Close to the town of Laracha, on the road to Soandra and Cerceda, on the banks of the river Anllóns, is the Gabenlle Recreational Area, a peaceful natural spot that invites you to forget the frenzy of daily life. Shortly after leaving behind its turbulent upper course, the river Anllóns winds its way to Gabenlle in sinuous curves where the water flows gently because of the slight slope in the terrain.
The creation of this recreational area began at the end of the last century on the left bank of the river and then was expanded on both banks in various stages in the present century. It is fully equipped with a children’s playground, a fitness park for the elderly, areas with tables and barbecues, and toilet facilities to give the best possible welcome to visitors. The green areas alternate with woodlands and a path runs along the river bank on which one can walk and cross from one bank to the other over three footbridges.
From this area you can access the river walk, which runs for 2.3 km down river from the Gabenlle bridge to the Formigueiro bridge. On the walk, as well as enjoying the splendid natural surroundings offered by the river and the varied woodland on the banks, you can contemplate a number of restored water mills: the big Gabenlle mill at the start, the so-called Muiño das Pezas halfway along, and the Formigueiro mill at the end of the path, almost under the bridge. The Formigueiro mill, which has undergone considerable restoration, was built in the 1960s with stone from one of the towers of the Cillobre fort at the entrance to Laracha, the former home of the noble Marinas family, where the chapel of San Roque (dedicated to Sain Roch) can be found.
Close to the recreational area is the Castro de Gabenlle, a fortified settlement divided into two archaeological areas: the Campo das Croas and the fortified area itself, somewhat further east, surrounded by a circular wall to protect the hilltop. Its traditional legend talks of a people (the xentís) who fled and lived underground.
