Menu
Courel Mountain is the great natural reserve of Galicia; a land of exceptional beauty and long human memory spanning 20,000 hectares across eastern Galicia and the border with El Bierzo and León. Isolated and remote, nature thrives freely and wildly in Courel, contrasting with a scattered and declining population of just over 1,000 residents spread across some 40 villages.
The mountain range holds a permanent presence in the work of Uxío Novoneyra, who was born in the village of Parada, in the “Casa da Fonte” where he resided for long periods. With his first collection of poems, “Os Eidos,” the poet elevated his homeland to the status of a mythical and symbolic space, a “marvelous mountain” where one finds refuge and inspiration.
Novoneyra, alongside Ánxel Fole, María Mariño, Carlos Oroza, and other authors, make Courel one of the most intriguing literary territories on the Peninsula, a place to discover through words.
To see the mountains, to see a marvelous mountain, one must maintain a certain state of grace, a residue of that first innocence of being open that allows children to enter the world and remain with an image forever.
This is the state that any visitor approaching Courel should carry with them.
The mountains of Courel encompass a vast territory of 193.4 km2; 21,020 hectares dominated by nature. The exceptional biodiversity it harbors has led numerous groups to advocate for its designation as a Natural Park for years. These mountains are part of the UNESCO Global Geopark, included in the Natura 2000 Network ZEC-LIC, and have been a Biosphere Reserve since 2021, alongside Ribeira Sacra and Serra do Oribio.
Courel is a land of rugged terrain and contrasts. Its highest peaks reach over 1600 m (such as Formigueiros and Pía Páxaro), while just 3 or 4 kilometers away, the Lor River basin descends to significantly lower altitudes (500-400m). It’s a landscape of peaks and valleys, irrigated by streams and springs, adorned with ancient chestnut trees and lush forests. Devesa da Rogueira, at the heart of the mountains, is one of its most renowned spaces, a primeval forest nourished by the iron-rich waters of Fonte dos Cervos.
This geological and natural landscape coexists with a rich human history dating back to Roman times. The mountains abound with remnants of mining operations and ancient hillforts, alongside villages that preserve traditional farming practices and architecture.
The best way to explore Courel is on foot. There are numerous hiking trails that traverse ancient paths connecting hillforts, hills, and villages. From the Fundación in Parada, the Uxío Novoneyra Route leads to Moreda, at the foot of Devesa, passing through Monte Cido and its Torre Cabreira hillfort. Variants from Parada also connect to the routes of Devesa da Rogueira and Lagoa and Campa da Lucenza.
The Uxío Novoneyra Foundation works to promote the cultural and natural heritage that converges in Courel. We invite you to explore these mountains and visit us at our house in Parada. In the following links, you will find information about the mountains, various routes, and suggestions to explore them so you can plan your visit.