Listen:

Moncabril Reservoir Route

The itinerary passes through the reservoirs of San Sebastián, San Agustín, Valdesirgas, Puente Porto, Playa, Cárdena, Garandones, Vega de Tera and Vega de Conde. Today many of them have become part of the natural landscape and are recognised as valuable wetlands. Visitors can discover peat bogs, glacial lakes, high-altitude grazing lands and outstanding mountain scenery.

The Moncabril Reservoir Route explores some of the most spectacular and least-known mountain landscapes of the Sanabria Highlands. Following mountain tracks suitable for 4×4 vehicles, mountain bikes and experienced hikers, the route links a remarkable chain of reservoirs built during the major Moncabril hydroelectric project of the 1940s and 1950s.

The route also reveals an important chapter in the region’s industrial history. One of its most significant landmarks is the Vega de Tera Dam, whose collapse in 1959 caused the Ribadelago disaster.

Today, the Moncabril Route combines nature, industrial heritage, geology and mountain scenery, making it one of the most rewarding excursions in Porto.