Txema León
An adrenaline rush
Without being unduly tough as far as physical requirements go, the Via Ferrata de la Hermida is an interesting adventure for those who, like me, have a job that leaves little time for outdoor activities.
The tour begins with a climb through a forest on a pseudo-trail marked on the floor before you arrive at the actual ropes course. For those who are a little green like I was, a "via ferrata" is made up of anchors that pass through the living rock and a cable that passes through them to which you can hook yourself. There are also many steps fixed in the stone. This specific course has a big change in altitude and you notice how the village of La Hermida gets smaller and smaller as you go up.
There are three routes. I did the intermediate one where I crossed a suspension bridge with wooden planks and a "Tibetan bridge." If you do not know what a Tibetan bridge is, I’ll explain: basically, there are four wires that cross a massive gorge. One is for your harness, two are for leaning on, and the final one is where you walk. Think twice before you go because once you're on it, there's no turning back! The suspension bridge is a bit more relaxed; it is like the Tibetan one, but there's an actual surface you can walk on. Although it’s a simple route, there are some points that are not exactly child's play and will test your abilities.
The best and the prettiest stretch is right after Tibetan bridge which, in turn, is when the adrenaline really starts to kick in. Not suitable for people with vertigo!
Read more



+3