2023 Camino de Santiago - O'Cebreiro to Triacastela - Stage 23

Stage 23: O'Cebreiro to Triacastela
Introduction
After the queen stage of the day before, today we will have a lighter day, in which the still tough climbs to the Alto de San Roque will feel lighter. Throughout this day we will have beautiful panoramic views of the mountains and hills, and on the descent, a zigzagging path that will allow us to pass through beautiful rural villages.
We leave O Cebreiro after having a light breakfast on our way to Triacastela, leaving behind this beautiful village and entering a beautiful forest with incredible views of the sunrise. We cross several kilometers enjoying the coolness of the morning until we gain 100 meters of altitude and reach 1,332 meters. From above we can contemplate the spectacular panoramic view of our surroundings.
We continue along a forest track until we reach Liñares, where we find the pre-Romanesque church of San Esteban, from the 8th century. From here the path begins to climb, taking us through a succession of climbs and descents through forests. After reaching the Alto de San Roque (1,270 meters) we can admire the bronze statue of a pilgrim struggling against the wind, a tribute to all the pilgrims who have passed through these places.
After this climb, we continue parallel to the road and reach the village of Hospital da Condesa. We continue our route along a difficult section due to the steep slope that awaited us ahead after the church of San Xoán (15th century).
We leave the church behind and gather our strength for the tough climb of the Alto do Poio, which at 1,337 meters is the highest of this stage. The ascent is tough, but it is compensated by the extraordinary views that give us strength to reach the top. Once we reach the top, we can take a well-deserved break at the bar at the end of the climb.
We continue our stage descending, combining the road and dirt tracks until Fonfría. We continue descending and the weather began to change until the rain surprised us when we reached the village of O Biduedo. We were lucky enough to find a restaurant and took shelter to pass the heavy rain with hail that fell at that time. We continued passing through the villages of Fillobal and As Pasantes, already in the municipality of Triacastela.
We advanced quickly, passing by an imposing century-old chestnut tree, to reach the small town of Triacastela and end our stage. Not without first visiting the church and cemetery, where the rain started again. We arrived at our hotel, Casa Simón, a beautiful old house that has been remodeled with great taste.
After freshening up, we got ready to have our dinner and rest to get ready for our next stage the next day.
We hope you enjoyed this stage as much as we did.
Buen Camino!