What to See

Ortigueira-Mera

Ortigueira-Mera

This stunning marshland features diverse ecosystems, rich birdlife, and scenic landscapes, making it a perfect destination for nature lovers and birdwatchers.

The mouths of the rivers Mera and Baleo, as well as the numerous smaller rivers that flow into this beautiful and wide flooded valley, make up one of the largest marshlands in Galicia. Location: the Ortigueira - Mera Special Area of Conservation is located in the extreme north of the province of A Coruña, in the region of Ortegal, and extends inland through the municipalities of Cerdido, As Pontes and As Somozas, covering an area of 3,868 ha. Municipalities: Cariño, Ortigueira, Cerdido, As Pontes de García Rodríguez and As Somozas. Accesses: The main accesses to the estuary and its surroundings are the roads from Ferrol and Viveiro, which lead to the towns of Cariño and Ortigueira. The inner part of the area, the upper basin of the river Mera, is accessed by the regional road C-7010 (As Pontes de García Rodríguez - As Somozas). Other Figures of protection: Zone of special protection of Natural Values. Special Protection Area for Birds (Zepa Ría de ortigueira e ladrido). Protected Wetland Area (Ría de Ortigueira and ladrido). Ramsar area (Ría de Ortigueira and Ladrido). IBa (International Bird area) 005 Costa de Ferrolterra Valdoviño and IBa 006 Punta Candieira - Ría de Ortigueira - Estaca de Bares. The ZeC covers two different areas, in the north the estuary of Ortigueira and Ladrido, and in the south the basin of the river Mera, a stretch of fluvial character with areas of woodland and scrubland. The estuary area is made up of the Ortigueira estuary, where the River Mera flows into the sea, and the Ladrido inlet, an estuary with a sedimentary bar, where the River Baleo flows into the sea. At low tide, most of its surface becomes a sandy area but, in the innermost and most sheltered parts, silt predominates. On the outer part we find the Morouzos sandy area, so called because of the dark colour of its sand. the Ortigueira and Ladrido estuary is the largest expanse of marshes, reed beds and seagrass meadows in Galicia; it is therefore a very important area for the total number of wintering water birds and the large concentrations present during the rest of the year or when passing through, which find here their place of refuge, rest and feeding. The Mera river flows in a box and its flow is very strong as it collects the waters from the eastern part of the municipality of Cerdido through several tributaries, forming a valley with steep slopes and great depths. Upstream, in addition to the riverside forest, we can highlight several species of endangered ferns, survivors of the Tertiary period.