Cedeira N 43 39 W 8 04

Gryphon II
Chris and Lorraine Marchant
Tue 21 Jul 2009 12:37
Ria de Cedeira

Cruising along this granite coast is a joy with its rocky cliffs and headlands full of caves with towering and densely forested hillsises above rolling back inland.

 

The Spanish seem to be making a serious effort to grasp the sustainable energy nettle in this region. Wind turbines stride across the tops of numerous of the steep hillsides, whizzing round to satisfy the national energy policy. Despite the presence of these giants there is still the feeling of remoteness and views are still staggeringly good; it is difficult to say whether this renewable energy source is a blot on the landscape, we feel not.

Cedeira is a smaller Ria which provides another safe anchorage in a wide bay with lots of local boats moored on buoys, so care is needed not to tangle the anchor with the buoys' thick ropes. 4 or 5 visiting yachts were there: two French, a 30 year old British yacht that was exquisite, a Swiss yacht and later the little French yacht that seems to follow us into anchorages a day or ½ a day later.

The town of Cedeira is large and well endowed, there is a relatively new fishing harbour which is now being extended using European development funding. The buildings are extensive and of a high standard, there is a bigger fishing fleet here than we have seen elsewhere although it forms a small part of the local economy.

The part of the town further up the hillside is steeped in tradition.

This time we were able to walk far up the hillsides which are carpeted, as all the hills are in this region, with densely planted eucalyptus interspersed with Scots pine, elder growing below and chestnut trees here and there. We saw walnut trees, shrubby fig, heather, bracken and myriads of wild flowers. It is very luxuriant, very steep and the air is full of the aromatic scent of eucalyptus – gorgeous.