During our week in the town we visited several of the rivers and parks in Pontevedra, and it was a welcome relief from the streets and stone buildings. It emphasised for me the importance of the information in Green Lewisham and Green Greenwich.
Lerez River
The Lerez River of 60kms (37 miles) rises in the Sierra do Candon, mountains to the north east of Pontevedra, and along its course it supports a variety of flora and fauna. It is the main river in Pontevedra and skirts the old town. On the north bank is the Island of Sculptures, which I would have liked to visit, but the walk was just too far from the hotel.
Rio del Gafos
We were staying in the Galicia Palace Hotel, took a wrong turning, and found ourselves looking down on a little river, the Rio del Gafos, which seemed to have a path along its length. Obviously you need to explore, and so we started in a little park to the south of the hotel, at the bottom of the map below.
The river takes its name from a leper hospital which once stood on its banks: gafo is Galego-Portuguese for ‘leper’. And in the past there were many washhouses on its banks, and the water was also taken for public consumption…1 We take running water in our homes for granted, but it has only been readily available since the turn of the last century.
From the park the rivers winds under the main road and on a boardwalk (built in 2007) between buildings to the open area of the Parque de Constitution.
Praza de Constitution is a new square which dates from 1979, in the middle of the town, and an attractive green space. Apparently the river once made an island here, where people used to play in the water! In 1970 the river was culverted and now runs under a path through the park. The writing on the path suggests there may be a campaign to open the river up? I found very ambitious, and beautiful plans 2on the internet.
Beyond the park the river appears again, flowing between the housing, passing what might have been a mill, to pass a pretty park and emerge at the old harbour. Near the port there were plenty of fish in the river and explains why we saw a heron further upstream!
Little park/garden
The river ends at the Plaza de Gremio de Mareantes which was the old fishing port of Pontevedra. It joins the Lerez river and the waters flow out through the Ria de Pontevedra.
Walking along the rivers in Pontevedra is a fun way of taking exercise, and it would be good to go further out on the Lerez River, towards the sea.
I would love to hear from you!