Fragas do Eume Natural Park

The Fragas do Eume Natural Park protects one of the best-preserved Atlantic forests in Europe. We tell you how to get there, what to see and how to combine it with the English Way.

The Fragas do Eume Natural Park protects one of the best-preserved Atlantic forests in Europe. It covers a little over 9,000 hectares along the Eume river canyon, in the north of the province of A Coruña, spread across Pontedeume, Cabanas, A Capela, Monfero and As Pontes. It was declared a natural park in 1997.

Its name comes from the Galician word fraga, which means a dense, tangled forest with many species of trees mixed together. Oaks, chestnuts, birches, alders, ash trees, hazels, hollies, laurels and strawberry trees grow here, and the constant humidity covers trunks and rocks in moss, ferns and lichens.

This is a forest with very ancient roots: these fragas are considered a remnant of the vegetation that covered a large part of Europe before the ice ages. That is why they are a natural jewel that deserves to be looked after.

How to get into the Fragas do Eume Natural Park

The park has several access roads that are not connected to each other. The most visited one is from Pontedeume: the road that climbs along the riverbank to the visitor centre in Andarúbel and continues towards the monastery of Caaveiro. On the other side of the river you reach the monastery of Monfero, where there is another visitor centre, and from A Capela you reach the area of the old power stations.

At Easter and in summer car access to Caaveiro is restricted and a free bus runs from the visitor centre. The dates and timetables change every year, so it is best to check them before you go.

Many visitors to the park are pilgrims walking the English Way: Pontedeume is the end of a stage and is just a few minutes by car from the forest, so it is a great plan for the afternoon or for a rest day.

What to see in the Fragas do Eume

Monastery of Caaveiro

This is the great symbol of the park. It was founded more than a thousand years ago on a rocky spur, high above a bend in the river, and from there it seems to hang over the forest. It was a refuge for monks and pilgrims for centuries and today you can visit it. You get there along the Encomendeiros trail, a track that follows the river from the visitor centre, or by the seasonal bus, which drops you a few minutes on foot away.

Monastery of Santa María de Monfero

This Cistercian monastery, in the upper part of the park, dates back to the Middle Ages and stands out for its Baroque facade, with a striking checkerboard pattern of granite and slate. From there, trails lead through oak and chestnut woods with views of the reservoir and the river.

The old power stations

Along the riverbank you can still find old hydroelectric power stations, such as the one at A Ventureira, which the vegetation has gradually wrapped itself around. The path linking them is another of the loveliest routes in the park.

The Eume river

The Eume river has carved out a deep canyon, with very steep slopes covered by the original forest. In autumn the leaves turn yellow and red, and at any time of year the sound of the water keeps you company throughout the walk.

Tips for visiting the Fragas do Eume

Wear comfortable footwear and something warm, because inside the forest it is cool and damp almost all year round. At the visitor centre they can tell you about the trails and their condition, and help you choose the one that best fits your time.

And if you want to combine the Fragas do Eume with your pilgrimage, on the English Way you spend the night in Pontedeume. Pick your dates and calculate the price of your English Way in a couple of minutes.