Rias Baixas is an area of outstanding beauty with many places where you can enjoy a walk. Here we are going to introduce you to one of the most popular walking routes in the area. The Route of the water and stone. It is so-called because it is a trail which follows a small river running down a hill, tumbling over rocks and the site of ancient stone water mills which you can still see. This trail runs within the municipality of Meis and Ribadumia. It is also an old traditional route for pilgrimage on Easter Monday and at the top leads to Armenteira Monastery which is open to visit.

The first part is easy with little or no slopes. It starts at the Barrantes water mills trial which runs for about one mile passing six restored water mills before the path carries on following the Armenteira River path to arrive to Meis where you pass find the Serén water mills.

You pass a restored enclave with a resting area at the base of the hill of the Cabeza de Boi mountain. The water mills lead to the “Aldea Labrega”, a carved granite display of rural life in Galicia at the beginning of the XX century, with reconstructions of traditional buildings such as a church, stone store-room, oven, crossroads signs, domestic animals, poultry and pigs. This display has been made by the school of stone masons of the Diputacion de Pontevedra.

Here starts the second part of this route which is a little steeper and a medium level of difficulty having slopes and a stone path crossing a stream. It leads through tree covered forest to the most exciting and beautiful part of the route with its complex system of ancient water mills set in an unspoiled natural environment that leads to the Armenteira Monastery dating from the XII century and an example of Galician Cistercian architecture.

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