Trail Ribeira Sacra

Trail Ribeira Sacra

Trail Ribeira Sacra is the great ultra of inland Galician mountain running. It starts in Luíntra, capital of the Nogueira de Ramuín municipality (Ourense), and traces a 48-kilometre route with 3,450 metres of positive elevation through the Sil canyons, where the river has carved gorges over 400 metres deep and the slopes are farmed in heroic vineyard terraces. The 2026 edition is the tenth.

A 48-kilometre course

The route links descents to the river and brutal climbs back up to the canyon rim, over and over. You run on riverside paths, tracks between vines, stone hamlets and Atlantic woodland of chestnut and oak. The footing is demanding: wet schist, leaf litter, roots and the odd flight of stone steps. With more than 70 metres of climbing per kilometre and an 11-hour cut-off, it is a race only for runners with long-distance mileage in their legs.

The Ribeira Sacra, wine and monasteries

The Ribeira Sacra holds the highest density of rural monasteries in Europe and a viticulture the Romans already practised on these impossible slopes. The terraced landscape above the Sil is a candidate for World Heritage status. The race is an unbeatable way to understand why these wines are called “heroic”.

October in the Sil canyons

In mid-October, the Ribeira Sacra wakes with fog in the canyon floor that usually lifts by mid-morning. Temperatures are mild (8-18 °C) but the chance of rain is high and the ground is slow to dry. A waterproof jacket and grippy shoes are non-negotiable. See more races in Galicia and plan your weekend with the planner.