Among the chestnut trees in the Valcarce valley, you hear the water more often than the road. The start is gentle, green and almost sleepy. Don’t be fooled.
Then the Camino begins to climb. You gain more than 500 metres in one steady stretch, heading for Galicia. At the top, O Cebreiro awaits at over 1300 metres, with old stone houses and often cloud all around you. There is a public albergue.
In winter, this climb can be snowy and hard going. In the past, pilgrims therefore walked the Camino de Invierno from Ponferrada, along the River Sil, bypassing this climb. So in winter, check the weather beforehand and consider that route.
Walk up at your own pace. At the top, you’ll soon forget the sweat.