Sálvora Island. Views from the top of Milreu

About this heritage

The high of Milreu is located a few meters above the village, from there to the north and in the distance, one can intuit the Sagres islands - entirely rocky -that belong to the Maritime-Terrestrial National Park of the Galician Atlantic Islands. One can also see the tip of Lagos and to its right the broad beaches of Zafra and the beach of Os Bois, which ends at the tip of Os Bois county. Currently, it is the natural reserve area of the Park, which, along with the beaches, is only enjoyed by wild horses. These were introduced, along with other animals, when the island was used as a hunting ground, with most horses and deer grazing freely.

In front of that, you can see to the north, the coastline corresponding to the mouth of the Arousa estuary, where one can appreciate the counties of Aguiño and Ribeira, and going inwards would be Pobra do Caramiñal and Cabo de Cruz. The elevation seen in the distance corresponds to Mount Curota.

All, in an environment full rocks - mostly granodiorite - of whimsical shapes which have been shaped and smoothen by the wind and saltpeter. This does not leave the visitors indifferent and gives way to the imagination. If we let ourselves be carried away by Ramón Cabanillas' stories about Sálvora, who tells us in "the shuddering night" ("Na noite constipated") that the sword of Excalibur can be found between the high of Milreu and the Os Bois beach. The author took some liberties when talking about the Arthurian myths by mixing them with Celtic elements and he places in Galicia the main facts of the legends of King Arthur and his knights.

To learn more

Legend has it that mythological beings originating in the islets near Sálvora Island namely "Man of Sagres" and the "Falconer," who wanted to have love affairs with the "Forcadiña."

The two giants fought, and the man of Sagres bigger and stronger than the Falconer, strike him in such a way, that sent his jaw flying and broke his tongue into seven pieces; his molars landed near the Carreiro while his teeth beyond the Prexeiros. After the fight, the Man of Sagres turned around and set out to rest.

Sailors from the area still tell this story to reminisce rocks and islets' names that abound in the area.

The islets surrounding Sálvora Archipelago are Vionta Island – elongated and flat harboring a dune system, Gaivoteira Island, Herbosa Island – rocky and with pasture fields, and Noro Island, which stands out for its height and is the closest to Sálvora. The rest of the islets are Cornella, Insua Bela, Pedra Vella, and Pedras do Sargo.

The Maritime-Terrestrial National Park of the Galician Atlantic Islands (PNMTIAG) stands out for its natural values. Its flora is mostly formed by scrub and cliff flora, for example, the endemic broom (Cytisus insularis), which is seen mainly in cliff areas and, as before mentioned, found in Sálvora and on the Island of Ons.

The populations of Skate-yellow gull birds and the European shag - representing 50% of the total population of Cormorants in Spain - stand out for being one of the largest in the world within the PNMTIAG. In this archipelago, there are more opportunities to find the Lesser black-backed gull since they are more specimens than in other archipelagos. It is worth noticing the fundamental color difference between Black-backed gull, which is darker, and the common seagull.

To know it better

Sálvora Island was a haven for pirates and buccaneers until the 19th century. Currently, it has a spectacular landscape with beaches and dunes surrounded by marine flora and fauna. It also has two elevated areas: the hill of Milreu, 34 meters high, and As Gralleiras, 70 meters. According to the stories of the Galician writer Ramón Cabanillas, the Sword of Excalibur is located near the High of Milreu.

Ribeira is a county in the province of A Coruña that has one of the most important fishing ports in Galicia. It belongs to the region of North Arousa and is divided into the following areas: Aguiño, Artes, Carreira, Castiñeiras, Corrubedo, Oleiros, Olveira, Palmeira, and Ribeira.

Facing the mouth of the Arousa estuary, right in the town hall of Ribeira, we find the Island of Sálvora. It is included in the National Park of the Atlantic Islands and is the only one that belongs to the province of A Coruña.