Las Herrerías
Camino Frances
Las Herrerías ('the blacksmiths') takes its name from the iron forges that once operated along the river. It's the last village before the climb to O Cebreiro, and the atmosphere shifts here — you can feel the mountain ahead.
A couple of albergues and a bar provide final services. The English-run albergue has a good reputation. An old stone bridge crosses the river at the village entrance.
Some pilgrims start the climb to O Cebreiro from here at dawn, which puts you at the top for sunrise. Others prefer to tackle it after breakfast. Either way, the 8 km climb gains about 700 m — the steepest sustained ascent since the Pyrenees.
No services between here and O Cebreiro. The climb is steep and exposed in places. In bad weather, take the road variant rather than the mountain path.
The climb begins immediately after Las Herrerías. The path is steep, gaining altitude through chestnut forest before emerging into open mountain pasture. The gradient eases in the final stretch to La Faba.
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