Vilamartín de Valdeorras

The day from O Barco had to be either 13 km or 40 km. I was not interested in the 40 option. I had learned on the forum that there was a way to visit an old abandoned estate (Pazo) on the other side of the river, which would also add a little bit of distance. I did some more searching and found that there were several trails on that side of the river that would take me up high, to some waterfalls, and then to a couple of little towns on my way back down to the river. I pieced together some Wikiloc tracks and got a good alternative – 24 km and about 600 m elevation gain.

It was a combination of two local trails, both very well-maintained and marked. I saw several people out walking, all single women from the nearby villages, and also met a man tending his little patch of grape vines. The waterfalls were quite nice, and the walk along the ridge at the top gave such a different view than what we normally see walking down by the river. I came into town over an ancient pedestrian bridge, and saw that there was a Roman millario right next to it! I am very happy to have done this route, and I arrived in A Rua just in time to have a menú del día with Clare.

Despite the weather forecast, it was a glorious day, but rain is back in the forecast tomorrow. It looks like the morning will be dry, so I will start out good and early!Read more