Discover Xermade: Serra da Carba, Mills and Culture

The Camiño Real da Carba crosses the Serra da Carba on its section through the municipality of Xermade; the mountain range forms part of the LIC Serra do Xistral.

Other Places

Meirengos, Fonfría, A Lobagueira, Caldelas, A Ermida, Vilamelle, O Outeiro and Reigosa.

Landscape

The Serra da Carba is a mountain system in the north of the municipality of Xermade and is included in the LIC Serra do Xistral, or Natura 2000 site. The Miradoiro de Castelo de Goía is located there at an altitude of 871 metres.

Fraga da Lagoa is an ecological habitat where centuries-old oaks and holly trees meet native woodland. The entire municipality of Xermade is included in the Terras do Miño Biosphere Reserve, where water shapes the ecosystems. Along the Fragas de Penachaiña on the Ruta do Río Trimaz, traces of the foraging activity of wild animals such as wild boar and deer can be observed.

Trails and Guided Tours

The Ruta Xermade-Sotavento begins in Xermade and ends at the Sotavento Experimental Wind Farm. A telephone reservation is required to visit the park. The educational tour covers energy sources, renewable and non-renewable conversion systems, environmental problems associated with energy use, and energy efficiency and conservation.

The Ruta do Batán de Folgoso passes through a lush riverside landscape to batáns and the remains of mills, a millstone, and a former power station. The Ruta do Río Trimaz begins at the museum-preserved remains of the former parish church of Santa Mariña de Cabreiros. The former Muiño da Madeira along this route has been restored, while the route passes by the old Muiño de Cabreiros. The Muiño do Ferreiro preserves an old millstone.

The Fuente de Santa Mariña is associated with a legend according to which the saint was martyred there and three springs emerged at the spot where her head fell to the ground after she was beheaded.

Culture and History

The Escola Habanera de Roupar was built in the second decade of the 20th century by emigrants from the parish of Roupar and now houses the sociocultural centre of the parish of Roupar de Arriba. The Torre de Roupar is a manor house with a stone tower. Its chapel has a Baroque altarpiece with 18th-century sculptures.

The megalithic remains of Cazás include the Dolmen de Capeirón. The megalithic heritage of Lousada includes burial mounds on Monte Carboeiro. In Burgás, the Castro de Xemaré and several groups of burial mounds are connected.

The museum-preserved area of the former church of Santa Mariña de Cabreiros preserves the arches of the old church and displays stones with inscriptions. The musealisation of the former parish church transformed its ruins into a square inaugurated in 2006. In the centre of Xermade stands the Cruceiro do Cristo Enxoito; its cross is protected by a stone hat intended to shield the figures from the sun and rain.

The Capela da Divina Pastora is a small shrine in O Seo with a stone portico. The Church of Santo André in Xermade is a Modernist building from the 1960s, designed by the architect Rodolfo Ucha.

Events

The Encontro Internacional de Torneiros da Madeira takes place every year in Xermade and includes workshops, exhibitions, and live demonstrations. The monthly feria in Momán takes place on the third Sunday of every month and dates back to 1760.

The Xornadas Interxeracionais Rurais take place in Cabreiros from May to June. Invernada de Cine takes place in Xermade and Cabreiros from October to December.

To the higher-level travel overview: Lugo.