Camino Dos Faros - Stage 20

First day on the Camino Dos Faros and it was glorious. A longish day with a harder trail than we’ve experienced to date in this trip, but continuously awesome views of the water made for a challenging but incredibly rewarding day.

We started the day by backtracking into Malpica and to the port. The technical starting point for the trail is at the signal light at the entrance to the harbor. Sounds like the weather here in winter is pretty surreal. The harbor wall was probably 30 ft tall and a gentleman we met said that the waves from winter storms will crest it. Simply wow!

Heading out of town the path was well marked and wide but turned into a single track at the Santuario de Santo Hadrián do Mar and stayed that way almost all day.

In Beo, a small mix up in trail directions led us down a very brushy path where we both hit some stinging nettles, not awesome. Shortly after we arrived at Playa de Seiruga where a knee deep stream crossing required removal of shoes and socks. It was a welcome break and the cold water felt good on the feet.

Rounding the peninsula we passed As Garzas, a popular lunch spot for hikers and a Michelin star restaurant that, unfortunately wasn’t open. We stopped for lunch at Praia de Barizo before hitting the hardest part of the trail. A steep, almost scramble start out of the port gained elevation quickly a rocky trail.

Here we meet a group of walkers from Ireland, part of a walking club in Dublin. They were an awesome group of folks, and they gave us both crocheted shamrocks for luck 🍀! A group we hope to get to know better in the coming days for sure.

Windy, narrow, rocky and steep best describe the next several hours. Up up up, down down down, but with constant views to rocky seashores and out to the wind blown Atlantic Ocean.

At Vistas de Barizo we got our first good look at Faro de Punta Nariga, our first real lighthouse of the Camino. We dropped steeply down, took a quick break, and continued on to Praia de Niñóns.

The trail for the day technically stops here, and most people get a taxi to take them back to their accommodation for the night. But our apartment was a scant 2km away so we just walked it. What’s another 2km when you just walked 25?Read more