Lake Sanabria Park House

The Lake Sanabria Park House (Casa del Parque) is the information centre of the Lago de Sanabria y Sierras Segundera y de Porto Natural Park. It is on the ZA-104 road, at km 4.5, at the Rabanillo roundabout (Galende), past El Puente de Sanabria, about 7 km from Puebla de Sanabria. It is the first stop on the way to the lake: here they tell you which trails are passable, explain the park's rules and help you prepare your visit.

What is inside

The exhibition is organised in several parts. “Get to know the Natural Park” presents the park's habitats arranged by altitude, with a section, “Discover it in Sanabria”, on the places worth visiting. “Geology and glaciation” explains how the lake formed, the largest of glacial origin in the Iberian Peninsula. “The corner of memory” covers the region's recent past and the legend of the lake. There is also a space on the Network of Natural Areas of Castilla y León and an audiovisual room where a video of the park is shown at intervals.

At reception there is documentation on the park and other protected areas, staff who guide you and free internet access, a green shop with local products and an environmental documentation centre open to the public. The house also has a limnology laboratory that monitors the quality of the lake water.

The botanical trail

Beside the building starts a 650-metre botanical trail with more than 80 species of the park's plants, ending at a recreated organic vegetable garden. It is adapted for people with disabilities and is a short, pleasant walk to do with children before or after the exhibition.

Opening hours, admission and contact

In October, November and December it is open Thursday to Sunday, from 10:00 to 14:00 and from 16:00 to 20:00; in December, only some days. In July, August and September it is open every day. The Foundation publishes a timetable sheet each month on its website: check it before going. Admission costs €1 and is free for under-8s; the joint ticket with the Iberian Wolf Centre costs €8. Telephones: 980 621 872 and 672 990 031; email, [email protected].

Routes to ask about here

From the Park House the Foundation suggests routes such as the Sotillo waterfall, circular from Sotillo de Sanabria; the San Martín cave and the Tera canyon, about 9 km linear from Ribadelago Viejo; the Laguna de Yeguas, 3 km from the Laguna de los Peces, or the climb from Peces to Peña Trevinca, of about 24 km. On the pages for the Sotillo waterfall, the Laguna de los Peces and the lake and monks trail you have the details. In summer, continue to the lake beaches; with the joint ticket, finish the day at the Wolf Centre.