Bárcena Dam – Bárcena Dam on the Sil River loop from Bembibre

Bárcena Dam – Bárcena Dam on the Sil River loop from Bembibre

Moderate

riders

Bárcena Dam – Bárcena Dam on the Sil River loop from Bembibre

03:00

58.8km

620m

Road cycling

Moderate road ride. Good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.

Last updated: August 28, 2026

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After 47.9 km for 194 m

Waypoints

Start point

Train Station

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406 m

View of Bembibre

Highlight • Viewpoint

Bembibre is an administrative center and regional city of the Bierzo region. The city is situated on an important trade route along the Beoza river between Ponferrada and Astorga

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16.5 km

The Bárcena reservoir is located in the Sill river valley in the Bierzo region. The reservoir was built in 1960 to harness the power of the river's water to produce electricity. During the summer you can enjoy swimming and water sports along the reservoir.

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16.5 km

Bárcena Dam

Highlight • Structure

At this point we cross the Bárcenas dam that gives us a beautiful view of the reservoir. It is worth deviating for a moment from our route to go up to the viewpoint of the dam with incredible views of the 2 sides of the dam.

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16.5 km

Bárcena Dam on the Sil River

Highlight • Monument

The Bárcena reservoir is a water dam located in the course of the Sil River, between Santa Marina del Sil and Ponferrada, in the Spanish region of El Bierzo. For its construction and commissioning in 1961, the towns of Bárcena del Río and Posada del Río were evacuated, whose inhabitants were relocated to a newly built town called Bárcena del Bierzo. The works began in 1955 and involved the modification of the railway route of the Minero Siderúrgica de Ponferrada company (MSP Railway) or Ponferrada-Villablino Railway.
If you visit the area, do not hesitate to explore this impressive reservoir. 🌊⚡🏞️

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21.4 km

View of the Bárcena Reservoir and the Compostilla II power plant

Highlight • Viewpoint

Road next to the reservoir that also borders the Compostilla II Thermal Power Plant. This plant was fueled by coal and was cooled by the water from the reservoir. It was closed and disconnected from the electricity grid in June 2020 due to its high polluting impact.

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23.7 km

Cubillos de Sil

Highlight • Settlement

Cubillos is a town halfway between urban and rural, with extensive irrigated crops fed by the Bárcena reservoir, but with a marked presence of the Compostilla II Thermal Power Plant, in operation from 1972 to June 2020.

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35.3 km