Camino del Norte: Stage 26

You will leave La Caridad through the town hall’s square, to the right. A little bit after you will have to cross a stream called Carballeiros, then you will have to walk up to Alto de Los Morcegos. Once you get here you will have to cross the national road several times and also get to some local paths that will lead you to another stream near San Pelayo. You will return to the N-634 and then get to Veldepares, in El Franco. If you can’t cross the stream called Carballeiros you will have to change a little bit the route and go through the national road national road and cross the Porcia river, next to Tapia de Cadariego. You will walk through a path to get to Porcía and to Cruz de la Caleya, where you will have to make a decision depending on which route you want to follow:

• If you have decided to go through the coast you have to know that this route is a little bit longer than the other one. You will have to cross again the national road and continue parallel to it through some villages such as Corozas, Hospital, Campos de Salave, Cantón, Cortaficio and Mántaras. Just after 10 kilometers after leaving La Caridad you will get to Tapia de Casariego, a mining village; here you will see the Virgen del Carmen virgin located in the port. Then you will be walking between the N-634 and the Cantabrian sea and you will go through La Xunquera, Calambre, Penela and then through Santa Gadea, in Tapia. Here you will find a wonderful beach called Playa de Pantorga or A Ribeira. You will also find here the remains of an old fortress called Campo de San Lorenzo. You will also find the Playa de la Penarronda beach located between the Acantilados de la Robaleira cliffs and La Punta del Crono. Then you will get to Arroyo de Penarronda where you will find the Ermita de San Lorenzo hermitage, where you will return to the road towards Penedo, Outeiro and finally Figueras. In this village you will meet again the pilgrims that went the other route that goes inland. Then you will visit other monuments such as the Palacio de Los Pardo Donlebún palace; its tower is from the 16 century. You will have to return to the road to cross the estuary through the Puente de los Santos bridge, now you are in Galicia. Just after leaving the bridge you will find the hostel.
• The other alternative goes inland; it goes through Porcía towards Brul. You will walk through the AS-24 and then through some paths towards Castropol. After six kilometers you will leave Brul and you will have to go through the AS-31 towards Tol. You will find a marker a little bit after that indicated the road to Vegadeo. This village used to be the entrance in Galicia of the Northern Way because there was no possible way of crossing the estuary. Nowadays you can cross it through the Puente de los Santos bridge. You will have to continue on the road to Barres where you should cross the national road to get to the AS-31 towards Figueras. Once you get there you will have to cross the bridge through a path parallel to the road and get in Galicia. Just after leaving the bridge you will have to go to the left and a little bit after you will find the local hostel.

Bear in mind

You should take the decision about which way you are going to follow before getting there so you can plan better your entire way, there is just a difference of 4 kilometers in terms of distance. Do not forget that once in Galicia, the scallop shell direction changes! Now you need to follow the way pointed by that the most open side. This stage is easy for everyone.