In Augist 2023 I contined my walk along the Camino Portuguese from Porto, where I had ended in February. I took the coastal route to Caminha before walking inland towards Santiago. I walked the Variante Espirituel between Pontevedra and Padron, a beautiful alternative route, which ends with a boat trip to Padron and a days walking to Santiago.

It was a busy route with many walkers. The coast is nice but not spectacular, but I really enjoyed both Valenca, TUI and Pontevedra.

O Camiño dos Faros or The Lighthouse Way, is a 200-km hiking route in Galicia (Spain) that links Malpica with Finisterre primarily along the coast. The route takes you past the lighthouses that help ships on their way along this rugged coastline. The coast, known as A Costa da Morte (Death Coast), due to the many shipwrecks that have taken place over the years, is spectacular, to say the least. One walks past grand cliffs, sweeping sandy beaches, lonely capes and iconic lighthouses as well as landmarks from a time when this coast, with its fierce tides and dangerous shoals was rightly respected by mariners and feared by their loved ones at home.

I walked the 200km path in reverse, starting in Cee, 20kms before Finisterre, and taking a shortcut on one of the stages (so it would fit my schedule and accommodation possibilities). This is a far more challenging route than e.g. the Camino Portugues, with ca. 5.000m elevation in a week and quiet some scrambling along small paths on the cliffs overlooking the sea.  

There were also a fair few challenges –  a couple of very hot stages, a rolled ancle so I missed a stage, taking a train 27 stops instead of one and a realsisation that I am a few years older than the last time I walked day after day for three weeks!  no complaints. Portugal and Spain are beautiful, it’s inhabitants helpful, the food is good and fresh, and pretty much everywhere I stayed, the room was fine and clean and service perfect.