The rock engravings of Val de Roxos, the inscriptions on the Pedra da Legua stone and the Cascadas del río Roxos offer different perspectives on the area. The themes range from prehistoric rock art and inscriptions from several periods to a river that descends steeply towards the Sar. To get your bearings, it is worth looking closely at these cultural and landscape connections individually.

Rock Art and the Camino de Santiago

More than twenty rocks with prehistoric engravings are located in Val de Roxos. It is also home to the largest concentration of rock engravings in Compostela. These two perspectives complement each other: one gives a sense of the many rocks in the area, while the other places the valley in context by comparing it with the rest of Compostela. Together, they mark an important centre of regional rock art.

The Petroglyph do Rexío is considered one of the most striking rock art sites in Parque Compostela Rupestre. It lies directly on the Camino de Santiago route that continues to Fisterra and Muxía. Pedra da Legua has a different connection to the route: the stone is near the centre of Roxos and close to the current route of the Camino de Santiago to Fisterra. The route details are therefore clearly distinct: for Rexío, its direct location on the continuation of the route is specified; for Pedra da Legua, its proximity to the town centre and the current route is highlighted.

Stone Inscriptions, Bridge and Wayside Cross

The Pedra da Legua stone bears inscriptions from various periods, including the year 1760. This represents a different timeframe from the prehistoric engravings of Val de Roxos: several periods are represented on the stone, while the valley is home to prehistoric rock art. The year is a specific chronological reference among the inscriptions.

Ponte de Brea is a stone bridge over the Roxos River and has three arches. In the region, it is known as the “Roman bridge”. Its specific design and its regional name go hand in hand: the three arches describe the structure, while “Roman bridge” reflects the name used in the region.

The Crucero de Roxos is part of the complex of the Chapel of San Miguel. Made of granite, the wayside cross has an octagonal cross with fleur-de-lis-shaped finials and depicts Christ crucified, Santiago Matamoros and Santa Teresa. It thus combines a described cross shape with three specific religious depictions, setting it apart from the prehistoric engravings.

Waterfalls and Circular Hike

The Cascadas del río Roxos form where the Roxos River, within the municipalities of Santiago and Ames, descends steeply towards the Sar River. To understand the setting, the river’s course and the municipal area go together: the Roxos descends towards the Sar, and the Cascadas lie in the specified area of Santiago and Ames.

The Ruta Circular Diurna Petroglifos de Val de Roxos is a circular hike that starts and ends at Ponte Brea in A Portela, Villestro. Having the same starting and ending point makes the route easy to navigate. The route details therefore address a different planning question from the description of the Cascadas: the hike’s start and end points are specified, while the waterfalls are described in terms of the descent, river and municipal area.

Discover more destinations: Formaris.

Go to the main travel overview: Santiago De Compostela.