Logbook · 19 places

Canyon of the Sil

Parada de Sil, Terra de Caldelas, Ourense

1 Villages · 5 Monuments · 4 Nature · 3 Activities · 4 Curiosities · 2 Historical milestones

Spain › Galicia › Ourense › Terra de Caldelas › Parada de Sil › Canyon of the Sil

Canyon of the Sil

Nature · Parada de Sil, Terra de Caldelas, Ourense

The Sil canyon is a gorge carved out near the meeting of the Sil and the Miño, right in the heart of the Ribeira Sacra, and forms a natural border between Ourense and Lugo, shared between Nogueira de Ramuín, Pantón, Parada de Sil and Sober, covering 5,914 hectares and protected as a special conservation area. The difference in height between the waters of the Sil at Os Peares (109 metres) and the Pena do Xastre (1,014 metres) accounts for slopes of up to fifty degrees, at times almost vertical; it was shaped not only by the river's erosion but also by tectonic fractures from the Quaternary. On its slopes, especially those facing south, the terraced vineyards of the Ribeira Sacra designation are grown right down to the water; the stretch is toured by catamaran and on foot, along paths linking monasteries and hamlets.

Photo: luimipi (foto sacada por min, no vrán 2005) (CC BY-SA 3.0)

What to see and do in Parada de Sil