Finally the day has come when we encourage you to discover this enigmatic waterfall, in the most hidden and wild side of the Montes Aquilianos. We are therefore very close to Peñalba de Santiago, within the domains of what is now called the "tebaida berciana", where every corner hides surprises to travel without haste.
The beginning of the day is in itself worth the trip. We left the car in Carracedo de Compludo, one of our favorite Bierzo villages and one of those that has best preserved its essence, thanks sometimes to neglect, and many others to the firm commitment to the restoration of its spectacular traditional architecture.
We cross the village without being able to avoid stopping to immortalize every corner, in a cold and sunny winter morning. On the left hand side, after crossing the village stream, we will find the route that will take us to the Gualtón de Carracedo. A simple route that crosses oak groves and wooded slopes in which to feel the most authentic side of our mountains.
As a curiosity we must point out that the word gualtón is not a proper name, but it is the way in which waterfalls (also known as fervenzas) are called in this region.
After more than half an hour of hiking for everyone, we reach the last stretch, a more difficult descent, in which we must go with the five senses to avoid slipping. The reward is very close, and you can already hear the roar of the waters at the bottom of the valley. If you travel in the rainy season, as we chose, you will enjoy its more than thirty meters of altitude in all its splendor. The Gualtón de Carracedo is a waterfall to which very few images show its true magnitude.
Lucas and Álvaro Docampo