Life in the Galician mountains: Ancares, Biosphere Reserve.

Ancares, in the north-west of Spain, is an amazing mountainous area located on the Galician border. It shares its territory with with three different autonomous regions: Galicia, Asturias and Castilla-León. It was declared a Biosphere Reserve on 27th Ocotber 2006 by UNESCO under the name: Os Ancares Lucenses y Montes de Cervantes, Navia y Becerreá.

Because of its isolation and location, in a complex orographic zone which mingles characteristics of both the Euro-Siberian and Mediterranean biogeographic regions, it displays an extraordinary and complex biodiversity. Its environment is well-preserved and contains some species in danger of extinction, such as bears or capercaillies.

The villages in the Galician Ancares are small and just a few people live there but they are beautiful because of the 'pallozas'. This is the name of the thatched-roof houses which adorn the landscape. They date back to pre-Roman times when the Celts used to live in the region. Some of them are very well preserved, as in Piornedo (Galician side) or Balboa (Castilian side). Today, it's really difficult to preserve them in good conditions as the thatching is very expensive and it lasts just about 4 years. More public funds are needed to keep them or, otherwise, they will disappear. They are considered the oldest inhabited buildings in all of Europe as UNESCO states.

The highest mountains, all of them near Piornedo are: Mustallar (1,924 metres high), Penalonga (1,842 metres high) and Cursed Corno (1,847 metres high) while, in the valleys, the most important rivers are: Navia, Rao, Cervantes and Ser. On the slopes, there are ancient forests which vary depending on the mountain levels and on the light they get. We can find: Silver Birch forests (Betula alba), Pyrenean oak forests (Quercus pyrenaica), and  Common hazel forests (Corylus avellana). A species which deserves special attention is the Common holly tree (Ilex Aquifolium) as it isn't frequent in the Cantabrian mountains and it contributes to the survival of endangered species such as the capercaillie.

Some archaeological remains which show the presence of human settlements since former times include: tombs, dolmens, chapels and churches, as well as 
megaliths in Navia de Suarna and Roman forts. Navia de Suarna, with a well preserved stone bridge which dates back to the XIV century, and Doiras, with its impregnable castle (Castillo de Doiras in the parish of Cervantes), built in the XIV-XV century on a steep hill, are places worth seeing when you visit the zone.  The castle is situated in a high and almost inaccessible area overlooking the River Cervantes and is renowned for its architecture.

The videos below show what life is like in the Galician Ancares, its past, present and future. They are organised in an introduction to the area (1st video) and some interviews carried out to three people who are from Ancares or live there.

The Galician Ancares-Introduction.
Life in Ancares from the point of view of a foreigner. Interview to Pedro Sánchez Arévalo Hernández who lives in Campa da Braña.
Piornedo, a pre-Roman village. Interview to Isolina Rodríguez López, part 1: Life in the past. Typical thatched-roof houses ('pallozas').
Music and traditions. Interview to Isolina Rodríguez López, part 2. It features a traditional piece of music played inside the thatched-roof house.
Interview to Isolina Rodríguez López, part 3: Keeping the traditions, cultural associations. The role of young people in the future of Ancares
Past and present of Ancares (Biosphere Reserve). Interview to Manuel Rodríguez López, part 1:  Life outside Ancares versus life in Ancares (more precisely, Piornedo).
Fauna and flora. Interview to Manuel Rodríguez López, part 2:  The future of the thatched-roof houses.

FONTS:
http://www.unesco.org/new/en/natural-sciences/environment/ecological-sciences/biosphere-reserves/europe-north-america/spain/os-ancares-lucenses-y-montes-de-cervantes-navia-y-becerrea/
http://www.turismo.gal/ficha-recurso?cod_rec=7159
http://www.galiciamaxica.eu/lugo/doiras/ 
PHOTOGRAPHS:

Snow on the mountains:  http://asmouri.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/os-ancares.jpg

Thatched-roof house:
http://www.siempredepaso.es/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/UCA2910.jpg

Bridge at Navia de Suarna:
http://www.galiciaunica.es/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Puente-sobre-el-Navia-s%C3%ADmbolo-de-la-puerta-de-Ancares-por-Suarna..jpg