The best walks and hikes around Sober

Camp site with an astonishing view on the Ribeira Sacra

The PR-G 98 takes the Santa Cristina detour along an ancient country path dug into the mountainside centuries ago in remote and steep places, like the remains of the stone villages that appear during the journey through this enchanted world. Remains of mills, houses, wineries, “sequeiros” and a multitude of constructions with mossy walls emerge from the small natural steps of the terrain that are suitable for building a building. The rest of the surroundings are a forest of chestnut and oak trees, old and gnarled, forgotten by man and time, placed everywhere forming a magnificent forest of enormous trees that hide the views of the Sil gorge. The river is close but practically unreachable.

The village of Entrambosríos is hidden in a forest of ancient chestnut trees at the confluence of the Batán and Fiós rivers, two torrents of water that provided enough energy to move the machinery of two mills built on the banks of the river, one in Entrambosríos and the other in Rabacallos, near the mouth of the river in the Sil. The buildings and part of the irrigation ditches, the bridge and the surroundings of the mills have been restored to preserve the memory of the families who for generations dedicated themselves to the work of milling. A panel located next to the old mill remembers the last family that kept the mill running until the end of the last century. From Roman times, the basis of peasant food and the original raw material for milling was the chestnut. The first agricultural revolution came from the 12th century, when the monks of the Ribeira Sacra introduced the cultivation of millet and rye. And from the 17th century onwards, wheat and corn arrived, the flours that have brought the Galician baking industry and “Galician bread” to the forefront of popular gastronomy. The Entrambosríos chestnut tree is an ancient example of chestnut included in the Catalogue of Singular Trees of Galicia, and boasts of being one of the oldest and largest trees in Galicia. The branches continue to produce fruit and in the meantime they tell an endless story of perseverance, love for the land and friendship with human beings.

The petos de ánimas or “soul piggy banks” are an artistic expression of medieval popular architecture linked to the cult of the dead and beliefs about life and death. In the religious reform of the 16th century, the concept of Purgatory appeared as an alternative to save the “souls in torment” who wandered around waiting to be condemned, suppressing the idea of eternal punishment. The petos de ánimas reached their highest artistic quality in the 18th century, they are at crossroads and form part of the ethnographic heritage of the Galician rural environment. In the municipality of Parada de Sil there are petos de ánimas in Requián, Teimende, Casa do Vento, Cimadevila, O Couto and O Coutiño, with two striking ornamental pinnacles on the stone chapel.

The trail begins in the Plaza do Barquilleiro, in Parada de Sil, a must-see in the essential landscapes of the Sil Canyon and the Ribeira Sacra to discover fantasy forests, river balconies, traditional wineries and the ancient monastery of Santa Cristina, a notable landmark in the Benedictine foundations spread across the great river canyon in the interior of Galicia.

The Balconies of Madrid have a history that speaks of emigration, dreams and human adventures in unknown lands. The original name of Os Torgás was changed when the people of the Ourense villages of the Ribeira Sacra hung themselves from the cliffs of the River Sil to say goodbye to their loved ones who were leaving for Madrid and other lands in the south with the dream of a new life. The viewing points form small steps hanging over the river gorge and cause a special fascination. The breeze in the air carries the aromas of vineyards hanging on steep rocky terraces and melodies of elves emerging from enchanted forests, descendants of the primitive mythological beings who resisted the sacralisation of their plant kingdom by the monks and long before by the Roman legions. The walls of the Sil Canyon are a monumental sculpture five hundred metres high made of fierce, bare granite, a fortress of living rock up to the edge of the viewing points that filter the wind, the lights and the eternal songs of all the people who have passed through this fantastic natural balcony to say goodbye or find someone.

It is a magnificent example of rural Galician Romanesque architecture. The original building is from the 12th century, and preserves carvings from the 16th century and baroque altarpieces from the 18th century. The entrance to the cloister has a Romanesque doorway with lobed arches and a magnificent sculptural pantheon. The economic power of the monks of the Sil reached a notable splendour in the 12th century, when they received royal privileges and papal protection to expand the monasteries and sanctuaries on both banks of the Sil, a territory with a strong historical and cultural personality, called Rivoyra Sacrata at that time and known since then as Ribeira Sacra.

Miradoiro dos Penediños is a beautiful viewing point located in the Ribeira Sacra, a region known for its stunning landscapes and terraced vineyards along the Miño and Sil rivers in Galicia. From this viewing point, you can enjoy spectacular panoramic views of the Miño River canyons and the lush forests surrounding the area. The viewing point is an ideal place for nature and photography lovers, as it offers a unique perspective of the natural beauty of the Ribeira Sacra. In addition, it is a popular stopping point for visitors touring the region's viewing point route.