Eume National Park and Forgoselo Mountain Range
Walking or bicycle routes
Eume reservoir (As Pontes): Goente - O Gallel - Monte Fontardión - O Gallel - Murixoso - dam of the Eume reservoir and back
Level of difficulty: medium.
Duration: 3-4 hours.
Basic information: route through the area surrounding the Fragas do Eume Natural Park with the chance to see birds of prey (Falco peregrinus, Circaetus gallicus, Milvus migrans) from the summit of Fontardión (665 metres above sea level), from where you can also observe the migration of passerine birds in autumn. In the Eume reservoir there are Ptyonoprogne rupestris and there is a chance you will hear Bubo bubo at night.
Monte Caxado (As Pontes): Somede - Monte Caxado - Somede
Level of difficulty: medium.
Duration: 1-2 hrs.
Basic information: route from the parish of Somede, with a short climb up the Caxado mountain (752 metres above sea level), in the very south of the Serra da Faladoira range. The pine forests found here are home to Carduelis spinus and nesting Serinus citrinella as well as other forest passerines. From the summit, also the site of a radar station, Gyps fulvus can be spotted between May and September.
SPECIES OF INTEREST No. of recorded species: 143
Iberian public (N): Loxia curvirostra, Emberiza citrinella, Cinclus cinclus, Circaetus gallicus, Gyps fulvus, Bubo bubo
Iberian public (C, S & E): Emberiza citrinella, Phylloscopus ibericus, Cinclus cinclus
European public (N): Gyps fulvus, Circaetus gallicus, Bubo bubo, Cisticola juncidis
European public (C, S & E): Circaetus gallicus, Sylvia undata, Emberiza cirlus, Alectoris rufa
Occasional visitors: Elanus caeruleus, Charadrius morinellus, Tetrax tetrax, Egretta alba
Best times: Nesting and post-mating passage from March to September and beginning of wintering from October to December.
Level of difficulty: medium.
Duration: 3-4 hours.
Basic information: route through the area surrounding the Fragas do Eume Natural Park with the chance to see birds of prey (Falco peregrinus, Circaetus gallicus, Milvus migrans) from the summit of Fontardión (665 metres above sea level), from where you can also observe the migration of passerine birds in autumn. In the Eume reservoir there are Ptyonoprogne rupestris and there is a chance you will hear Bubo bubo at night.
Monte Caxado (As Pontes): Somede - Monte Caxado - Somede
Level of difficulty: medium.
Duration: 1-2 hrs.
Basic information: route from the parish of Somede, with a short climb up the Caxado mountain (752 metres above sea level), in the very south of the Serra da Faladoira range. The pine forests found here are home to Carduelis spinus and nesting Serinus citrinella as well as other forest passerines. From the summit, also the site of a radar station, Gyps fulvus can be spotted between May and September.
SPECIES OF INTEREST No. of recorded species: 143
Iberian public (N): Loxia curvirostra, Emberiza citrinella, Cinclus cinclus, Circaetus gallicus, Gyps fulvus, Bubo bubo
Iberian public (C, S & E): Emberiza citrinella, Phylloscopus ibericus, Cinclus cinclus
European public (N): Gyps fulvus, Circaetus gallicus, Bubo bubo, Cisticola juncidis
European public (C, S & E): Circaetus gallicus, Sylvia undata, Emberiza cirlus, Alectoris rufa
Occasional visitors: Elanus caeruleus, Charadrius morinellus, Tetrax tetrax, Egretta alba
Best times: Nesting and post-mating passage from March to September and beginning of wintering from October to December.
Routes by car
Long route: Goente - chapel of San Roque - Lourentín - Sáa - Espiñaredo - Pena de Eiriz - O Castro - Os Miguelares - corral - Goente (28 km)
Recommended between March and June.
From Goente (Pyrrhula pyrrhula, Emberiza cirlus, Circus pygargus), follow the AC-142 to the small chapel of San Roque, from where you can make observations (with the aid of a telescope) over the south side of the As Pontes slag heap (Circus pygargus, Falco tinnunculus and even Elanus caeruleus, looking out for Capreolus capreolus).
A few kilometres further on, take the left turn towards Sáa, and come to the C-641. Carrying on along this road, stop to observe the recently created (2010) As Pontes lake, in search of waterfowl. Passing through Espiñaredo (Emberiza citrinella, Ptyonoprogne rupestris, Phylloscopus ibericus), you come to Pena de Eiriz.
Take a left turn in the direction of the church of Seoane and O Castro (Strix aluco, Scolopax rusticola, Corvus corax). Once you have passed Os Miguelares, you arrive in a rocky area with scrubland (Lanius meridionalis, Lullula arborea, Turdus viscivorus).
Take a dirt track towards a horse corral, though you can carry on along the track southwards. In the forests of Pinus sylvestris you have the chance to see Loxia curvirostra andCarduelis spinus, and also Anthus spinoletta in the small streams and pools. At the end of a fairly long, winding track (Turdus viscivorus, Anthus spinoletta), you arrive back at Goente.
Short route: Cabanas (junction with the AP-9) - A Casilla - Lavandeira - As Neves - O Poboado - Gunxel - Eume power station (18 km)
Recommended in spring.
From the AP-9, take the turn-off for Cabanas and Pontedeume. Immediately after the toll, take the roundabout exit for the AC-141 (As Pontes) and continue along the road towards Casilla and the northern side of the Fragas do Eume Natural Park (Pernis apivorus, Emberiza cia, Pyrrhula pyrrhula).
Going through Lavandeira, you reach As Neves (Emberiza citrinella, Phylloscopus ibericus, Strix aluco), from where you take a right turn towards the Eume power station. After going through O Poboado and Gunxel, head down towards the River Eume in the area around the power station (Cinclus cinclus, Strix aluco, Circaetus gallicus).
Long route: Goente - chapel of San Roque - Lourentín - Sáa - Espiñaredo - Pena de Eiriz - O Castro - Os Miguelares - corral - Goente (28 km)
Recommended between March and June.
From Goente (Pyrrhula pyrrhula, Emberiza cirlus, Circus pygargus), follow the AC-142 to the small chapel of San Roque, from where you can make observations (with the aid of a telescope) over the south side of the As Pontes slag heap (Circus pygargus, Falco tinnunculus and even Elanus caeruleus, looking out for Capreolus capreolus).
A few kilometres further on, take the left turn towards Sáa, and come to the C-641. Carrying on along this road, stop to observe the recently created (2010) As Pontes lake, in search of waterfowl. Passing through Espiñaredo (Emberiza citrinella, Ptyonoprogne rupestris, Phylloscopus ibericus), you come to Pena de Eiriz.
Take a left turn in the direction of the church of Seoane and O Castro (Strix aluco, Scolopax rusticola, Corvus corax). Once you have passed Os Miguelares, you arrive in a rocky area with scrubland (Lanius meridionalis, Lullula arborea, Turdus viscivorus).
Take a dirt track towards a horse corral, though you can carry on along the track southwards. In the forests of Pinus sylvestris you have the chance to see Loxia curvirostra andCarduelis spinus, and also Anthus spinoletta in the small streams and pools. At the end of a fairly long, winding track (Turdus viscivorus, Anthus spinoletta), you arrive back at Goente.
Short route: Cabanas (junction with the AP-9) - A Casilla - Lavandeira - As Neves - O Poboado - Gunxel - Eume power station (18 km)
Recommended in spring.
From the AP-9, take the turn-off for Cabanas and Pontedeume. Immediately after the toll, take the roundabout exit for the AC-141 (As Pontes) and continue along the road towards Casilla and the northern side of the Fragas do Eume Natural Park (Pernis apivorus, Emberiza cia, Pyrrhula pyrrhula).
Going through Lavandeira, you reach As Neves (Emberiza citrinella, Phylloscopus ibericus, Strix aluco), from where you take a right turn towards the Eume power station. After going through O Poboado and Gunxel, head down towards the River Eume in the area around the power station (Cinclus cinclus, Strix aluco, Circaetus gallicus).