Natural Parks in Galicia

• Region: Galicia
• Province: Orense
• Declared a Natural Park: 2002
• Park surface area: 3,151 hectares
• Towns and Villages: Rubiá, Oulego, O Robledo, Porto, O Real, Biobra, Covas, Vilardesilva, Pardollán

Points of interest

The Serra da Enciña da Lastra Natural Park is a protected area that includes the surroundings of the Serra da Enciña da Lastra mountains and a limestone valley with steep slopes and cliffs, including the pena (rock) falcoeira , the Inferno valley (val do Inferno) and the penedos de Oulego (Oulego cliffs).

This area holds the the largest area of ​​oak forest in Galicia. The river Sil flows for about four kilometers along the eastern end of the park and in is damned to create the Penarrubia reservoir.

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• Region: Galicia
• Province: Orense
• Declared a Natural Park: 1997
• Park surface area: 5722 hectares
• Towns and Villages: Villarino de Conso

Points of interest

The high mountains of the Monte o Invernadeiro Natural Park can only be described as stunning with its peaks and valleys covered in grasses, large extensions of scrub, woodland and riverside habitat. The area receives maximum protection so a permit from the park authorities is required in order to enter the protected area. (Ask about this in your hotel or other accommodation, maybe they can get the permits for you.) Or check out the information centre details at the bottom of this article.

The park has several interesting trails of biological, geological and cultural interest. Some are the Valdeirexa or Cercados route, the Aceveda route, the A Troitas route, the A Agua route, the A Corga route and the Ortiga route

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• Region: Galicia
• Province: Orense
• Declared a Natural Park: 1993
• Declared the Gerês-Xurés Transboundary Biosphere Reserve in 2009
• Park surface area: 20,920 hectares
• Towns and villages: Entrimo, Lovios, Muiños, Bande, Olelas, A Terrachá

Points of interest

The Baixa Limia-Serra do Xures Natural Park and, on the Portuguese side of the border, the Peneda-Gerês National Park are now joined to create the Gerês-Xurés Transboundary Biosphere Reserve (RBTGX) With an area of ​​267,958 ha, of protected territory in two natural spaces divided between Spain and Portugal.

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• Region: Galicia
• Province: Pontevedra
• Declared a Natural Park: 1978
• Park surface area: 746 hectares
• Towns and villages: Tuy

Points of interest

Located in the south of Pontevedra province the Monte Aloia Natural park (the first natural park in Galicia) is basically the summit of the Sierra de Galiñeiro mountain range.

There are prehistoric and Roman remains in the area and the fascinating local history is surrounded by legends such as this is place of the mythical mountain called Monte Medulio where the collective suicide of the Celtic tribes rather than falling into the hands of the Romans took place.

Forestry engineer Rafael Areses Vidal was born in Tui in 1878 who died in 1953. He was a man born before his time and transformed this landscape a hundred years ago with a reforestation project that included autochthonous vegetation as well as other exotic species, such as cypress, spruce and Lebanon cedar. He promoted the reforestation of Mount Aloia, creating in 1906 the Viveiro Forestal de Areas on Mount Seixos Albos (the first woodland plant nursery of its kind in Galicia) and In 1909 he started the first official plantations in Oia, Tui , A Guarda (on the mountain of Santa Trega), Baiona and Ponteareas. The supplies from his forest nurseries promoted the extension of the pine plantations in the whole of Galicia.

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