Cántara da Moura is a unique stretch of the Corzos River in the parish of Corzos, municipality of A Veiga (Ourense, Galicia), where millennia of water erosion on granite have carved out boulders, cavities, narrow passages, and small pools with a highly sculpted appearance. This small-scale landscape features a highly expressive topography, nestled within a setting of riparian forest and deciduous woodlands in the mountainous interior of Ourense, near the border with Castile and León. From the viewing point, visitors can observe the polished rocks, the hollows carved out by water, and the river’s course as it alternates between visible stretches and others hidden among the rocks, culminating in a small waterfall emerging from a rocky “gateway.” Together, these features create a fairytale landscape, with unique rock formations, small waterfalls, and natural pools carved into the granite—ideal for relaxing, hiking, and swimming in the cool pools. The area is shrouded in an ancient Galician legend: it is said that a beautiful moura (an enchanted woman from Galician mythology) sits at dawn on the riverbank and combs her blonde hair with a golden comb; whoever picks it up is rewarded with gold coins, and whoever walks past is turned to stone, becoming part of the landscape. Although it has no specific official protected status, it is an extraordinary site frequently featured in the region’s hiking guides and in publications on Galician mythology. The best time to visit is usually in the spring and fall, when the river’s flow and the colors of the forest make the walk more enjoyable; in the summer, it can be pleasant for a short stop, and in the winter, there are usually fewer people.
