What is known as the Ártabra coast is located northwest of the coast of Galicia, between the estuaries of Ares and Ortigueira. As well as its breathtaking views and unspoilt nature, the Ártabra coast stands out for having been declared a place of great geological interest due to the variety and age of its rocks.
The whole area is declared a Site of Community Importance (SCI), for its ecosystems and special characteristics. It is considered an Area of Landscape Interest and many unique features are added to these values, from the numerous lighthouses and sanctuaries to the A Capelada mountains, with the highest cliffs in Europe.
In the site which encompasses the Costa Ártabra, the area known as "Monte da Lagoa" stands out - presided over by an early Neolithic fence: the first "causewayed enclosure" documented and published in Spain (1999)- and every one of the different material and immaterial features that make up this unique territory belonging to the Concello de Narón which is a crucial part of the Galician Coast.
In Neolithic times, the Monte da Lagoa mountains, like their European relatives, were used to gather livestock at night and had a ceremonial function derived from dividing the year into two parts, one light: the 1st of May with the cattle ascending the mountain and one dark: the first of November, with the cattle descending to the Val de Trasancos valley.
These are highlights of the tours: Pena Molexa, an extraordinary megalithic monument pointing to the rise of the full moon in the summer solstice of the Metonic year, Pena Lopesa, Campo do Avial and O Casal, all three on the coastline between the hermitages of Santa Comba and San Andrés de Teixido (shrines and places of pilgrimage for Galicians full of legends and mysticism).
The peak of Monte da Lagoa is impressive, and from here the entire Ferrolterra region can be seen, where we can experience and understand the magic this land offers us.
And the Castro de Vilasuso castle which is preserved with its wall and moat dominating the fertile territory of O Val.
This route, ideal for photography lovers, combines naturally rugged landscapes with steep cliffs and the tranquility of the inland Valle de Trasancos.
The route is in the form a figure of eight, starting and ending in the same place and accommodating the possibility of visiting only one of the circuits:
Tour A
Pena Molexa. 5.140 m.
Tour B
Pena Molexa - Monte da Lagoa. 12.150 m.