Ribadeo is a sea port on the River Eume and so you are very aware of both the sea and river at Ribadeo. Our second day in Ribadeo dawned bright and sunny and we set off to see the sea!
River Eo
The river marks the border between Galicia and the Asturias. It starts to the east of Lugo and flows 87kms to Ribadeo and the sea. The estuary, partly a nature reserve, is vast, and long – nearly 6 miles. The water is clean and it is a ‘popular’ winter resort for migrating birds and a well=known birding site! The estuary also attracts salmon and trout, and even otters.
The stone in the exposed cliffs next to the river is in layers or beautiful colour.
Castropol is on the eastern side of the estuary, facing Ribadeo. Here, oysters are sustainably farmed. These are native Galician oysters which apparently taste quite different.
The Praia dos Bloques is a small, sandy beach on the river, protected by a breakwater and popular with canoists. These children seemed to be having a lesson. (Castropol in the background.)
The port of Figueras is on the seaside of the estuary. “The French capture of Figueras, 18 March 1808, was one of a series of surprise attacks on Spain’s border fortifications that marked the beginning of the French invasion of Spain. At the time France and Spain were officially allies. French troops had passed through Spain on their way to invade Portugal, but after his easy success there Napoleon had decided to carry out a similar coup in Spain. The first obstacle to this plan was the series of border fortifications that guarded the Pyrenees. The fortress of Figueras guarded the large pass that ran between the mountains and the Mediterranean coast.
By 18 March the fortresses of Pamplona and of San Sebastian had already fallen to the French, but the news had not yet reached Figueras, where the Spanish garrison clearly still believed the French to be their allies. On 18 March a force of 200 French soldiers requested admittance to the fortress. Once inside the walls they seized control of the gates, and admitted an entire regiment of troops. The Spanish garrison was caught entirely by surprise and was unable to offer any resistance. The capture of Figueras removed the last obstacle in the way of Napoleon’s forces, which were now free to invade in force.”1https://www.historyofwar.org/articles/capture_figueras.html%5B/efn+note%5D
The motorway bridge over the river, the Ponte dos Santos, connects the ports and towns on both sides quickly and easily today, but it was only built in 1987. Under the bridge you can see the marina in Ribadeo.
Fort San Damian
The San Damian Fort was first built in the 17th century and it has an obvious role, situated at the mouth of the River Eo estuary. The City Council now own, and maintain, the Fort and use it as an exhibition and interpretation centre.
The Mirador of Loctudy is a ‘fun’ viewpoint here, with these picture frames!
And further on from the Fort, at the tip of the estuary, is the 19th century lighthouse on the Island of Pancha.
The loading station
The loading station dates from 1901 and it was built to ship iron ore which came by train from Pontenova. The rail line doesn’t exist anyore and the route has been converted into the Eo Green Way.
Rinlo and the sea
Rinlo is a small, picturesque fishing village today, but between the Middle Ages and the 18th it was a whaling port, like many of its neighbouring villages. In the 20th century it developed centres for farming sea food, like spider crabs, lobsters and barnacles.
The land on top of the cliffs is flat and clearly fertile and as we drove on down the coast we saw plenty of other animals!
The Cathedral Beaches are the great tourist sight here, and we paused for a look, but the tide was in, again, and we we had to look down on the scene rather than walk along the beach. The cliffs have apparently been shaped over 500 millions years – how does one conceive of that kind of time? And they are composed of slate and quarztzite, a rock that is made out of sandstone.
A little cove
Enseada Cabalar is one of dozens of small coves along this stretch of coastline.
Our time in Galicia was over and of the sea and river at Ribadeo it is the images of the river which remain in my memory.
