Parque da Natureza do Río Barosa, Natural park and waterfall system in Barro, Spain.
The Parque da Natureza do Río Barosa is a nature park in the north of Barro, Pontevedra, beside the N-550. The river Barosa drops 60 metres over several waterfalls, and 12 water mills were built along it, some restored by the Escola Obradoiro "Camiño de Santiago-Barro". The lower part has a small lagoon, water channels, footbridges and two wooden Canadian bridges to a riverside island.
The mills were rehabilitated by the Escola Obradoiro "Camiño de Santiago-Barro". A plaque recalls a 1809 skirmish during the Peninsular War, when cadet Benito Godoy Araujo's battalion clashed with a carriage of Marshal Soult, prompting the Duke of Wellington to praise the Galicians.
The mills show how communities in Galicia used water power for centuries to grind grain and process food. Visitors can still see today how closely this work was tied to the rhythm of nature and the seasons.
The park has marked walking trails that are easy to follow, and picnic tables along with natural pools are scattered throughout. A restaurant near the main waterfall serves local dishes and provides a good place to rest during your visit.
The mills are connected to each other and functioned as a network where excess water from upper mills automatically flowed to lower ones. This made the system particularly efficient and shows engineering skill that is rarely seen today.
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