Cabo Vilán is one of the most (or many) beautiful paths along the Ruta dos Faros on the coast of Galicia. The small segment of the path I took on this trip is a genuinely easy trail. It is mostly flat until you make the climb to the lighthouse itself.
I made this trip the first day of March, so the air is still cool. It was very windy, especially along the cliffs. And… Galicia being true to herself, absolutely covered in toxos. I highly recommend a windproof jacket, good boots, and thick pants for this trip.
Walking here, you will see quickly how the Costa da Morte got its name. The way to the faro is just one stunning beach after another. The beaches are rocky and covered in debris from the fishing boats. The high winds and strong tides do not make for safe swimming.
It is more of a place to sit and listen to the sounds of the crashing waves. A place to meditate, make art, or maybe search among the rocks for treasures and driftwood. The force of the waves breaking against the boulders is just incredible.
The faro de Cabo Vilan has a special history. It is the oldest electric light house in Spain. And it was also kept by Cristina Fernández. She was the second farera (female light house keeper) and also the last woman to work as a farera in Spain.
Once you make the climb to the lighthouse, it is even windier! This is my second trip here, and both times I was nervous to make the end of the path because of the wind.
If it is not too busy, and you are lucky enough to have the lighthouse to yourself, there is a nice place to sit and take lunch that overlooks the next beach. A small ledge blocks the wind and it is mostly enclosed by boulders.
I continued the path down the coast a little ways until it circled back through the forest.
And the view from the forest.
The path circled back down to the main road, and I decided to go all the way down for the path nearest the sea to try to catch the sunset.
There was significant cloud cover, so the sunset came above the horizon line, but beautiful all the same.
All in all it was a little over 10km from the parking to the sea, to the lighthouse, to the mountaintop, to the sea, and back to the parking.
It is impossible to run out of beautiful things to see in Galicia. I have been to so many places around the world, and I have never seen any so incredible in all of my life. It is not one part of one city, it is not one place. It is Galicia. Here she is lush, and dense, and green. So. Green. There is a surreal sensation being in this place that you cannot know until you have lived it. A sense of timelessness. Hundreds and hundreds of years of people loving this same place.
For over 1200 years, Pilgrims have been making the Camino to Santiago de Compostela. In summer, the Praza de Obradoiro is filled with the awed faces of travelers seeing the cathedral for the first time.
This is a land where the fairy tales are real, where the magic never left, and where las meigas still walk barefoot in the streams and waterfalls. This is the place you imagined as a child. The moon smiles down on your nights like the Chesire Cat in Wonderland. Mornings you awake with clouds as your pillow, the fog settled around sleepy mountain pueblos keeping them safe and unseen through the darkest hours of the night. The oldest, tallest trees in the forest are covered in soft mosses. They guard the clouds until mid morning. and let them go slowly in rivulets of steam. A morning prayer to the sun like little dancing forest spirits. By afternoon, the mica sparkles like diamonds in the stones and the sand. Leaving the beach at the end of a long afternoon your body shimmers like fairy fire in the late afternoon sun. Springheads in the mountains become waterfalls as rivers flow to the ocean.
Living here comes at a price.
Build what you wish, but Galicia retakes what is hers and makes it green again in time. Galicia does not belong to men. She cannot.
It rains for months. From October to March, there is rain. This is how she stays so green, so mossy, so strong. Those magical mountaintop springs must come from somewhere. Sunny days are so rare that they are always accompanied by the sound of laundry rustling in the breeze. Yes really, it rains so much we have synchronized laundry days, meigas, mothers, and Pilgrims alike. Maybe where you live you have wet and dry, but here we have wet, dry, and “it has been wet so long it won’t dry.”
To stake your claim in any place that belongs to her, you must fight. The ground is covered in thorned, creeping, tentacles reaching further and further each day. The plants here sting and bite. Toxos grow anywhere the ortigas do not and the moras grow in between. The meaning of the galician name for rascacú is where it scratches you while walking in the forest. There are plants with burning fibers, plants that look like the ones that burn, scratching plants, plants with big needles, plants with little needles, plants with thorns, plants with big thorns, plants with small thorns, and plants with big hidden thorns. I have probably missed a few. Today I asked my friend the name of a plant in a garden that we passed. He told me if it doesn’t have thorns he does not know.
On the left there is a plant that is covered in spines, I dont know what it is called. Above and below are spiders trying to escape the rain on toxo thorns.
Yes, this is actually a thorny toxo bush with its branches stretching into stinging nettles and blackberry brambles. Galicia is not messing around. Wear shoes.
Parks even have to close during storms because no one wants to experience falling castañas. These will pop your bike tires, and do not cease to be sharp after 6 months on the ground in the rain. But they are the life blood of Galicia. There are festivals in every city here to celebrate the harvest. Magosto is a deepy rooted Galician celebration of the chestnut harvest, with some saying it is rooted in Roman or Celtric traditions such as Samhain. Castañas have been a staple here since before anyone thought to write it down. They are hardy trees, the nuts are packed with nutrients, and their harvest comes after the heavy rains. It is easy to imagine how cherished this annually occuring natural windfall would be, especially in years where drought or rain might impact other crops. The festival coincides with All Saints Day making it a celebration of harvest, death, honoring ancesters, and celebrating the coming winter months all at once.
Spiky death needle nuts on a tree.
Naked death needle nuts roasting over the fire.
And this week marked the beginning of my adventures for the year! There was sun. Beautiful, glorious, soul replenishing sun. The flowers are emerging. Galicia is green and yellow and beautiful.
I have been absent from writing about my adventures for a while. I took up a contract that would allow me to save enough money to spend the next two or three years traveling, writing, and working on a secret project I am very excited about. It was too many hours each week in front of a computer, but I went on many adventures to share with you. I just need to post them. I plan to back fill those adventures from here as well as add new ones this season.
This was a very rainy winter day in Galicia. The wind was a bit crazy so we made a bunch of short stops without a lot of walking.
Fervenza da Noveria
Fervenza de A Noveira is in the Comarca do Xallas, Mazaricos. This is a very short walk to an incredible view of the falls.
Ezaro
Ezaro is a beautiful pueblo in Galicia. In summer it is home to a swimming competition at the end of summer. The swimmers start in the sea and swim to the pueblo near the waterfall. There was so much wind this day, we struggled to make the boardwalk for this photo. It felt like such an accomplishment that we took a cake and a coffee in a nearby cafe to celebrate.
Hidroelectrico de Rio Tambre
This path was more enclosed and the hills to either side blocked the wind so we took a little hike at this stop.
The Hidroelectrico de Rio Tambre was built by architect Antonio Palacios and finished in 1926. Outside there are sculptures and examples of the antique machinery that were once employed here.
There is a 7-8km hiking trail that runs along the river. The first half was a pretty easy trail, but we did not finish so I don’t know for the rest. Wikiloc has the route here marked as moderate.
Are any of these edible? If you know please comment below. I do not know much about mushrooms, but Galicia has a lot. We always joke about whether it is food or deadly, but I have never been certain enough to try. The books I have bought always show a very perfect example or different stage and I can never place them with enough certainty to try.
Praia Pedra do Sal is a beautiful beach in Carballo near Coruña on the northern coast of Galicia. This is a great spot for an afternoon with the family. There is ample parking, showers, and even public transport. On one side, there is a long, flat, open, white sand beach. There were a lot of people there enjoying with young children, building castles, and playing in the sand. On the other side, there are rocks and crevices forming little pools to explore the wildlife living within.
Overall, a great spot for a relaxed afternoon dozing in the sand.
This was a nice afternoon hike. It was not a particularly long route, and we actually extended it a bit beyond the park because the weather was nice. The route was 6km in total, there and back, and mostly a flat easy walk.
The path starts in a park with a few walking paths. Caldeiras do Castro has a series of little pools that form naturally in the riverbeds. There is a walking path that overlooks the baths and contines along the river.
The larger walkway was not very long, and we found ourselves “como cabritas” pretty quickly. But the trail is clear and continues along the river. It is lovely and Galician Green.
After a short distance, the path moves off from the river and it is not straightfoward to recover. There is a farm blocking the river access, so you have to walk along the perimeter until you can guess where it is polite to cross down back into the river.
Fortunately, I encountered a farmer driving his tractor. He was able to give me directions and a few tail wags. He was, indeed, a very good boy. He pointed us down the middle of the farm where there was a small path between two fields.
On the other side of farm was a very sturdy bridge… so of course I had to cross it.
And on the other side was this really lovely island where the river split to flow around the sand bar.
The island was not very big but it was pretty! We had hoped to cross the river here to return, but there was not a second bridge so we went back the way we came.
We followed the river back and passed a little mill.
Returning to the car, we took the route closer to the water rather than the path higher up, so this is essentially the close-up of the first photo in the series. It looks like aa nice place to take a swim. It was a little cool for me by the time we came back, but I would absolutely return.
Farmer Dog was so cute he needed two photos. I could not decide which was more adorable so here is the other.
Kinga Haudek Artista Joyera is one of my favorite stores in Santiago de Compostela. This small jewelry shop on rua San Pedro is located in the historic old town. The stone walls and dark wood window frames lend perfect contrast to her organic designs. You can imagine yourself in the same place, making the same purchase 200 years in the past.
When you walk in, you may find Kinga hard at work crafting something new. Everything is crafted by her hand in the store. Her name is the brand, and the moment you meet her you will understand why. Lost in focus, she always looks a little surprised and delighted to see visitors. Her smile will be warm and welcoming when she invites you into the store.
Kinga is Hungarian by birth and Galician by spirit. A brilliant academic, avid adventurer, and an artist by nature. She studied sociology in Hungary, silversmithing at the Mestre Mateo School of Art and Design, and obtained the official Galician Craftsman Certification. Her curious and intelligent nature shines through each piece and gives a brief glimpse of something she saw or felt on one of her many adventures. Kinga is a highly talented artist with designs inspired by elements of the city and the sea.
For photos of her work, I suggest visiting the website. I could not do justice to her creations. Instead, I will document the jewelry making class I attended with my daughter!
Kinga offers classes in her workshop to make some of the more simple pieces. The price of the course includes all of the supplies needed and a half day of instruction. Instruction is limited to groups of 3 people to insure a quality experience for everyone.
Our course began at 10:00 in the morning. She walked us through the process in both Spanish and English. I am not sure how many languages Kinga speaks, but the course is available in English, Spanish, Galician, and Hungarian for sure.
I was admittedly a bit converned when she handed me this little pieces of silver and told me I was expected to turn them into something beautiful on the first try. But hey… I´ll give it a try.
She told us how to properly hammer each piece. We all set to work at our own station. We had a variety of tools at our disposal and a varying weights of hammer.
We would hammer a bit and then heat them before returning to more hammering. I was a little nerrvous to use a torch for the first time, but it was much easier than I anticipated.
I was a bit too timid and struggled to properly align my strikes. Kinga came and lent a hand to put me in the right direction. She helped me to correct the curvature for a more symmetrical pair.
My daughter, on the other hand, was quite adept at this process and managed to complete hammering more quickly than anyone else. This is her gloating.
After a bit of hammering and heat and I was pretty excited to have these to show for my effort!
Once the earrings were shaped, we oxidized them with an acidic sulfur compound and took a short break while they soaked. Next, we learned to craft and solder the earring posts, trim and file the excess, and finally to polish them on her rotary buffer.
The end result was exciting. Each pair was unique even though we all started with identical pieces of silver, similar tools, and used the same methods.
We completed our earrings around 14:00. With a sense of accomplishment and pride in our artistic eneavors, we all posed together for a final class photo and had a little lunch at a restaurant down the street on Rua San Pedro.
I think my favorite part of this was the sense of pride my daughter took away from the activity. She came home and called our family back in the US to tell them what a great job she had done. It was funny listening when she did not know that I could hear her. ¨I was so good at hammering. I finished before everyone else. I was much better at it than Mom.¨
Would highly recommend this activity when visiting Santiago de Compostela. You would need to contact Kinga before planning the adventure to see which classes might be available and which weekends. But definitely something worth doing in Santiago.
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.
The Mosteiro de Carboeiro is maybe one of the strangest places I have ever been. This twice abandoned monastery has strong Lovecraftian horror vibes. Located in the municipality of the Concello de Silleda, this is next level creepy.
Mosteiro de Carboeiro was founded around the year 936 by counts of Deza, Tareixa Eiriz and Gonzalo Betótez. The monastic house was reformed in 1171 and construction of the new Romanesque church began. Carboeiro was abandoned and the surrounding lands were put up for auction in 1836. There is more info on the website here.
The engravings around the door in the photo are influenced by the Pórtico da Gloria of the Catedral de Santiago de Compostela. The images represent the the Elder Musicians of the Apocalypse.
Before entering the mosteiro, I went to buy the entrada. There was a woman working alone in a dark room. The room was very large, but everything was brought to a small triangle of light from the doorway. The light fixtures hanging behind the small desk were not in use. Around the corner everything was completely dark.
She explained that the renovations of the buildings had been made with the thought that the concello would run electricity to the buildings. In 1931, Carboiero was deemed a historic site, and in the 1990s the Xunta de Galicia began renovations to preserve the mosteiro. Lights had been installed during the 20 year renovation, but the project was abandoned before completion. She did not explain why. My best guess is that this is a cursed shrine to Dagon. But who knows.
After paying, I explored the courtyard. Remanants of the old stone fountains were strewn about and covered in moss.
Inside the church were exquisite roman arches. I had a laugh at how many lights were installed but not in use. But it was absolutely stunning.
And this is where things start to get weird. Paint from early frescoes appears to depict the outlines of giant, man-eating sea creatures and demonic eyes.
Oh… and the terrifying demonic symbolism? There´s more. On either side of the church is a door. Above each door, there is a symbol combining christian symbols with nautical or pagan symbols that are representative of the local culture.
A closer look at the doorways reveal this is actually a passage way to the shrine of Cthulu below.
If you are brave enough to pass through the archway, a narrow spiral stairway winds its way to the catacombs(?) below.
After returning up the stairway, I found the remains of Francisco sin Cara. I do not actually remember who the tomb belongs too, but the headless casket made me laugh a little in my belief this place is maybe a bit cursed.
My final piece of evidence that this is a cursed ritual site is a ponte do Demo… I mean seriously this is how they name the bridge near the mosteiro.
I have been dreaming of coming here since before Covid and decided this year I was coming for my birthday if it killed me. The cautionary tale comes first on this post. When arranging my travel, I was not aware that this beach is only visible a few hours each day at low tide. I was fortunate to meet someone willing to give me a ride home if I wanted to miss my train to see the stone cathedrals.
Happy birthday to me, I made it to see Praia das Catedrales!
I arrived late the evening before. There is a train from Santiago de Compostela to Ferrol and Ferrol to Catedrales. This is an unacceptably long train ride, but only about 4 hours by car.
In the morning I went down to the cliffs to go and see the beach… but there was only water! I was quite concerned that I had traveled to the wrong place. There was a big cafe next to the camper parking and I sat down to Google my next steps.
Google reassured me I was not mistaken. I learned from some other visitors about the tide. My train was leaving about 30 minutes after the low tide, so it would not give me much time to see anything. They offered to let me come back with them later in the afternoon. And I said yes. Of course I said yes. I did not even care if they murdered me in the back of the van if I finally got to visit!
Once low tide rolled around, I climbed down the stairs to the sandy beach below. The weather was wet and gray and cold. Which is great for photos without so many people in the way. My dad always comments about the lack of people in my photos. He says it must be lonely to always adventure alone. I don´t think he realizes how long I wait for people to get out of the way!
OMG The photos are real!
The beach is named for these alcoves and hollows in the rocks that resemble cathedrals. The stone features have been carved out by the strong tides in the Cantabrian Sea.
You can see how high the water rises with high tide by how high the barnacles are forming. The beach is inaccessible except for a brief window around low tide. And staying out can be dangerous as the tide rises quite quickly once it comes back. Apparently many tourists have been stranded in the smaller caves further along the beach.
There is a place where you actually have to climb over the wet rocks to see the landmarks you find in the online photos. This adventure might not be accessible with mobility issues. If you time it just right, and are okay being a little soggy, this is a fantastic trip. Just be sure to get out when the tide starts coming back up.
Just as I was leaving the beach, I saw a large tour bus arriving just in time to not see the beach. I felt really bad for anyone that paid for the trip only to miss seeing the beach by 45 minutes. I hope they got to enjoy some of the natural beauty of the place, even if they missed the main attraction.
This was a long walk near of the river Ulla. I think it was between 18 and 20 km in a straight line along the river. This route passed by the Areal de Barres on the opposite bank of the river. After more than a month of gray skies and rain almost every day, warm sun and blue skies begged for an adventure.
I dropped into the path near of some country homes, and went straight to this abandoned mill near the river. The water was very high and fast in the rainy season.
Okay but really, how beautiful is this tree. It looks like an old troll looking underneath. I love it so much.
I found a cache today too! I guess someone else thought this space was just as beautiful and perfect that they could hide a reward
There were streams coming from the river that you could cross on these small wooden fairytale bridges.
And I made a friend.
Today´s special adventure was visiting with all of the mushrooms and fungi of galicia. I hear a lot of people here go foraging for various mushrooms in the fall, so I purchased a book for identifying the Setas. Unfortunately, they were all in only two categories of seta. One type was ¨do not eat¨ and the other was ¨You can maybe eat, but it looks like one you cannot eat, and you cannot tell by this photograph which one, so do not eat.¨
Cautionary tale …
These guys are poisonous and contain some sort of black powder that I assume is also poisonous. The powder is fine, and if you are curiously poking it with a stick, you may send those spores flying. So don´t do that.
These guys are also poisonous. Instead of fancy spore pouches, these smell like rotting corpses. The smell is not so strong unless… you step on it… and it gets worse if you get curious and decide to get close and poke it with a stick.. So don´t do that.
Charming aldea in the countryside of Galicia. Even with a population of around 130 people, there was still a wait to take a photo of this ancient Roman bridge!
It seemed to be a popular spot for pilgrims and cyclists. Situated along the Camino Frances, there is a bar for weary travelers to grab a bite.
Situated between Galicia and Asturias, this was just a quick stop on my way a hiking adventure elsewhere, but I thought the old brick ovens were lovely. The ovens are remnants of an iron mining operation. There is a lot more information available online. Maybe I will return to make this route one day.
Lugo is so beautiful! I went on a warm and sunny day. The skies were so blue. The history of Lugo dates back to 13 BC when the city was a Roman military camp. The walls of Lugo made the Unesco World Heritage Site list in 2000.
According to wikipedia, this is the only city in the world that is still surrounded by fully intact Roman walls. So I came to have a nice walk.
The cathedral was the first stop, but it was closed when I arrived.
It did not take long to walk from the cathedral to the walls of the city. I had seen this mural so many times on television and social media… I had no idea I would get to see it today!
And I found an unexpected surprise when descending the wall. There is a secret gem, I assume by the same artist. You cannot tell me these are not the cutest grafiti you have ever seen. I want to know what are they and whether they have names.
The views from the top were stunning, but it is possible I wasted most my time in Lugo trying to take photos of cats in the yards below.
After living in this beautiful city for more than 2 years, I have decided it is time to start sharing my favorite things in Santiago.
The city has 1000 years of folklore and hidden secrets to uncover. One piece of lore to visit is El Árbol de la Ciencia. Young students come to find their academic fate.
One of my favorite parts of Spain is that they have maintained spaces where small businesses thrive. Santiago de Compostela was largely destroyed in the 10th century and reconstructed over the next 1,000 years. The ancient buildings were never meant to offer space to large warehouse companies and big box stores. Those are sequestered on the far edges of the city.
Instead, the old town in Santiago de Compostela houses smaller privately owned businesses and restaurants. Constant renovations restore the old stone buildings and give them new life while maintaining the most beautiful stone and dark wood features. Most shops have only a few meters space inside and are smaller than the average american garage.
Each shop specializes in only a limited number of items, and often what you find is what you get. When I say that stores specialize, I think it is important to note that there is a store only for slippers. The contents of stores will change from one day to the next, products are discontinued and you will never see them again. And no, you can´t just order online. Some things are available online of course. But do not expect a quick trip to amazon with 2 day delivery. You go to the store, you take what you can find, you go home. The big chain stores are about an hour from my home and I keep a list of things to buy when I go with friends in cars.
I was a bit shocked to discover it is nearly impossible to use Amazon here. And do not expect to use your american card online. Many online stores bill through tax havens like Luxemburg and there is not a way to know which country will present the charge… so you can certainly plan on having your card flagged for fraud every time you attempt an online purchase. Fun times.
If you leave the downtown, through El Parque Alameda or Praza de Galicia, you will walk through Ensanche where there are more of the chain style stores. There is a place called Corte Ingles about 40 minuutes walking from the old town. It is the Spanish equivalent of a Super Walmart or Meijer… but with designer clothes at many times the price. It is a great last resort for things you cannot find in town and it makes a nice stroll on hot or rainy days.
There are a number of beautiful parks and various adventures to have in town. So I am going to begin including these smaller adventures here as well!
On the way home from Porto, I stopped by this magical spot. Known to all the locals, but free of advertisements, hotels, or other touristic conveniences, it made for a quiet night. Sipped a beer in the hot bath under a full moon. It was exquisite. I didn’t ruin my evening with photos of the moon that wouldn’t turn out anyway. I waited until morning to take a few quick pictures that absolutely cannot do this place justice… and I was just in time to watch workers for the Xunta drain the pools for cleaning.
These are the ruins of an ancient roman bath. If you follow the nearby hiking trails, you can explore other ruins and old buildings in the area. I only went for the baths. You can find more information about this historic site and see the structures under less water here.
On the way back home, there was this amazing tree fountain near the side of the road. I’m not sure exactly where it is. I really could not tell you even given a map. But it is so lovely I have to share.
I have returned to Catoira for the Viking Festival! I took the train to the tiny station. It was easy to find as everyone dressed like a viking had the same stop.
Things in town were decorated a bit for the festival so it made the walk fun.
I’m not quite sure what I was expecting, but this was feeling very different from this type of event in the US. Unlike the US, entry to this type of event is free, but the events are not well marked and I found things a bit confusing. I think this would have been much better with a friend, but even wandering alone there were a lot of nice things to see.
Getting a good photo of the vikings landing on shore was difficult, with all the people. Everyone was pressed so close together up to the shore it was amazing. That is my own fault though. Not knowing what was going on, I left a great spot to see what was happening elsewhere. Oops!
The vikings landed and there was an epic battle for Santiago de Compostela!
After defeating the vikings… there were mejillones in a trough. And everyone rejoiced.
A cautionary tale… This may be a skipped trip for anyone with major mobility or sensory issues. It’s a doable trip for most if you don’t mind a crowd, but the lines to enter and exit are formed on a stone pathway through a wet marshy area. With so many people coming and going, it is restricted to almost single file in either direction and thus relatively long.
La Feria Medieval de Noia has returned after Covid and I had a chance to go! There are a few differences from the Ren’Faires I have been to in the US. Beginning with… free entrance. The city center was over taken by costumed locals, actors, merchants, and visitors.
There were merchants of every kind. There were unique wood carvings, ceramics, jewelry, leather crafting, and black smiths.
There were musicians playing in the streets as I browsed the various shops and bars that filled the streets.
The history of the city begins between 4000 and 2000 BC and the Romans began living in the area around 200 BC. The city makes a lovely backdrop to the festival. I stepped into la Iglesia de Santa María a Nova, which began construction in 1327. The alter, shown below, was constructed in 1760. Some of the more original stonework was also on disply.
As I was leaving, there was a short parade of actors. Some were dressed as the trees. I thought these were absolutely divine and had to share.
Found a little gem not far from my new home. There is a little park near of the river Ulla. It was started by a man who wanted a little place to have barbecues near the beach so he cleared a little land and built a stone grill. The neighbors stepped in and started helping. After some time, the Xunta took over and provided funding to keep it going.
There is quite a lot to explore. Everything is lush and green like the rest of Galicia. It feels a bit like a fairy tail, complete with a “hidden” stepping stone trail through this tunnel.
The water is cool and clear and nice for swimming. I am still getting used to living somewhere without so many venemous things. I counted 0 alligators, 0 venemous snakes, 0 venemous spiders, 0 large predatory mammals.
It is also a fun art exploration tour. The neighbors and the Xunta have brought out so much for guests to enjoy. There are carvings, sculptures, fountains, photographs, and tiles hidden throughout the park. I am sure I did not find them all, but here are a few of my favorites.
This was a paddle boarding trip where the afternoon was me vs. the rolling fog. Not a lot of photos from the water. This was one of the first kayak rentals I have seen in Spain, and it is the perfect spot for it. The water is calm with a mix of depths, boulders, and other interesting features.
The shore was a mix of granite and sand. Huge boulders separate smaller beaches of white sand. Some of those little beaches were better accessed by water than by land. I was able to find quite a lot of beach glass.
It is important note that they farm mejillones near of here. So it is an absolute must to stop for the best mejillones for you life at any of the beach side restaurants. Many of them will still be chewing their own dinner and you will have to remove their salad before eating.
Padron is a fun place to go. On sundays, the entire city turns into a flea market called the Feria de Padron. It is like the rastro in Madrid. But smaller and more rural. Some weekends there are antique dealers. You can buy fruits, clothes, shoes, housewares, tools, plants, cheese, vegetables… There is a restaurant for pulpos y churrasco.
The cathedral here overlooks the city and the feria.
This sums up my shopping trip! I carried this rosebush everywhere.
After visiting the Pozo do Inferno, I ended the day in Teixido. Apparently there is a saying that if you do not visit this place in life, you will visit in death. It was so beautiful I hope to do both.
There is a big parking, and you can walk into the town or go to the restaurant. If you walk into the downtown, there are two women selling traditional galician cookies. The second woman tells you everyone stops at the first only. The first woman says her cookies are best. I recommend buying a few from both women for good luck.
Once you make it past the cookies, you enter a strange looking town. The buildings are white and stone. There are shops
The entire town is on a tall cliff overlooking the sea, but this stone church is the centerpiece.
Inside the church is a strange alter where the people of the town place what they have. Small gifts, odds and ends, and little toys.
Just past the market and vendors are a few homes. I’m not sure how much is the rent here, but this guy isn’t having any issues getting his own place. He was so cute, but he tried eating my jacket and left a little hole.
Past the village, is some farmable land. You can walk all the way to the edge along the cliff to enjoy the view. It’s pretty muddy though.
This was a fun hike. You can choose your difficulty level and end up at Monasterio de Caaveiro. If you are interested in my route, you can see it on Strava.
On one side of the river, there is a paved road running near to the monastery. You can drive most of the way, or walk here on even terrain. On the other there is a hiking trail that follows the rivers with small waterfalls all along the route.
The río Eume is a striking shade of blue. If I understood correctly, there are some restrictions to swimming here due to a unique ecosystem. It is not a warm day for swimming, so it isn’t hard to resist the temptation.
So many little waterfalls everywhere.
There are ruins to explore along the way as well. This roman bridge appears at the Ruínas do Muíño de Sesín.
This is a nice light hike through the countryside in Galicia. You will pass by Igrexa parroquial de Santa María de Augasantas. You can see the route I followed on Strava.
PigTailz 