that it owes that name to the fact that it served as a meeting place for a group of knights before they left for the fight.

The Fragas do Eume, which extend through a steep valley of deep gorges, presume to be the best preserved coastal Atlantic forest in Europe and one of the few forests of its kind in the whole continent. Its ecosystem is practically unique.

Declared a Natural Park in 1997, it covers 9.125 hectares that extend along the municipalities of Cabanas, Capela, Monfero, Pontedeume and As Pontes de García Rodríguez.

This is one of the botanical treasures of Galicia and the Iberian Peninsula, as it is home to some species of almost exclusive ferns and that can only be found in very few enclaves of our geography. It is a thick forest full of oak, chestnut, hazel, ash, birch, yew and arbutus where the branches make it difficult to pass light and wind, thus maintaining a humidity and a constant temperature in the soil. This creates the ideal conditions for the presence of many small invertebrates of great ecological value. In the areas closest to the river, small forests of poplars and alders grow, hiding authentic treasures, such as the mosses, specific to this park, and two rare species of daffodils. The undergrowth of the Fragas has a great relevance not only for its heterogeneity but also to house some of the most emblematic species of this space, such as woodwardia, survivor of the ferns that millions of years ago dominated the Mediterranean climate.

Although the flora is the jewel of the Fragas do Eume, they also host some endemic and endangered animal species, from small amphibians and reptiles, such as the red-headed salamander, to larger species such as the wolf or mountain cat, or various birds of prey, like the owl.

The passage of man through these forests throughout history is evident in the remains that are scattered throughout the park: several tombs and “castros”, the medieval monasteries of San Xoán de Caaveiro and Santa María de Monfero, or Torre dos Andrade . Also noteworthy are the beautiful hanging bridges spread over the more than eighty kilometres of river.

As far as the best way to know the park, it is enough to say that it is on foot. Only then can one find absolute silence, feel the moisture in each breath and discover that there is not a single green colour, but there are a thousand different greens. You must see also the views from the Monastery of Caaveiro, located in the heart of the Fragas, and from the four viewpoints enabled throughout the year.

It is, in short, a protected space that offers pleasant surprises to those who go there. Therefore, it is not strange that anyone who visits it is hypnotized by the beauty and magic of the walks as if it were an enchanted forest.