What is...

It is an European network of nature protection areas of high ecological value. The aim of the network is to assure the long-term survival of Europe’s most valuable and threatened species and habitats. Fifty-nine SCI (Sites of Community Importance) and fourteen Zepas ( Special Protection Zones for Birds) are part of this net in Galicia.

www.camarinas.net

Camariñas Coast morphology is the result of the combined action of several factors, such as the waves and the strong winds over the rocks, which have given rise to the wide ran-ge of shapes that can be found in this coastal zone.

In a tour around this impressive place, we can discover thoroughly sculpted stones with an-thropomorphic and zoomorphic shapes. We can also find some singular places such as the stony beaches, formed by rolling stones of great size, which will be the subsequent source of sediments to the formation of the beaches. Undoubtedly, the main geomor-phologic shape in Camariñas is Mount Bran-

co, the hightest dune in the peninsula and one of the highest in Europe, with more than 150 meters high.

Vegetation in this zone reaches a great de-velopment, variety and conservation status that situates this SCI among the most im-portant natural places in the north-west of the peninsula.

Cliff vegetation and coastal plains, such as an endemic herb known as the ”Falling in love herb” (Armeria pubigera subsp.pubigera) and the marine parsil (Crithmum maritimum), dominate a great part of this SCI area. Just at the top of this habitats the heather bushes and gorse, of short size and fluffy appearance, constitute the richest community in this natural space.

The characteristic vegetation of beaches and dunes has also a large number of enclaves, for example the sandy areas of A Pedrosa, Reira, and Trece, with a development level and naturalness that give an importat value to the space. The presence of the Caramiña (Corema album) is remarkable at the beach known as Trece, next to Mount Branco, where it is located its main site in Galicia. These habitats shelter a great number of unusual endemic species, such as the Iberis procumbens subsp. procumbens, Otanthus maritimus, Silene scabriflora subsp. gallaecica, Linaria aguillonensis and the endangered Omphaloides littoralis subsp. gallaecica, endemic of the province of A Coruña.

FLORA

Camariñas Municipality is situated in the north of the Iberian Peninsula, in the Galician province of A Coruña.

The main part of the coast of this territory is included in the SCI Protected Natural Space of the Death Coast, due to the importance of the marine ecosystems and the biodiversity of the flora and fauna.

The landscape is characterized by the alternation of sandy areas, beaches of granitic rolling stones, and rocky places with impressive cliffs.

This diversity of coast shapes makes navigation extremely difficult and dangerous. Along the history, more than twenty shipwrecks have been registered in this coastal zone. A special tragic site is Boi point is Punta do Boi which is hidden under the surf and that has caused at least eleven shipwrecks. Specially tragic were the sinking of the Irish Hull in 1833, with thirty-eight crew members on board and just one survivor, and the HMS Serpent Training-ship sinking in 1890 with one hundred and seventy-five deceased men who were buried in the English Graveyard.

FACTS ABOUT NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

SCI Code: ES1110005.BIOCLIMATIC REGION: Atlantic.CITY COUNCILS: Camariñas, Arteixo, Cabana de Bergantiños, Carballo, Fisterra, A Laracha, Laxe, Malpica, Muxía, Ponteceso and Vimianzo.SCI AREA: 12,094.43 Ha MUNICIPAL AREA IN NATURA 2000: 1,200.48 HaINCLUSION DATE: 2001OTHER DESIGNATIONS: • IBA 004 Death Coast (North), included in

the SEO/Birdlife inventory (1998).•Special Protection Zone for Birds (North Death

Coast, ZEPA ES 0000176, In June, 2003).•Special Protection Zone of Natural Values

(2004).

DESCRIPTION

GEOMORPHOLOGY

This natural space has a great interest because of its birds, particularly for its aquatic bird populations that gather together in Cape Vilan islets to nest.

The inlet known as ilan de Fora is the favourite place to nest for some endangered species, such as the Kittiwake (Rissa tridactila), and it is home to the unique colony of babies of the Spanish Common Guillemot (Uria algae). Moreover, the European duck nests in its setting, as well as the Cormorant, with 250 couples in this zone.

This coast fringe is an area of migration passage and staying for hundreds of thousands of speci-mens of other migratory, wintering aquatic bird species (cory’s shearwater, gannets, cormorants, guillemots, seagulls, manx shearwater...).

FAUNACouncil of Camariñas NATURA 2000

NATURA 2000? NATURA2000

AC-432

AC-1603

AC-1601

ReiraBeach

Vilan de Fora islet

Pedrosa PointCAPEVILAN

PedrosaBeach

BaleaBeach

LagoBeach

Cape Trece or Tosto

TreceBeach

BoiPoint

Cape Veo

Salt Stone

CamelleBeach

SabadelleInlet

LingundeBeach

Areada Vila Beach

Ariño Beach

Portoestuary

FornosapoIsland

A BasaInlet

AriñaBrancaBeach

Rego dos CoirosBeach

Hell´scavern

Santa MariñaBeach

LobeirasBeach

Grande River

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CAMELLE

A PONTE DO PORTODor

Pescadoira

Brañas Verdes

Arou

Wind Farmof Cape Vilan

Mourín

Santa Mariña

Mount Branco

Pena Forcada Mountains

Mount Ínsua

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Aldea Madeira resort

ArouBeach

Serpent Nil

Banora

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Santiagode Compostela

Camariñas

Lugo

A Coruña

Ourense

Vigo

Pontevedra

Finisterre

Town Hall ......................................................................... 981 736 000Tourism office ................................................................ 981 736 340City Police ........................................................................ 981 736 050Emergencies .................................................................................... 112

TELEPHONES

FEASTS AND FESTIVALSLace Exhibition (Camariñas): ............................................... EasterPonte do Porto: ...............................................................27-29 JuneCarmen (Camariñas): .....................................................15-18 JuneFestival of the beach (Xaviña): ......................................... 25 JuneCarmen (Camelle): ...................................First Sunday of AugustSanta María (Xaviña): ............................................... 15, 16 AugustSaint Roque (Ponte do Porto): ............................. 15, 16 AugustSaint Bartolome (Arou): .....................................22-25 de August

During the summer many “grilled sardines gastronomy feast” are held as well as other gastronomy feasts, for example “Caldo de Riola”.

LEGEND

ROUTE: circular, runs through Ponte do Porto.WALKING TIME: 1´5 hoursTOTAL DISTANCE: 5 kmLEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: Easy

Quiet path along the bank of the Grande river. Beside the flora and fauna of the river we can find one of the most interesting resources in the Galician rural economy: The Mills.

THE MILLS WALKING PATHPR - G 37

N: 43º 8. 347’W: 9º 6. 867’GPS:

ROUTE: circular route, runs through Xaviña. WALKING TIME: 3´5 hoursTOTAL DISTANCE: 8´5 kmLEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: Easy

Spectacular walking path along the Camariñas estuary with beautiful quiet beaches and views of the river mouth. Privileged site for bird-watching.

INSUA WALKING PATHRC - 1

N: 43º 7. 870’W: 9º 9. 607’GPS:

ROUTE: It goes from the Sovereingn’s Castle to Reira beach and the English graveyard and ends in Camariñas centre.WALKING TIME: 6 hoursTOTAL DISTANCE: 22 kmLEVEL OF DIFICULTY: Medium

We will enjoy the coastal landscape, the civil and ethnogra-phic constructions and the Camariñas’s most relevant stony natural sculptures. It shares tour with the Coastal Walking Path.

DEATH COAST WALKING PATHPR - G 38

N: 43º 7. 446’W: 9º 11. 76’GPS:

ROUTE: From Sovering’s Castel to Camelle.WALKING TIME: 5 hoursTOTAL DISTANCE: 19 kmLEVEL OF DIFICULTY: Easy

The abrupt and steep coast so typical of the Nature Net of the Death Coast can be enjoyed. It shares a part with the Death Coast Walking Path.

COASTAL WALKING PATHRC - 2

N: 43º 11’ 16.31”W: 9º 05’ 24.58”GPS:

Natura2000

SCI AND ZEPA DEATH COAST

HIKING SIGNALS

Straight ahead

Sharp turn

Change of direction

Wrong way

RECOMMENDATIONS

Take your litter with you.

No fire allowed. Please, call 112 in case of emergency.

Camping is not allowed.

Walk quietly so you can observe the fauna.

Respect the flora without damaging it.

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Main roads

Information panel

Cape Vilan lighthouse

Historical shipwrecks site

Bird-watching

Aldea Madeira resort

Beach with shower

Shelter

Sea front

Marina

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Ruins of the Sovereign´s Castle

Reira Dolmen

Wolves hunting hole

English Graveyard

Alto da Vela viewing-point

Vilan cape and estuary

A Basa inlet viewing-point

Stone of the bear

Stone of the lovers of Reira

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PELS

Virgin of the Forest´s Chapel

Saint George Church (18-19th c.)

Virgin of the Hill Chapel

Santa María of Xaviña´s Church (12th c.)

Ponte do Porto Belfry (18th c.)

Santa Mariña´s Church (12th c.)

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Lace Museum

German’s Museum

Shipwrecks and lighthouse’s Centre ofInterpretation

Ethnografic Museum

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RS Paxariña´s Country house (No visitors allowed)

Mouzo´s Country house (No visitors allowed) 2

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