Turismo de Galicia

Today we propose to cover the entire northern area of the region through which the MTB Centre routes extend. Route 2 "Circular Nogueira de Ramuín" starts near the parking lot of the Monastery and Parador of Santo Estevo de Ribas de Sil. A very demanding climb crosses the group of houses in the village of Santo Estevo de Ribas de Sil and connects with the Ribeira Sacra Natural Way. It is advisable to take it really easy on this first leg; as a matter of fact, the great chestnut forest that shelters us during the whole climb invites us to get off the bike and walk slowly until we overcome the toughest ramps.

The first mandatory stop of the day is "Castro de Litoria", iron-age hill-top ruins located just 500 metres of detour from our route. The view is exceptional; from here we can guess the depth of the Sil River Canyon, and also appreciate the magnitude of the Santo Estevo Monastery. We continue along a forest track in very good condition, which services the Sil Wind Farm, until we reach the highest part of the Cabeza da Meda Range. At this point, we take the opportunity to visit the "Neveiros de Cabeza da Meda", old snow wells that were used to store ice, for use in food preservation and other food and medicinal processing.

We continue along Route 2 "Circular de Nogueira de Ramuín" in the direction of O Coutiño, where we connect with Route 3 "Circular Parada de Sil", until we reach A Hedrada village. Here we recover our strength and refresh ourselves in the fountain that is located in the centre of the village. After going past the Hedrada Reservoir and the Pradomao hamlet, we undertake a descent, which is sometimes technical, through a narrow and steep enough trail to San Lorenzo de Barxacova. In this place, the MTB Centre map recommends taking a little detour to visit the “Necrópolis de San Víctor”, an archaeological site with anthropomorphic graves in the open air.

We continue along Route 5 "A Fábrica da Luz". After a small stretch of road, we go down to the left in a straight line towards the Sil River Canyon, which we skirt along a road in good condition. The vineyards (socalcos), so typical of the area, do not go unnoticed, and we are surprised by the steep slopes of the cultivation terraces. Now we understand why they created the concept of "heroic viticulture"! It is evident that one must be in very good shape to work on these lands throughout the year and collect the grapes at harvest time.

After crossing the Regueiro Hydraulic Power Plant, we face the biggest challenge of the day: carrying our bikes for 150 metres to deal with the height difference of a vineyard that reaches a track. From here we pedal to Barxacova. After catching our breath a little; the final asphalt climb is made more pleasant by the memory of everything we have experienced on this first tour day. We arrive at A Fábrica da Luz Hostel in time to enjoy a meal on the outdoor terrace. In the middle of the afternoon, after showering in the Welcome Centre facilities, we prepare our camping area. This accommodation, more than the hostel beds, offers us the chance of experiencing something different by spending the night in tents mounted on high grounds, among trees. We feel adventurous and choose this option to enjoy an incredible night under the stars.

Start Stage 1: Parador de Santo Estevo
Recommended season: Spring, summer and autumn.
Recommended bicycle: Cross country, trail or e-bike.
Recommended gear: Backpack with capacity for 2-3 liters of water and 12-15 liters of total capacity. GPS, small first aid kit, jacket for wind and water, basic kit tools, food. Map of the MTB Center.
Recommendation for transfers: It is recommended to leave the car in the Parador of Santo Estevo parking area. There is a taxi service that can move luggage between the two proposed accommodations.

Before starting the second leg of our trip, we review the route on the information panels outside the hostel. This time we connect several routes from the southern part of the MBT Centre to reach our final destination. The first 3.5 kilometres are very demanding and it is advisable to take them with ease. The Sil River Canyon grows ever more spectacular as we gain altitude in the direction of San Lorenzo de Barxacova. We follow the indications of Route 3 "Circular de Parada de Sil" until we connect with the Ribeira Sacra Natural Way, a signposted path that runs between stone walls and centenary chestnut trees.

We reach the Entrambosríos area crossing Batán Brook over a bridge. There is a renovated mill in good condition, although it can only be visited on special occasions. An information panel on the side of the road tells us how to understand and value Galician mills, as grinding became fundamental for bread making. A few metres ahead, we face a steep climb along a cobbled road that forces us to carry our bikes for about 15 minutes. In this section, we must exercise extreme caution since, being part of the PRG-98, we share our route with hikers. After reaching the road, we pedal in the direction of Parada de Sil.

In the village, before taking our bikes towards Route 4 "Os Torgais", we enjoy coffee and a tasty piece of sponge cake, which is ideal to recover from the great effort made in the first part of the day. After a brief ride, we reach the place known as the "Balcóns de Madrid", an extraordinary viewpoint over the Sil River Canyon. We follow the signs to O Castro panoramic view, from which we enjoy a different but no less spectacular view of the canyon. At this point, if we have energy enough, we can continue down the road to visit the Monastery of Santa Cristina de Ribas de Sil, one of the most charming places in the Ribeira Sacra. It is worth a visit, although it forces us to take a large uphill climb to recover the track of our route.

The viewpoints of O Picotiño and Cabezoás are our last opportunities to enjoy the Sil River Canyon in this second leg. The last kilometres share a stretch with the “Transourensán Trail", which leads us gently back to the Parador de Santo Estevo.
 

Start Stage 2: A Fábrica da Luz
Recommended season: Spring, summer and autumn.
Recommended bicycle: Cross country, trail or e-bike.
Recommended gear: Backpack with capacity for 2-3 liters of water and 12-15 liters of total capacity. GPS, small first aid kit, jacket for wind and water, basic kit tools, food. Map of the MTB Center.
Recommendation for transfers: It is recommended to leave the car in the Parador of Santo Estevo parking area. There is a taxi service that can move luggage between the two proposed accommodations.