Fervenza de Toxa is only a short drive from Santiago de Compostela. It was not a long hike day, but a couple of short scenic trails. It looked like there was more to see if I wanted to follow the river further out, but I did not go too far this day.
I started my adventure with the trail to the bottom of the falls. It had rained so much recently that the main falls were difficult to approach from the bottom. The rivers were full and the water was coming with such great force that it created a strong wind. The air was saturated with a mist that left visibility low. I could barely keep my eyes open in the wind and my phone was instantly soaked in my brief effort to take this photo. A great finale to the long summer drought that hit Spain the last year.
Following the path down the river, there was another smaller fall to see. I could get a lot closer here.
With the rains, the views along this path were pretty incredible. Everything felt so alive. It was fresh and green. Walking here feels a lot like stepping into the fairytales my grandmother used to read. I joke a lot about being careful to enter the abandoned houses because we don´t want to anger the brujas o hadas.
After this, I took the trail up the hill to see the views of the waterfalls from the top. I was amazed to find the views to be equally spectacular from this angle. I think the photos are better from the top, but my curiosity is better saatiated exploring the setas and fungi and helechos up close. If you visit, I think you really have to take both trails in this place.
This is the fervenza de Toxa from a distance. I hope to revisit this place in the summer when the water is lower so I can get the view from the bottom as well.
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