Two circular route options of 11 and 15 kilometres make the “Os muíños do río Loña” trail a practical starting point for planning a trip to O Pereiro De Aguiar. Other highlights include scenery around the Encoro de Cachamuíña reservoir and several themes relating to cultural history. This lets you tailor your choices to whether a set route length, a waterside walk, or architecture and history matter most to you.
Mill Trail along the Río Loña
The “Os muíños do río Loña” trail offers a short 11-kilometre circular option and a longer 15-kilometre one, which includes a detour to the recreational area. The distances give you a clear basis for comparing the routes; the detour is part of the longer option. The route also explores the water-powered technology behind the small mills. Riverside woodland and the characteristic wildlife of the Río Loña are among its natural highlights, while several viewpoints in the Chaira mountains offer views of the mountain landscape. The mills therefore draw attention both to the technology and to the river scenery.
Walking Trail and Nature at the Encoro de Cachamuíña
The walking trail around the Encoro de Cachamuíña reservoir follows a level route through Atlantic and Mediterranean vegetation. Its wildlife includes reptiles, mammals and birds that live there or stop to rest during migration. The recreational area has improved pedestrian access, distinctive wooden walkways connecting the two riverbanks, and various sports facilities. Unlike the two circular options along the Río Loña, the focus here is on a level waterside route. You can choose according to your preferred type of walk: a circular trail with a stated distance, or a walking path defined by its scenery and wildlife.
Río Miño and Viewpoints
The “Sicenata – Castelo de Parada” route lies on the banks of the Río Miño in the northern part of the municipality and includes nearby viewpoints in a particularly scenic natural area. Restored traditional paths improve access to one of the most significant epigraphic complexes on the Iberian Peninsula. For trip planning, this route offers a different focus from the distances given for the mill trail: here, the Miño, the viewpoints and access to the epigraphic complex take centre stage.
The Miradoiro do Castelo de Parada viewpoint stands on a rocky rise at an elevation of 427.6 metres and offers panoramic views across the Río Miño valley. Its elevation and views across the valley give this viewpoint a clearly defined character. This lets you distinguish between the riverside route with its nearby viewpoints and a specifically named panoramic viewpoint, without combining them into a single route.
Churches and Manor-House Architecture
The Iglesia de San Juan de Moreiras is a parish church dating from the second half of the 12th century, probably from its final years, and is considered the oldest church in the municipality. Its nave has a single aisle, and its apse is semicircular. The west-facing main portal has round-arched archivolts, a plain tympanum and columns with simple capitals. The components are easy to distinguish: the nave and apse describe the church’s structure, while the archivolts, tympanum and capitals define the portal. The church also houses a silver processional cross from the late 17th century.
The hamlet of Lamela is home to O Pazo de Casa Blanca and A Torre Lamela. They are considered two of the finest examples of manor-house architecture in the province of Ourense. Pazo de Casdemiro, by contrast, is in the village of Casdemiro, in the parish of Santa María de Melias, and can be reached via the N-120 from Ourense to Ponferrada. These three buildings offer different points of interest for anyone interested in architecture: a church with clearly describable features, and two buildings regarded as outstanding examples of secular architecture.
Bernardo González del Valle
Cachamuíña was the birthplace and place of death of Bernardo González del Valle, who was known as Cachamuíña. In 1809, he breached the Porta de Gamboa in Vigo and recaptured the square, which was then occupied by the French. This biographical thread links Cachamuíña to a specific event in Vigo and adds a historical perspective to the architectural themes. When deciding what to focus on, you can distinguish between landscapes, architectural history and the life story of someone connected with the municipality.
Discover more destinations: Río, Astureses, Os Vilares, Seixalbo, Boborás, Albarellos, Feás, Arnado.
For the broader travel overview: Ourense.
