Discover Moldes

Moldes offers two clear starting points for planning your trip: the Santo Tirso Hermitage and the road to Barjas, which runs alongside extensive, carefully managed chestnut groves. Other hiking and scenic routes offer their own highlights, with forests, streams, and valleys in the municipality of Barjas. If you are looking for a hotel in Moldes, you can base your choice on whether you want to focus mainly on scenery, hiking trails, or cultural heritage. For planning, the specific starting points and the type of route are important.

Landscape and Townscape

The settlements in the municipality of Barjas lie in beautiful valleys through which the Barjas and Corporales rivers flow. The area is home to numerous centuries-old chestnut and walnut trees, as well as native holly and oak trees. The road from Moldes to Barjas runs alongside extensive, carefully managed chestnut groves. In Barjas, roughly worked rustic stone buildings with typical slate roofs shape the traditional architecture. Both the valley vegetation and the style of construction are therefore defining features of the municipality’s landscape and townscape.

Hiking Trails and Scenic Routes

In the Hayedo de Busmayor, the Senda del Hayedo runs for about 7 km one way through the forest and along streams. The route through the Hayedo de Busmayor also passes the Frevenza do Beiro, a waterfall. The route near Barjas offers a different type of trail: it is 16 km long and forms a loop. Comparing the two is useful when choosing, since the approximately 7 km distance is one way, while the 16 km route is a loop. Length and route type are therefore two distinct features to consider when planning.

The Oencia–Barjas route passes through rural, remote landscapes in the valleys of the Barjas and Selmo rivers. It offers a different scenic focus from the forest and stream trail in the Hayedo. One described cycling route reaches Moldes after an ascent through centuries-old chestnut trees: “(El Bierzo)-Vega de Valcarce-Villasinde-Hermide-Moldes-Busmayor-Otero-San Julian-Herrerias”. Conditions and accessibility may change; check the route before setting out.

Getting to the Starting Points

From Vega de Valcarce, the final 20 km run along the LE-5101 through Barjas to Busmayor. At the end of Calle Principal, signs point to the start of the Senda del Faxeiral, also known as the Hayedo trail. The starting point of the route at the Herrería de Serviz can be reached by car via Vega de Valcarce and Moldes. Check road conditions locally before planning your journey.

Cultural Heritage and Tradition

The Senda del Faxeiral passes the Piedra de los Poetas, a large stone where verses are recited every year. If you want to plan for a future poetry reading, confirm the dates locally. Moldes is also home to the Santo Tirso Hermitage, one of the cultural heritage attractions in the municipality of Barjas. The stone is part of the route, while the hermitage is a separate cultural heritage site in Moldes. This distinction helps you identify the cultural destinations more specifically when planning your trip.

For the broader travel overview: Barjas.