Los Peces

UNKNOWN SPAIN

by caf98

"SANABRIA NATURE PARK"

Usually, Spain is only knowed for the bullfighters, the sun, and a international alcholic drink: the sangria

But Spain has a lot of different regions and unknown places, only visited by the nature lovers or history researchers.

There is a place in the northwest corner, just before Galicia, between Leon and Portugal which is quite impresive. The nature park of Snabria. There remain the last wolves which run free in the coubtry. Also, as it was createby the force of the ice (in the last glaciation), there is full of lakes and wide valleys where some people go skiing.

"PUEBLA DE SANABRIA"

Puebla is the main town of the region. Placed on a hill, over an ancient celtic town, has a lot of beautiful and well mantained streets. There are also a Castle of the XV th century and a Church of the same century.
You can get to Puebla by the highway which goes from Madrid to Orense. This is the starting point of the route.

"SAN MARTIN DE CASTANEDA"

From Puebla to San Martin we drive by a narrow road passing through an oak forest completely different form the permanent image of the dry Spain.

We cross also some other interesting villages until we arrive to San Martin(1200 meters high). There we can visit the Museum of the Park, a benedictin monastry of the XII th century.
We can also go along the road to a lake called Laguna de los Peces, which is placed at 1600 meters.

"HIKING"

The Park has a lot of marked and non-marked paths, which allow to reach the most spectacular places of the park and the highest peaks (Trevinca Mountain 2030 meters high). You can get this information in the museum of Sant Martin. You can also ask in the tourist office of Puebla.

Finally, you can do water sports in the lake, the main atracction of the park. Ribadelago, a village placed in the shore of the lake could be an interesting point of acces to visit the lake.