The river Anllóns, that silver snake that crosses the district of Bergatiños from east to west, after passing through the town of Carballo and flowing languidly through a flat area for quite some distance in the middle of its route, decided to interrupt its monotonous progress and stir up its waters, as if wanting to recover the strength of its youth just before flowing into Soandres. This Bergantinian artery created a place of such beauty in Refuxio de Verdes that it became the model of natural beauty for the district and other places in Galicia.
This attractive enclave in Cristanco can be accessed from several directions, depending on where visitors are coming from. From Malpica or Buño take the AC-421 road, which exits Buño towards Xornes and Cereo; from Carballo and Coristanco, take the DP-1918, which goes to Verdes through Oca and Xaviña; or even from Cances (Carballo), take a local road.
The Anllón’s renewed vigour as it flows through Verdes, which led to this unusual place, is due to several factors: the tectonic movements in the area that caused two parallel faults and determined the course of the river, the type of rock existing in this place and the erosion caused by the flow of water. In this section, an outcrop of gneiss, a rock resistant to erosion, crosses the channel of the Anllóns, which had to “cut” its way through, splitting its bed into several small channels separated by islets on which vegetation grows. This process resulted in fast-flowing rapids and falls, which have given this area its unique natural beauty.
Various elements come together here, making the place very attractive and welcoming so many visitors. Firstly, its geological interest because of the tectonics and the type of rock, which formed this outstanding geographical environment along the river; secondly, its botanical interest, with the lovely woods on the banks of the river in which a wide variety of species of trees grow, forming a protective dome of vegetation in summer. Finally, the ethnographical interest due to human intervention over the years, which is associated with the watermills on both banks, built out of the same gneiss rock as the river bed.
The Verdes recreational area was created in 1982, when the National Institute for Nature Conservation (ICONA) purchased some of the mills, which, after restoration, were used as refuges for lovers of river fishing.
The inhabitants of the parish took part in this initiative and their work helped to move it forward. The most expensive item was building a bridge between the right bank and the island where the restored mills were located. The work was then completed with wooden bridges, tables, benches and barbecues.
Today, Refuxio de Verdes has become one of the most attractive places in the district of Bergantiños and Costa da Morte, and it is the most emblematic tourist resource of the municipality of Coristanco.
