Around Rias Altas

Ortigueira to Cedeira, 29 miles.

Surely there are few things more pleasing than discovering a new landscape. The Rias Altas do look different, even though many of the features are typical of the other seascapes of the 'celtic fringe' and share a family resemblance with their Breton, Irish and Dyfed relatives. Think wooded tidal inlets, mountains as the backdrop, dramatic sea cliffs, fishing villages with whitewashed houses, and winding roads that reveal dramatic vistas at every turn. Admittedly, you could find such a landscape in any of the regions listed above. However, Galicia's northwest tip is unique in its scale. It manages to combine the grandeur of Donegal or Sligo with the convivial, more pastoral appearance of Southern Brittany. It has some unique characteristics too. Though many of the buildings are whitewashed, there is also more than a smattering of more brightly coloured houses. Not the ochres and dusty pinks of the Mediterranean, but some startling tones, such as mint green, day-glo tangerine and deep puce. The large scale plantations of eucalyptus come as a surprise too, and add an exotic touch to the maritime landscape. 

Wild coastline

acres of eucalyptus plantations,

towns that mix white-washed buildings with more southern colours

with a look that occassionally challenges  notions about the area's celtic roots.

The place achieves a healthy balance between older buildings and new development. We stayed at two aires. The first at Ortigueira was next to the municipal swimming pool. It was situated on the shore of the Ria de Saint Marta and had large plate glass windows overlooking the inlet and the hills beyond. Presumably swimmers benefitted from a spectacular view. The building itself had been designed with some thought, mixture of of glass, sheet metal and slate reflecting the colours of the landscape and the sea. 

The motorhome air is situated next to the stylish new swimming pool building.

We took a walk into town along by the harbour. It seemed a pleasant place, well looked after, and not entirely dependent on seasonal tourism. Its setting is majestic.

Ortigueira has some great beaches

Why the giant statue of a bagpiper? The town hosts a major Inter-celtic music festival each August

Cedeira, where we stayed the following night, is more obviously on the tourist trail. The old town on the left side of the river is full of interesting alleyways and small squares. Almost every house has a white wood glazed balcony; these give even modest houses a certain grandeur. The new part of the town on the opposite bank picks-up this style in the design of low-rise apartment blocks. 

Cedeira's main square features white buildings with grazed balcinies - typical of Galicia

The new town built on the opposite bank is designed to harmonise with the historical centre.

The free aire has no facilities, but is beautifully situated on the harbourside between the town and the new fish dock. It looks idyllic, but one of our guidebooks warned about how noisy the cobbled section of road is just a few feet from the motorhome parking area. Although the road is a cul de sac the dock generates a surprising amount of traffic, late into the evening and early in the morning. It is picturesque, but hardly peaceful.

The place's main industry is fishing. Unlike the UK where fishing ports are in decline, here appears to be thriving. The new harbour development is not some stylish waterside development aimed at urban professionals but a row of brand new workshops for the fishing community. 

The main harbour building is also looks like a recent development, and has bays similar to a distribution centre for large trucks to load the catch. There were many small fishing boats anchored by the beach, but also a clutch of shiny ocean going trawlers tied up at the main quay. No layed-up rusting fleet here. It all appeared very productive.

From the old fort on some low cliffs next to the fish dock you get a great view of the dramatic cliffs and the wide Ria de Cedeira. Finally the sun came out and it warmed-up enough to tempt a few sun-bathers onto the beach, well more accurately snuggled up to the sun traps provided by the sea wall. 

Our two days in the Rias Altas area have been fascinating, quite different to the landscape and culture of the rest of Spain, you sense strongly the celtic connection.. Despite a seriously damp forecast it was good we have managed to find enough dry, sunny spells between the showers to experience at least some of the charms of this dramatic coastline. Overnight it tipped down, even so, this morning we woke to a brief lull in the rain and the sight of a rainbow across the estuary. 

We are going to head south now, stopping briefly in the Rias Baixas, before exploring the north of Portugal a little. I am not sure how long this spell of cool unsettled weather will last. It's not only here, a former colleague who now lives in the Languedoc near Limoux, posted this morning that there was a dusting of snow on the Pyrenees. If it continues too long our plans may have to change and we will head towards Seville and explore those parts of Andalusia that we missed two years ago, such as the Alpajuras. We shall see. Constantly dodging rain drops is not why we travel out of season.

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