
I visited this WHS in June 2016. I saw the reddish brown peaks of this Roman mine from quite a distance away while walking the Camino Frances en route to Villafranca del Bierzo. The afternoon light seems to be the best for photography and since quite a bit of walking is involved, this way you'll avoid visiting under the direct scorching sun. So after the Camino and before driving to Lugo, I spent half a day to visit this unique site. First I put Las Medulas in my GPS and surely enough I found a small interpretation centre which focuses both on the cultural as well as the natural aspects of this WHS. Having visited I cannot understand why this is not a mixed WHS. In any case, the interpretation centre provides you with information on what you can visit by car and what you can or have to visit by walk. There are three panoramic viewpoints which are worth visiting if you're not in a hurry: Mirador de Orellan, Mirador de las Pedrices and Mirador de la Frisga. Only the first one can be approached by car and you'll still have to walk 800 metres uphill on a tarmac road. There is ample parking space once you get there but the winding roads to reach this place are quite treacherous for two-way traffic. To reach Mirador de Orellan just input Orellan in your GPS and follow the UNESCO and WH signs. Mirador de las Pedrices is 3.5km further on from Mirador de Orellan and part of the Ruta de los Conventos trail. If you decide to go for this trail you'll also be rewarded with yet another Mirador (de la Frisga) but it is really nothing special when compared to the other miradors. A feature worth noticing is the Canal de Pena Escribida and the information boards with drawings help to understand the complex hydraulic system used by the Romans. The view from Mirador de Orellan is truly breathtaking and definitely the highlight of this WHS. However, if you would like to better understand why this site has been inscribed, I would recommend visiting the Galerias de Orellan which are open every day except on Tuesdays from 11:00 to 14:00 and from 16:00 to 20:00. Here you'll be asked to wear a protective helmet and for 3 euros you'll be able to walk to the "cave" which is visible from Mirador de Orellan. There is little lighting so much so that many bats still live here so keep this in mind if you use flash photography! From here you can also buy some drinks in case you run out of water. After my visit I headed towards the site proper in Las Medulas but honestly you won't gain any more understanding of the site than if you were to visit only the Mirador. What are worth visiting perhaps are the washeries (now artificial lakes) to visit a different aspect of this old mining heritage: Carucedo and Pozo Somido or Redondo lake. All in all this is one of the industrial heritage sites I enjoyed most and a magnificent site for birdwatching and photography in Europe.
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