As Pontes De García Rodríguez: Lake, Trails and Mining History

In As Pontes De García Rodríguez, you can enjoy water sports at Playa del Lago de As Pontes; there are hiking trails around Playa del Lago de As Pontes.

Nature

Lago de As Pontes is 5 km long, 2 km wide and has a circumference of 18 km. Almost half of its shoreline has been developed as a publicly accessible promenade.

Senda de la Memoria is an 8.3 km trail around Lago de As Pontes that can be used on foot or by bicycle; motorised vehicles are not permitted there. PR-G 147 As Fragas da Ribeira e do Lostegal is a 19 km circular route. It begins in Parque da Fraga in the centre of As Pontes de García Rodríguez, at the crossing over the Eume, and leads through dense oak, holly and laurel forests before reaching the reservoir.

Senda de la Calvo Sotelo is 1.6 km long and uses six information panels to explain the industrialisation that has taken place on the banks of the Eume since the beginning of the 20th century. On Senda de la Memoria, interpretive panels provide information about the people, settlements and parishes that disappeared during coal mining. In Espiñaredo, this trail includes a birdwatching observatory and offers views of Lago de As Pontes.

Mirador Monte Caxado offers views of the surrounding landscapes; in clear weather, the Sisargas Islands can be seen to the west. Cascadas de Somede is a series of waterfalls on the Rego dos Campos in a native woodland area containing several mills. Cascadas de As Painceiras de Bermui comprises two waterfalls with drops of 10 and 12 m respectively, in a well-preserved native woodland area within the Eume Canyon.

Área Recreativa de O Caneiro is located in a well-preserved Atlantic woodland on the Eume. It has a picnic area with stone tables and benches, as well as a fire pit for cooking. Embalse de la Ribeira continues to be used as a training venue by Grupo Xuvenil de Piragüismo.

Culture

Ponte de García Rodríguez was commissioned by García Rodríguez de Valcárcel in the 15th century. It has a larger Gothic arch on the left, with a span of approximately 9 m, and a smaller semicircular arch on the right. The historic district of Casco Histórico de A Vila grew out of a medieval settlement at the foot of the Eume.

The medieval Puente Romana over the Chamoselo River was probably built around the 14th century and has a semicircular arch and a simple slate-masonry wall. Puente de la Piedra was moved to its present location in the 1970s because of coal mining and now provides access to Parque Vila de Lesneven across the Brixeo River.

Molino de Alende dates from 1805 and retains its water-powered mechanism, as well as the dam and channel that supplied it with water. Molino Fábrica de la Luz was the first power station in As Pontes. It was built in 1906 by the company Prieto y Compañía and used water from the Eume to generate hydroelectric power.

Museo Etnográfico Monte Caxado presents a permanent exhibition on two floors featuring everyday objects and items from former occupations in As Pontes, as well as photographs, documents, audio recordings and videos. Centro Expositivo de la Maquinaria Minera de As Pontes “CEMAM” presents a permanent exhibition about machinery used in coal mining in As Pontes.

Centro de Interpretación “A Mina” presents the history of the lignite deposit from its origins to the present day through graphic and audiovisual documents, as well as interpretive panels. Poblado de As Veigas comprises 230 homes across 27 hectares and was planned as a self-contained district with schools, a clinic, a shop, a church, and sports and leisure facilities. It was built in several construction phases between 1946 and 1962 to accommodate 1,500 residents.

Museo “Casa do Mel” in Goente has an exhibition on beekeeping ethnography and offers tours for all audiences, conveying culture and knowledge about beekeeping.

Events

Capilla de San Vicente de Pontoibo is associated with the annual Romería de San Vicente, held on 22 January and featuring an auction and festival. Feria de As Pontes takes place on the 1st and 15th of every month. Feira do Grelo takes place on Carnival Sunday in As Pontes, while Feira de Fungos e Cogomelos is held in As Pontes on the weekend before All Souls’ Day.

Other places: Reborido, Ordes, Muxía, Ortigueira, Visantoña, Corrubedo, Guitiriz, Biduído

To the higher-level travel overview: Coruña.