There are routes that only by name already seduce us before we start walking and that seduce us even more when we start walking. The Route of Silence is one of them. It begins in a town away from everything and semi abandoned: San Cristóbal (at an altitude of 800 meters), and then passes through another such as Mourelle and Brusquete, where no one has lived for a long time. The path it is quite simple to follow but in certain areas the terrain can become clumsy and slippery, so it requires wearing good footwear. The canes are not too much.
The Ruta del Silencio is an approved path with the epigraph PR-AS 209.
A magical route in Los Oscos
After passing the church of San Cristóbal, we leave the village along a descending path that already offers views of the valley, covered by a thick blanket of native forest. Our route begins counter-clockwise, and after the first kilometer (descending to 500 meters in altitude), we enter a spectacular forest of chestnut, oak, and strawberry trees, also dotted with alders, elms, hazel, birch, and holly. Mushrooms and heather abound. Moss and lichen cover walls and corrals (small, circular stone enclosures where chestnuts were stored). We also come across the occasional truébano (ancient beehives in hollowed-out tree trunks). The path is always damp due to the dense forest, and small streams and rivulets appear everywhere, feeding each other and flowing in whimsical shapes across this rugged terrain.
Native forest and abandoned villages
We crossed the Bobia River via a stone bridge . For a while, we followed its course, always alongside its energetic waterfalls. The path climbs through the forest. At one point, the river narrows dramatically, forming a small canyon. After a while, we reached the abandoned village of Mourelle (we had climbed to an altitude of 600 meters). Its last inhabitants lived in the old way, without roads or modern conveniences, with a watermill and an iron mine as their economic mainstays. We continued uphill along a stony track with good views of the canyon carved by the Bobia River . This is the Braña de Balongo , a superb natural viewpoint and an ideal place to rest among the ruins of old huts.
Celón and Picón waterfalls
We continued along the path, and once past the abandoned village of Brusquete clinging to the hillside (we had already covered 8 kilometers at this point), we entered another large natural tunnel formed by the treetops (oaks). The path descends and (often) becomes slippery. Here we came across the turnoff to the Celón waterfall . It's signposted and only 200 meters away. Although the path, along a winding and uphill trail, isn't entirely easy (especially when wet), it's well worth the detour. The 50-meter-high waterfall is quite a sight.
We continued descending carefully through the forest. After crossing two wooden bridges, we approached the Picón Waterfall . It is also signposted and involves a detour of about 800 meters (round trip) from the main trail. To reach it, you have to keep your eyes peeled and navigate around several small streams. This second waterfall, 60 meters high , is a particularly beautiful spot , with a magnificent pool of crystal-clear water.
We retrace our steps to the main path and, passing by the ruins of Molín da Bobia , we have about two kilometers of uphill walking ahead of us towards San Cristóbal, where we started. We ascend through the same oak forest, crossing streams that appear everywhere.
