Sobreirais do Arnego Cork Oak Forest

The Sobreirais do Arnego Cork Oak Forest constitute one of the most distinctive forest areas of inland Galicia. This is an extensive natural area of about 1,123 hectares organised around the valley of the River Arnego, a tributary of the Ulla, where one of the best mixed forests of cork oak and oak in Galicia is preserved. The cork oak (sobreira in Galician) is a relatively rare species in Galicia, as it only thrives in well-protected river valleys, which makes this enclave a true botanical refuge.

The most developed specimens can reach up to 25 metres in height, forming a dense and very characteristic forest mass. Many of them still show the scars left by the traditional extraction of cork, a centuries-old practice linked to the use of this natural resource and part of the economic and cultural history of the area. This coexistence between forest and human activity has helped shape a landscape of great ecological and heritage value.

One of the best places to explore this environment is the Carmoega Valley, in the municipality of Agolada, where the cork oak forest appears especially dense and well preserved. Here visitors can find the Mill Trail, a pleasant route that runs alongside the River Arnego and features paths, old water mills and a recreational area, allowing visitors to enjoy this singular riverside forest within a peaceful and beautiful natural setting.

Overall, the Sobreirais do Arnego Cork Oak Forest represent an area of great ecological and landscape interest, where biodiversity, tradition and the ethnographic heritage of inland Galicia come together.