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On the Way of St. James
Description
The dream forest
The river Eume, some hundred kilometres in length, cultivated land for most of its course, ending in a deep gorge. Craggy hills, with a 300 metre drop at some points, still have the original vegetable covering of the Atlantic forests. A forest we have all dreamed of: the denseness, the seasons transformed into colours, a river which shares the salmon’s adventure and seeks to reach the sea to become an estuary.
“Fraga” means a forest with different species of trees. Oaks and chestnut trees provide the deciduous cover, accompanied by birches and alders, ash trees and yews, hazel nut trees and wild fruit trees; and there are perennial laurels, holly trees and strawberry trees. They all form a heterogeneous jungle in which each species has its space. The cork trees, for example, grow on the hills facing south, their northernmost limit in Galicia. On the damp, sombre hills grow a wide collection of lichens, moss and ferns, relics of the Tertiary Period, which are the treasures of climatic forests like the Eume.
The river Eume, some hundred kilometres in length, cultivated land for most of its course, ending in a deep gorge. Craggy hills, with a 300 metre drop at some points, still have the original vegetable covering of the Atlantic forests. A forest we have all dreamed of: the denseness, the seasons transformed into colours, a river which shares the salmon’s adventure and seeks to reach the sea to become an estuary.
“Fraga” means a forest with different species of trees. Oaks and chestnut trees provide the deciduous cover, accompanied by birches and alders, ash trees and yews, hazel nut trees and wild fruit trees; and there are perennial laurels, holly trees and strawberry trees. They all form a heterogeneous jungle in which each species has its space. The cork trees, for example, grow on the hills facing south, their northernmost limit in Galicia. On the damp, sombre hills grow a wide collection of lichens, moss and ferns, relics of the Tertiary Period, which are the treasures of climatic forests like the Eume.
Access
From Pontedeume to the monastery of
Caaveiro, passing through Ombre, on the local
road. Access to the right bank on the turnoffs
from As Neves and Goente, on the AC-141
Cabanas-As Pontes de García Rodríguez road.
Access to the left bank via the local road which
passes the monastery of Monfero.
The Ways of St. James
The English Camino
Situation
Coruña municipalities of Cabanas, A Capela,
As Pontes de García Rodríguez, Monfero and
Pontedeume.
Area
9,125.65 hectares. SCI: 9,076.82 hectares.
Services
Available in several villages around the Park.
Without missing
The Park has four access gates, with no connection
between them. The most visited is that which leads to
the monastery of Caaveiro. Because of the sloping
hillsides this entrance is only possible by following the
course of the river through the fishing reserve of
Ombre, ten kilometres from Pontedeume. The routes
start from the fishermen’s hut of Cal Grande and go
through the forest.
There are restrictions on vehicles at weekends, but there is public transport to the bridge of A Figueira, the closest to the monastery. From this point it takes about fifteen minutes on foot to climb up to the recently restored Benedictine monastery of San Xoán de Caaveiro, a complete monument of Romanesque art, in the heart of the countryside and with panoramic views of the luxuriant forests and the sky. Entry is free with guided visits at approximately 45-minute intervals. This is no problem during the weekends, public holidays and the high season. If you plan to visit the monastery out of these dates, ask for information. Opening hours change according to the season. Having climbed the mountain, and visited the monastery, the path can be continued downwards for a short distance to the murmur of the Sesín, which drains into the Eume, below the monastery. The churning of its pools and its green springs filtered by moss are well worth admiring. The Sesín itself can be approached upstream by another, different route. From the road going from Cabanas to As Pontes de García Rodríguez, take the turnoff in As Neves which leads to Gunxel, where the Sesín mills are located, and then continue on towards the old hydroelectric station of Ventureira. The track gets narrower here on the numerous curves of the tree-covered hills of this route which connects, on the left bank, with the Rebordelo (Monfero) road.
There are restrictions on vehicles at weekends, but there is public transport to the bridge of A Figueira, the closest to the monastery. From this point it takes about fifteen minutes on foot to climb up to the recently restored Benedictine monastery of San Xoán de Caaveiro, a complete monument of Romanesque art, in the heart of the countryside and with panoramic views of the luxuriant forests and the sky. Entry is free with guided visits at approximately 45-minute intervals. This is no problem during the weekends, public holidays and the high season. If you plan to visit the monastery out of these dates, ask for information. Opening hours change according to the season. Having climbed the mountain, and visited the monastery, the path can be continued downwards for a short distance to the murmur of the Sesín, which drains into the Eume, below the monastery. The churning of its pools and its green springs filtered by moss are well worth admiring. The Sesín itself can be approached upstream by another, different route. From the road going from Cabanas to As Pontes de García Rodríguez, take the turnoff in As Neves which leads to Gunxel, where the Sesín mills are located, and then continue on towards the old hydroelectric station of Ventureira. The track gets narrower here on the numerous curves of the tree-covered hills of this route which connects, on the left bank, with the Rebordelo (Monfero) road.
Singular nature
A luxuriant mixed forest regarded to be
one of the most extensive forests on the
Galician coast. Oaks cover the slopes of
the river gorge along with a wide variety
of vegetation and riverside forests. The
humidity favours the growth of a variety
of interesting ferns. Mention must be
made of the 103 species of birds, 41
species of mammals and the eight species
of fish as well as endemic species of
invertebrates and amphibians, including the
Iberian frog.
Information and facilities
Parque Eólico Experimental Sotavento
Telephone: +34 981 563 777
Centro de Recepción do Portal de Monfero
Telephone: +34 881 063 992
Address: DP-5003
Centro de Recepción
Telephone: +34 981 432 528
Address: CarreteraOmbre-Caaveiro, km 5
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