The islands or “insuas” (river islets) these “green hearts” in the river are fertile plots of land which throughout time have fed cattle, provided firewood and timber for boats and tools.

The islands usually have alder, birch, oak and chestnut trees, all native species felled to make room for pasture or hay.

The Miño Islands make up part of the SCI and Terras do Miño Biosphere Reserve. Submerged when flooded, they provide shelter for a lot of aquatic flora and fauna. Canals, ponds, and interior lakes, water plants, leafy woods full of alder, oak, birch, moluscs such as the mussel or river pearl, and animals like roebuck and heron make these islands a real sanctuary for Miño wildlife.

1. Insua da Trabanca extends from Porto da Trabanca to As Hortas in the parish of Cela. Here it is wedge shaped and a 3 or 4 metre wide stream separates it from the next island. It is divided into plots. It has dense undergrowth, bushes and some meadows. You can get to it in “batuxo” or via Puerto de Agostil and O Barco. In the island there is a dam which directs the water to Felpás mill.

2. Insua de San Roque This is perhaps the most well known and biggest, it goes from A Trabanca to Formistán. The people of Cela have divided it up into plots. You get there from Puerto de San Roque and O Coutao and on the right bank of Puerto de Barés. In the summer all these moorings were used to take cattle to graze in carts, today tractors are used and hay makers. It has a dam in Santadizco on the right bank which was used for catching eels. There are wild boar and roebuck

3. Insua de Santa Mariña or de Baixo extends from Formistán to Felpás and here breaks into a little isle reached by Garrido Bridge.

   

4. Insua de Silvestre today there are only a few oaks. Until the O Piago factory was built there was an area where people milled and fished, today there remain only a few stones.

5. Insua de Arriba in the parish of San Xóan de Parada is a little below O Piago which divides the river in two. On the left there are the weirs of Marcelle and Sumarcele or Neira. Today it is easy to get to the island via a hanging bridge on the right bank. We can find chestnuts, oaks and other native species like holly.

6. Torrón do Castelo. Above this island and separated by a little stream is Torrón do Castelo which is very small and wouldn´t be of interest were it not for this story:In the 30s old people say that a band of robbers lived there so nobody went there. Arms were found under a rock in the river. Between here and Arriba Island there is a dam made of stones so that eels wouldn´t pass through this stream and would go to the Marcelle weir. You can only get to Torrón by “batuxo”.

7. Insua de Abaixo, between this island and Arriba Island there are a lot of small islands called Torróns after their owner or because of their size:Torrón de Froilán, Torrón Grande, Torrón Pequeño which despite its name houses on the left Eliás weir and on the right Pacios weir. Abaixo island is bigger and also has weirs, on the right Barqueiro weir and O Burgo and on the left Albaraiza weirand remains of an old mill. You get there via Seivane or by “batuxo” and from the other bank by the old mill.

8. Mollón de Seixas is a little island slightly higher than the water level now damaged because of sand quarying. In summer cattle grazed, crossing over on foot due to the low water level. It´s a good place for a swim and in summer people snack there.

9. Mollón de Fidalgo, is similar to the previos island and also damaged due to sand quarrying. From here to the Bocamaos bank are the Mollóns de Resalía which were used for grazing and are damaged due to the extraction of sand.

10. Insua do Curro is 300 metres before Ombreiro bridge and housed the Penas mill rebuilt in 1882 next to the bridge. Today there are only big stones and the mouth of the dam. On the right is Seixas weir.

11. Insua de Meilán is alongwith San Roque the biggest in the area, it belongs to Meilán and Saa. It is called Río Pequeño because it divides the the river on the left. It is so small that in summer there are only small ponds and it can be crossed by stones on the river bed.

12. Insua de Santalla in the parish of Santalla is a small island with oaks, chestnuts, willows, elder and some grazing. It can be reached by “batuxo”.

13. Insuas do Perrelo have oaks and chestnuts and can only be reached by “batuxo”.

"Facéndolle as beiras ó Miño"
Asociación Cultural María Castaña de Lugo.
Lidia Aurora López, 2002.

These were a system of irregular stones, sometimes prisms, placed in the stream or river in a haphazard way with no definite number dependeingon the width, current etc

River Narla in the Parish of San Martiño de Ombreiro.

Just different sized stones placed over the river with a person´s stride space between them, this is a shallow river so the aim is not to get your feet wet more than to resist the current.

Marcelle in the parish of San Martín de Guillar has the passing place Insua de Abaixo.

They are between the old mill and Albariza weir made with stones dug into the river which now look like a little dam as they have been filled to make a bathing place.

They are very beautiful because with the passing of time the rounded stones take on irregular sculpted shapes.

"Facéndolle as beiras ó Miño"
Asociación Cultural María Castaña de Lugo.
Lidia Aurora López, 2002.

TRADITIONAL BUILDINGS

On the banks of the Miño and its numerous streams, one can´t help noticing certain “buildings”, walls, sheds, steps, fences, saltadoiros and one is amazed at their natural beauty. All this is a result of neccesity and also the architectural ingenuity and aesthetic sense of the inhabitants.

Whatever use the banks were put to, the inhabitants couln´t allow the river to erode the earth from the banks and so constructed stone walls of varying lengths, a practicethat was forbidden. These walls were necessary on the outside of the bends to protect them from the erosion of the river itself, but on straight stretches it was to gain more land.

The properties on the banks, usually meadows, were closed off so cattle wouldn´t wander into their neighbours fields and also perhaps to mark off properties often with slabs or typical stones from this area. In this kind of wall there are real works of art.

In other cases the slope was so steep that it had to be levelled off and so steps were built in the meadows to walk down more easily.

The walls reach the water´s edge and as there were rights of way there were different solutions, the most common are the saltadoiros.

If they were made of rubblework then one or two stones were put each side as steps so that it was like going up stairs. It was difficult to go far without finding one of these and today many are well kept, taking into account that nobody goes there on foot.

The fields were closed off with wooden gates and often a stick wth gorse was used so cattle wouldn´t wander above all at harvest time. Gates for carts,carrilleiras, were often left open to make it easy to enter with the cart.

WASHING PLACES

Taking into account the fact that washing machines have only been used recently, it´s easy to imagine how important washing places were in the rivers and streams as there wasn´t running water in the houses.

In the river Miño there were many on the bankswhere women would go with baskets on their heads or zinc buckets, in more modern times.

In Cela there are some individual ones as many of the houses are parallel to the river and the fields go down to the river.

BATHING PLACES

There is little to say about bathing places and customs in the Miño as baths with restorative powers or superstitions are generally related to the sea or with fountains or special streams which had properties due to their components or whatever popular circumstances were attributed to them.

Every village or hamlet had a special place for bathing.

Today people enjoy the waters in Cela, in the islands, in Rábade by the bridge, in Outeiro above the Pena weir, in Sta. Isabel, in O Piago de Robra, in Ombreiro, a place for swimming and snacking, in Insua de Meilán and in the Puente Nuevo in Lugo.

"Facéndolle as beiras ó Miño"
Asociación Cultural María Castaña de Lugo.
Lidia Aurora López, 2002.

Fords or "Portos" are the places used for boats to transport people, cattle or carts. They are normally called after the place where they are situated belonging to the owner of neighbouring fields or after some event.
Most of these which go to the islands are really shallow water areas and they usually had private boats to carry estrume (vegetation used to form a cattle bed in stables) from the island properties. There were also big boats for passengers and animals and carts.
Both big and small had a slope down to the river th help access of people and animals.

Porto da Trabanca (Trabanca Ford): In the place of the same name in Santa María de Cela (Outeiro de Rei) this is one of the passes to Insua da Trabanca, in summer you can cross on foot.

Porto de San Roque (St. Roque Ford): This is a crossing place for Insua de San Roque , still in use in thesummer instead of oxe carts or cows, hay makers cross over and occasionally a donkey cart for hay.

Porto de Barés (Barés Ford): belongs to the parish of Saavedra (Begonte). It is on the right hand bank which some call the Miño and others Barés and is also a ford for Insua de San Roque.

Porto de Santa Isabel (Sta. Isabel Ford). Opposite the mill of the same name over the Miño is this ford used above all by those who come from Martul and other parishes.

Porto de San Xillao (St. Xillao Ford)was a ford between San Xillao in Bocamaos (Lugo) to Parada (Outeiro de Rei) via the Camino Real.

All these fords were very important either for boats from one bank to the other.

"Facéndolle as beiras ó Miño"
Asociación Cultural María Castaña de Lugo.
Lidia Aurora López, 2002.

"MUIÑOS" - WATER MILLS

Galicia, land of a thousand rivers, can be considered the land of watermills. Every river, stream or brook has its mill. The Parga-Ladra-Támoga SCI shows this. Mills can be seen on the banks built directly over the river with the river flowing through weirs or a few metres away carrying the water which drives the wheels through artificial canals.

Theirs is a simple square design with one or two floors with the door at ground floor level or with a slightly raised doorstep (a stone forming the bottom of the door). Two or four angle roofs, plastered inside and out, sometimes with dove cotes, outbuildings. (“Alpendres” are buildings used to house carts or cattle while corn was being milled. They have roofs and are generally open at the front situated next to the mills near the entrance. The miller´s house and sheds are also next to the mills or separate buildings. The little “pontellas” or bridges cross the canals taking the water to the mill or take what´s not used back. )They have “pousadoiros”, corner stones joined to the front of the building (to support the load), cruxifixes, marks in doors or inside, crosses to protect the mill and its business and other accesories like irong rings to tie up the loaded carts.

Big mills had big windows and doors, little ones had little windows and doors for light and ventilation. They looked on the hellish activity.

Their size depended on the number of millstones, these were on the top.

Some of the most important mills in Parga-Ladra-Támoga SCI area are:

MUÍÑO DE FELPÁS (FELPÁS MILL)

This is in Felpás the parish of Santa Mariña municipality of Outeiro de Rei near San Roque island.

Built about 1840.

It was known as an “aceña”. Some mills (Sampedro 1990) (Barros Justo) were so called which stored water to increase the river level and so power the wheels. They usually had between two and four stones.

The Felpás, A Trabanca and Sta. Isabel mills all in the Parga-Ladra-Támoga SCI had 4 stones for millimg. A Trabanca had 5, in Felpás 3 were French, the first, third and fourth from the entrance)used for bread cereals (wheat)and one local one (second) for corn, barley etc. Their diameter is 1, 20 m and in Rábade (electric) and Sta. Isabel, 1. 30. In Felpás the local wheels milled both food and rye for cattle and bread cereal with worse quality flour, coarser and less pure.

MUÍÑO DE SANTA ISABEL (STA. ISABEL MILL)

In Santa Isabel, Outeiro de Rei, Lugo

Built in the last decade of the 19th century 1898.

On the left bank of the Miño where it moves to the right just where the River Ladra joins it, so seeming to form an island.

MUÍÑO DA PONTE (DA PONTE MILL)

This is on the right bank of the Ladra once we have passed Uriz. It belongs to the parish of Santiago de Gayoso in Outeiro de Rei.

An inscription in the door lintel dates back to 1888.

The mill is on the bank itself with the back built into the dam which has impressive stones fishing posts where a lot of fish were caught, mainly eels. It´s easy to get to once we cross Uriz bridge we turn right and enter the property formed by the mill, a very large house.

MUÍÑO DE TRABANCA (TRABANCA MILL)

"Facéndolle as beiras ó Miño"
Asociación Cultural María Castaña de Lugo.
Lidia Aurora López, 2002.

BOATS - THE “BATUXO”.

For a long time nobody could imagine the life of the river bank people without their boats. They were often the only means of transport between the parishes and Lugo, the walled city. Therefore there were as many kinds of boats as needed.

The “Batuxo”.

The most well known but not the most used. Its owners prefer to call it “barco, barqueta” or “barquixolo” because it´s the smallest but has survived longest.

Materials

Any wood will do but the most frequently usedare:

• Local pine, isn´t heavy and so the boat is lighter so it can be carried on one´s back.

• Chestnut, weighs more but keeps better in the water.

• Alder , generally used for the oars.

Description.

a.- Biqueira or dianteira (front).	b.- Cueira or traseira (back).
c.- Ladeiras or banceiras (sides).	d.- Piso (floor).
f.- Traveseiro (cross board).	g.- Cruceta (cross).
h.- Argolla(rings)

Parts of the “batuxo” and accessories.

• Biqueira or Dianteira (front). The front is about 80-90 cm. wide and curved from the floor to the end, generaly higher than the back. The better the curve, the better it moves through the water and doesn´t rock.

• Cueira or Traseira (back). This is 90-110 cm. Wide and 35 cm. High. It resembles a drawer or “ferrado” (drawer used to measure cereal).

• Ladeiras o banceiras (sides). Each side goes down from the “ cueira” to the “biqueira”.

• Piso(floor).The boards are laid crossways and generally reinforced lengthways with another board.

• Travesa , is a board on the upper part of the “cueura” as a seat for 1 or 2 peole and is also found in the “biqueira” leading to the “cueira. ”

• Traveseiro (cross board), is to be found in the upper part going from the “biqueira” to the “cueira”.

• Cruceta (cross), is what the “traveseiro” is called in some places, positioned like a cross.

• Argollaon the “biqueira” this is used to moor the boat to a tree with a chain.

• Sacadoira , is a kind of tin can used to empty the rainwater or leaks. It is tied to the chain.

The total length of the boat is 1, 80-2 m. , bearing in mind that the measurements vary from one “batuxo” to anotherand from one area to another.

Oar

Made of alder wood or birch it is 2, 5-3m. Wide. It is usedas a pole by one person who stands up in the rear of the boat, pushing it into the river bed to power the boat.

During floods when the oar didn´t reach the bottom you could carry out an “apalexo”, standing up at the rear one moves the oar as if in a canoe.

Use

• Fishing: The “batuxo” was used to catch different types of fish and then to transport them. People would go to the weirs which didn´t have easy access and would come back with eels after a night´s work. In the summer they would use the “batuxos” to repair theweirs with stones and clodes. There were “batuxos” which fitted the weir mouths.

• Transport: They were generally used to transport small goods like timber, estrume (vegetation used for cattle beds) or grass between meadows or to go the islands. Often a trip was shorter if you crossed the river so it was a vital vehicle for the many needs of a mill. Every house had one, two or even three boats.

"Facéndolle as beiras ó Miño"
Asociación Cultural María Castaña de Lugo.
Lidia Aurora López, 2002.