Galicia Tourist Guide 2018

The infinite varieties of green so characteristic of Galician forests, along with the morning fog and rush of the rivers that cut through the land create an atmosphere that is at once calm and mysterious in which to immerse yourself. WOODLANDS OF GALICIA

Os Ancares

Os Ancares, along with O Courel , is one of Galicia's largest flora and fau- na reserves. There are a number of different hiking trails that cut across these mountains in which foxes, wild boars, wolves, roe deer, wood grouse and even bears live. We recommend that you visit the nature classrooms for more precise information before beginning your journey. The pallozas , which are typical mountain homes with roofs made of straw, which helps the snow to slide off of them more easily as opposed to collapsing under its weight, can be found in villages like Piornedo . They are pre-Roman constructions

that were inhabited until recently. The flora you will find in these places includes oak groves and holly trees, which have bright red berries that really stand out amid winter snows. A journey along the Fraga da Marronda , located in Lugo's munici- pality of Baleira, varies depending on the season, due to the changing colours of the scenery. Along the path, which is indicated quite well, you will find bridges, mills and hórreos; the latter were constructed according to the area's typical architecture. You will also see the headwaters of the Eo River,

which flow into the Cantabrian Sea after winding its way through this centuries-old forest. In this leafy fraga , a forest composed on species indigenous to Galicia, you will find oak, birch, chestnut, holly oak, hazelnut and the characteristic holly trees. In this mountainous area you will also find the Cruzul oak forest , which is unique in Galicia, as this spe- cies normally grows in drier climates. Legend has it that it is inhabited by witches. Are brave enough to enter the woods to discover some of its mysteries?

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