This beautiful stretch of the Camino de Santiago is a variant of the last stretch of the Camino Frances from Ponferrada to avoid, during the winter season, the climb to O Cebreiro. A stretch of great beauty and little overcrowding, passing through iconic areas such as Las Medulas and the Ribeira Sacra with stunning scenery along the river Sil.
It links in A Laxe with the Camino Sanabres before its entrance to Santiago de Compostela.
We use comfortable hotels, rural houses or family pensions with a pleasant atmosphere in keeping with the spirit of the Camino. In all our hotels, the rooms have private bathrooms and a good breakfast is included every morning. For dinners, we are happy to recommend excellent local restaurants through our 24/7 assistance service.
We use comfortable hotels, rural houses or family pensions with a pleasant atmosphere in keeping with the spirit of the Camino. In all our hotels, the rooms have private bathrooms and a good breakfast is included every morning. For dinners, we are happy to recommend excellent local restaurants through our 24/7 assistance service.
The concept behind all CaminoByTheWay and El Bierzo a Pedales trips is “the cultural and spiritual experience coupled with an active vacation”. The fitter you are, the easier you will adapt and enjoy yourself. We encourage people to take responsibility for their fitness and preparation consistently before departure and to INCREASE their regular weekly training program in the two months leading up to departure. That way, when you start pedaling, you’ll feel relaxed, comfortable, and strong, having done more than enough preparation for the ride. You’ll also have more energy to enjoy the sights, take photos and explore the sights at your leisure, rather than just getting to the next hotel.
There are many interesting sights and experiences to be found during the day and being fit allows you to enjoy them all. At a minimum, we recommend 40 minutes of aerobic-type exercise (running, swimming, cycling, walking up a hill, or working out in the gym) two to three times a week for two to six months prior to your departure. Training should intensify as you get closer to departure, up to an amount you feel is appropriate.
*We recommend cycling the Camino only if you have some cycling experience and essential knowledge of bicycle maintenance.
Despite avoiding the climb to O Cebreiro, it is a stretch with considerable difficulty, with constant ups and downs and a significant accumulated elevation that makes this road a stretch for those who are accustomed to great challenges on the bike. To compensate for this effort, we will pass through landscapes of great beauty, the ancient Roman mines of Las Medulas, pristine forests, and stunning scenery in the Ribera Sacra.
The trail runs along dirt paths, cobblestone lanes, and secondary roads. All sections are very well marked: just follow the yellow arrow, which can be found on walls, rocks, trees, or marked on the surface itself. A simple tip: one of the differences between the Camino on foot and the Camino by bike is the speed, in the same way, that walking is easy to see the arrows in advance, it is not so easy when we do it by bike, so always make sure you see an arrow before making any change of direction.
