Path of the Monks
General Data
Distance: 19.5 km.
Time: 6-7 hours
Difficulty: Medium
Net difference in height: 500m.
Recommended season: spring, summer and autumn
Signposted route
From el Puente Boeza in Ponferrada, there is a sign which indicates the Romanesque Church Santa María de Vizbayo. From this point the route is signposted.
We ascend to the town Otero until we reach a raised area with a fountain. We follow a cart road which is on the side of the Pajariel Mountain, avoiding the branches on the right and on the left. In the 4th Km. we arrive up to Valdecañadas and we continue among the vineyards until San Esteban in the kilometre number 5.3.
The road has to be crossed and we have to go on following a path on the right until the church of San Esteban de Valdueza (Km. 6.5). From the town, the path is parallel to the right banks of the river Oza until we arrive to the stream of Villanueva, where it continues on the right bank until Villanueva de Valdueza (km. 8.70). Now we leave the town and we descend until Valdefrancos (Km. 11.8), and we have to continue on the left bank of the river Oza, until San Clemente de Valdueza (Km. 14).
From the mill of this town we’ll find a path which crosses the Peñalba road. We have to continue following this path on the right, with a quite steep slope. We can see the marks of the carts in the path. In the kilometre number 16.4 the road is crossed by a Roman canal that we have to follow until we cross El Sendero de la Tebaida Berciana. We follow the canal until we arrive to Montes de Valdueza (Km. 19.50)
We ascend to the town Otero until we reach a raised area with a fountain. We follow a cart road which is on the side of the Pajariel Mountain, avoiding the branches on the right and on the left. In the 4th Km. we arrive up to Valdecañadas and we continue among the vineyards until San Esteban in the kilometre number 5.3.
The road has to be crossed and we have to go on following a path on the right until the church of San Esteban de Valdueza (Km. 6.5). From the town, the path is parallel to the right banks of the river Oza until we arrive to the stream of Villanueva, where it continues on the right bank until Villanueva de Valdueza (km. 8.70). Now we leave the town and we descend until Valdefrancos (Km. 11.8), and we have to continue on the left bank of the river Oza, until San Clemente de Valdueza (Km. 14).
From the mill of this town we’ll find a path which crosses the Peñalba road. We have to continue following this path on the right, with a quite steep slope. We can see the marks of the carts in the path. In the kilometre number 16.4 the road is crossed by a Roman canal that we have to follow until we cross El Sendero de la Tebaida Berciana. We follow the canal until we arrive to Montes de Valdueza (Km. 19.50)
