Camino Francés: Stage 30

Now there are just 94 kilometres left to Santiago de Compostela. You will leave Portomarín crossing the Iglesia de San Nicolás church that will lead you to the Avenida de Chantada avenue and after crossing a footbridge over the Torres river, a Minho’s affluent.Then you will start walking up to the Monte de San Antonio mount, but this is a short walk up because just a kilometer after you will be walking among lots of high trees and huge fields that will lead you to the national road. Once you get to the San Mamede and Velade crossing you will continue the route through a path that goes parallel to the road and once you get to a brick factory you will have to cross the road to walk through the same path.

You have to take into account that every time that you are crossing the road you have to be very careful because there are vehicles coming from both sides. A little bit after you will get to a village called Toxibo that has a huge raised granary at the entrance. Then going parallel to the road you will wall among pine trees and after a picnic area where you can rest and have a break for a while you will continue to get to Gonzar ;in this village you will find a public hostel and also the Iglesia de Santa María church. After crossing this village and going to the left you will get to Castromaior that was named after the pre-roman settlement that was in this place, stop here is a must for all pilgrims. You could also visit the Romanesque church of this village that is from the 12 century.

You will continue once again parallel to the national road and then you will see a signal and then, after crossing many times the road you will get to Hospital da Cruz that used to be a pilgrim’s hospital.

Now you will cross again the national road to leave the hospital and you have to take to the left to go through a narrow track to Vendas de Narón that used to be named as Sala Regina and is an important village in this Way.

Once you leave this village you will find a small chapel that was rehabilitated in 2004 you will continue through the same path that will lead you to the sierra de Ligonde mountain pass. That separates the Minho river and also the Ulla river. Here you will enjoy an amazing landscape. After getting to this mountain pass is time to rest for a while, then you will go through Previsa a village located in Monterroso. Just a few meters before you will get to Os Lameiros where is located the Capilla de San Marcos chapel and also it stone cross from 1670 devoted to the Virgen de los Dolores virgin and also to Christ Crucified.

You will continue your way and you will get to Ligonde that is the village with the greatest amount of people in today’s stage, where many monarchs stayed long time ago.

This part of the way goes through a path that will lead you to a bridge over the Airexe river where you can find a Romanesque church devoted to Santiago. Next to the church you will find a stone cross. You will go on the left path to leave this place. After a few meters you will start descending to get to Portos the first village that belongs to Palas de Rei. Then you will find a turn away to get to vilar de Donas and a holiday cottage where you can stay the night. After visiting the Iglesia de Lestedo church you will continue going through Os Valos and A Mamurria to get to a Brea. Here in this village you should go through a path that goes parallel to the left side of the N-547. You will cross Avenostre and O Rosario, this is the last village before getting to Palas de Rei. A little bit after you will get to the end of today’s stage

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Bear in mind

This stage is not too hard, there’s only a couple of small gaps in the ground that you’ll be able to go through easily. There are some public and private hostels in the villages along this stage. Once passed Palas de Rei, they are advertised as if they were in the town when in reality they’re further away, so we should choose the hotel carefully.

Reduced mobility pilgrims can do this stage with no issues, although is possible they need help while going up the mountain San Antonio, or arriving at the Hospital de la Cruz.

What to see