O Courel, with its high peaks looking out into the distance extends between O Cebreiro, entry point from the Way of Saint James in Galicia, and the river Sil to the south, but not touching it. It is one of the oldest lands on the Peninsula.

It has manifest geological interest: a multitude of caves and tunnels and the spectacular fold of Campodola (Quiroga), regarded as one of the geological monuments of Europe.

Land of the wolf, the boar's stomping ground...

O Courel is Galicia's great green reserve. All the species except coastal ones are represented in this geographical mountain crossroads, with the best of Atlantic and Mediterranean characteristics. There are chestnut trees around the villages and a stronghold of olives in Quiroga. The typical forests of O Courel are the dehesas, a name used to refer to the forests of many other tree species, generally at the heads of the rivers.

Here one hardly feels what a man is...

Reads the song to the beauty of nature in the verses by the national poet Uxío Novoneyra. The sparse population of these places, where the provinces of Lugo and Ourense come together with the Leon region of El Bierzo, is today one of the oldest in Europe. But the narrow valleys of the Lor, Lóuzara, Selmo and Sondón rivers exude real diversity and history. O Courel's other heritage, its slate villages the heart of the mountain range, can be found on the green slopes. From Romeor to Froxán and from A Ferrería to Ferramulín, the four cardinal points.

O seu interese xeolóxico é manifesto: multitude de covas vivas e gateiras ou o espectacular pregamento de Campodola (Quiroga), cualificado como un dos monumentos xeolóxicos de Europa.

Outstanding Nature

Peaks attached to the piornales and generally with a predominance of scrubland and also moors and "xesteiras". Forests at medium altitudes, of oaks, birches and beech trees. Well preserved outstanding leafy forests like the forest of Rogueira.

Abundant fauna with more than 170 species of vertebrates: wolves, foxes, wild boar, badgers and pine martens. Interesting colonies associated with deep fissures and caves.

Useful information

Location
Extreme southeast of the province of Lugo. Municipalities of As Nogais, Pedrafita do Cebreiro, Folgoso do Courel, Samos, Triacastela, O Incio, A Pobra do Brollón, Quiroga and Ribas de Sil.

Area
TSCI "Ancares-Courel" 102,438.90 hectares.

Acess

  • The LU-651 road crosses O Courel from north to south.
  • It is reached from the north on the descent to O Cebreiro on the LU-633 Pedrafita- Sarria road.
  • From the south, there is a turnoff in Quiroga on the N-120 Ponferrada-Ourense road.
  • Nature workshop of Moreda do Courel (Folgoso do Courel).

Services

  • Accommodation: Yes.
  • Food: Yes.

Facilities
Nature Workshop of Moureda do Courel (Folgoso do Courel).

Arriba