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Cebreiro Pass – Ascent to O Cebreiro loop from Ponferrada

Routes

Bike touring routes & trails

Cebreiro Pass – Ascent to O Cebreiro loop from Ponferrada

Hard

4.5

(36)

364

riders

Cebreiro Pass – Ascent to O Cebreiro loop from Ponferrada

06:34

98.7km

1,410m

Cycling

Hard bike ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.

Last updated: July 29, 2026

Tips

Includes a segment in which cycling is not permitted

After 62.2 km for 51 m

Waypoints

Start point

Train Station

Get Directions

20.4 km

Villafranca del Bierzo Castle

Highlight • Castle

Villafranca del Bierzo takes its name from French immigrants who (re)populated the region after the Reconquista and built a castle. Villafranca thus became a stage of the Camino. In later centuries it was the capital of a county.
Here we find the Santiago church from 1186, the 16th century fortress, the authentic Calle del Agua, the Plaza Mayor, the San Nicolas church, a Jesuit monastery and a former monastery church of San Francisco. Francis of Assisi founded the monastery in the 13th century on his pilgrimage to Santiago.

Translated by Google •

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20.9 km

Villafranca del Bierzo

Highlight • Settlement

Villafranca del Bierzo takes its name from French immigrants who (re)populated the region after the Reconquista and built a castle. Villafranca thus became a stop on the Camino. In later centuries it was the capital of a county.
Here we find the Santiago church from 1186, the 16th century castle, the authentic Calle del Agua, the Plaza Mayor, the San Nicolas church, a Jesuit monastery and a former monastery church of San Francisco. Francis of Assisi founded the monastery in the 13th century on his pilgrimage to Santiago.

Translated by Google •

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28.7 km

Camino de Santiago Milestone – 179 km to Santiago

Highlight • Monument

The goal is now approaching and the excitement is growing

Translated by Google •

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29.9 km

Trabadelo and Río Valcarce

Highlight • Settlement

nice little village

Translated by Google •

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40.2 km

Descent along the road

Highlight • Trail

From Las Herrerias de Valcarce the ascent to O Cebreiro begins - about 10 km long and 750 meters in altitude.

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49.6 km

Cebreiro Pass

Highlight • Mountain Pass

After 14 kilometers of ascent and 656 meters of positive difference in altitude since the ascent begins in Ruitelán, crowning the Alto do Cebreiro is one of the moments to celebrate if you are doing the Camino Frances de Santiago.
This pass separates the provinces of Lugo and León and is crowned at 1,300 meters above sea level.

Translated by Google •

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55.4 km

Ascent to O Cebreiro

Highlight • Climb

The climb is scenic but also extremely steep. You should definitely be prepared for that. According to Komoot, the gradient can be up to 18%.

Translated by Google •

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62.1 km

View of Vega de Valcarce

Highlight • Viewpoint

Vega de Valcarce is a municipality located in the province of León, Castile and León, Spain. It is framed in the beautiful Valcarce Valley, which follows the course of the French Way for 14 kilometers before reaching Galicia.
The origin of this town dates from the eleventh century and, according to popular legend, is born of a Galician family that before building the first house lived a few months inside a chestnut tree.
The history of the town is closely related to the Camino de Santiago and the medieval entrance to the Kingdom of Galicia. The entire Valcarce valley formed a lordship in the Middle Ages and, for a good part of it, powerful archbishops of Compostela placed in the area numerous feudal lords who divided the lordship in the region.
The feudal lords imposed on anyone who wanted to pass to Galicia a payment known as "portazgo", something like a toll like those we know today. In 1702 King Alfonso VI intervened to suppress this privilege, however it would not disappear until many years later.
viajecaminodesantiago.com/camino-frances/vega-valcarce

Tip by

98.7 km

End point

Train Station

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

62.5 km

31.0 km

3.50 km

1.75 km

Surfaces

93.2 km

3.35 km

1.72 km

461 m

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Highest point (1,310 m)

Lowest point (470 m)

Weather

Sunday 2 August

31°C

17°C

-- %

Additional weather tips

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Comments

June 12, 2022,Mein Camino 22 9. Etappe Molinaseca- Hospital

It was a real heat battle today.
polarsteps.com/MartinonTour/5012165-mein-camino-22/40707732-molinaseca?s=25d0d54b-6505-424b-8ea2-17509f163b38

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August 9, 2024,Camino Frances-Etappe 10: Ponferrada-O Cebreiro-Fonfria

Today was the brutally steep climb and how nice that @Kristof caught up with me beforehand and then we fought our way to the top together: sometimes creeping, sometimes pushing. Thank you for riding together, that will stay in our memories! And: long live komoot...
Of course there is a lot more to tell; great views of nature...the photos should …

Showing Translation

June 17, 2022,Ponferrada nach Fonfria

Today we started earlier than usual because we had to climb a few meters. The road leading out of Ponferrada wasn't great. It would have been more sensible to dodge the pilgrimage straight away.

Shortly after Camponaraya, the EV3 took us on the pilgrimage route, which then went via Cacabelos, Villafranca del Bierzo, Vega de Valcarse, O Cebreiro to Fonfria.

Showing Translation

July 8, 2023,Santiago de Compostela - Jakobsweg Tour IV- Tag 8

Woke up early this morning to enjoy a beautiful sunset in the mountains. Always beautiful. It's fresh this morning, 12°C. But sure, no fog...
A banana 🍌 for breakfast and two muffins, then I start on a great ten-kilometer descent... I enjoy the mountains around me, as well as this fresh air, which is different than at home...
The day …

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Cebreiro Pass – Ascent to O Cebreiro loop from Ponferrada

Villafranca del Bierzo Castle

Villafranca del Bierzo

Camino de Santiago Milestone – 179 km to Santiago

Trabadelo and Río Valcarce

Descent along the road

Cebreiro Pass

Ascent to O Cebreiro

View of Vega de Valcarce

Nearby routes

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