Stage 2 Porto to La Coruna

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Coastlines and lighthouses

Porto to La Coruna

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 ankle 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.

In February 2025, I was back, I walked the stage I missed due to ankle problems in 2023, as well as walking the Camino Fisterra between Santiago de Compostella and Cee, and between Malpica and A Coruna – stages I did not do in 2023. The blog post for the 2025 stages can be found after the posts for stage 2.

Porto to La Coruna blog ....

Day 1: Porto to Matosinhos August 17, 2023 Today I am back on the road, continuing where I left off in February, when I walked the first part of the Camino Portugues, starting outside Lisbon and ending in Porto. It was a stressful start to the day. Up early at 5am, my wife drove me to the airport. However, roadworks closed the slip… Read more >
Day 2: Matosinhos to Povoa de Varzim August 18, 2023 After a good nights sleep and a very good breakfast, I took the double-decker bus back to Matosinhos, where I started walking to Porto yesterday. Today was a much longer walk, 29km, the first 22km along the coast to Vila do Conde, and the last 7km inland to Povoa de Varzim, where I would stay… Read more >
Day 3: Pavoa de Varzim to Fao August 19, 2023 It rained all night and was still raining when I had finished breakfast. It wasn’t heavy rain, more a heavy drizzle, the kind that soaks you through to the bones. Given the weather, I was lucky that today was a short day, only 18kms to Fao. Tonight I will be sleeping at a camping site,… Read more >
Day 4: Fao to Viana Do Castelo August 20, 2023 Disaster happened - well a walkers disaster. But more about that later. Today was 30km from Fao, where I’d had a good nights sleep, despite the 00.30 fireworks, that I could hear but not see, to Viana do Castelo. I left the campsite early and stopped off for a coffee and ham and cheese sandwich… Read more >
Day 5: Viana do Castelo to Seixas August 21, 2023 It should have been 32km between Viana do Castelo and Seixas. The swelling around my ancle had subsided, but it still hurt when I walked, so there was no chance of walking 32kms. I bandaged the ancle, and hobbled  to a laundromat to wash my clothes - so at least I have clean clothes, despite… Read more >
Day 6: Seixas to Valenca August 22, 2023 After a good nights sleep and good breakfast overlooking the River Minho, I was walking again. The river is the border between Portugal and Spain, which I will be following, going east to the border town of Valenca, 24 kms. I left equally concerned about my foot and the heat. My foot felt better but… Read more >
Day 7: Valenca to O’Porrino August 23, 2023 After being woken by a group of 20 or so Americans ready to walk at 6.45, I showered, breakfasted, packed and was walking through a fairly deserted  Valenca by 9am, on my way to O'Pirrino, 21kms away. 30 mins later, after crossing the International bridge, it was 10.30, and now in Spain. The first time… Read more >
Day 8: O’Porrino to Pontevedra August 24, 2023 Today was a very enjoyable and beautiful stage, clearly the best since I started the Camino Portugues back in February outside Lisbon. 39km from O’Porrino to Pontevedra, partly on backroads and partly on paths through forests (giving some shade) and following streams. And with three bigger climbs (and numerous smaller), many of them steep and… Read more >
Day 9: Pontevedra August 25, 2023 Thanks to yesterday’s double stage, I had a day off today. It was just as well, the inhabitants of a neighboring room decided to have an hour long argument at 2.30 am (it may have lasted longer, but at least I fell asleep). They started again 7.00! I’ve spent hundreds of nights in hotels and… Read more >
Day 10: Pontevedra to Armenteira August 26, 2023 Another beautiful days walking, this time with a couple of climbs, the second of which was 430m over ca. 4km. In addition I visited two beautiful monasteries. A short stage, 20kms plus 3 more to get to the place I am sleeping tonight. I left Pontevedra at 9am, wearing a jumper. It was ‘only’ 14… Read more >
Day 11: Armenteira to Vilanova de Arousa August 27, 2023 This is a stunning stage following the Ruta de la Piedra y del Agua (The stone and water route) passing 51 ancient mills and cascades, before turning west at Pontearnelas towards Vilanova de Arousa, my destination for today. Apart from the downhill from an altitude of 300m in Armenteira, it was a relatively flat day.… Read more >
Day 12: Vilanova de Arousa to Santiago de Compostela August 28, 2023 Today I would reach the goal for the first part of my walk, Santiago de Compostela. Of course things didn’t go exactly as planned. As I wrote yesterday, the boat I was due to take at 7.30am from Vilanova de Arousa was cancelled. The next boat. at 10am, was then further delayed by 30 mins,… Read more >
Day 13: Santiago de Compostela August 29, 2023 It's taken me 26 days to get from outside Lisbon to Santiago, taking deviations to Fatima, then the Camino Carmelita north of Fatima and the Spiritual Variant from Pontevedra. I took 3 days off in Tomar, Fatima and Pontevedra, which together with Coimbra are all towns I would highly recommend. Whilst it's been very enjoyable,… Read more >
Day 14: Cee to Fisterra August 30, 2023 I was up early. After breakfast, I walked a couple of kilometers to the bus station and asked for a ticket to Cee on the 9.00 bus. The lady behind the counter looked at me blankly and then said “Oh Cee”, but her C sounded like a combination of C, S and X! There was… Read more >
Day 15: Fisterra to Lires August 31, 2023 Today I officially started the highly anticipated Camino dos Faros (Lighthouse Way), following yesterday’s warm-up from Cee. I was up to see the sun rise, before an excellent breakfast (first served at 9am), so I wasn't on my way until 9.45. It was only going to be 24km, so I would have plenty of time… Read more >
Day 16: Lires to Muxia September 1, 2023 Today was a day of 3 parts, split into morning, afternoon and evening - two were enjoyable, the third certainly wasn't. The weather forecast said 100% chance of heavy rain today, so I had to decide whether to take the 15km "easy route" to Muxia, mostly inland, that is followed by most pilgrims when walking… Read more >
Day 17: Muxia to Camarinas September 2, 2023 I wonder if Jonas Vingegaard wakes up thinking that he has bad legs today, or it happens whilst cycling. I woke up this morning and knew I had bad legs, but didn’t know I would get an armed escort for part of today’s stage. The hostel didn't serve breakfast, so I was on the road… Read more >
Day 18: Camarinas to Camelle September 3, 2023 It’s days like today, that are the reason I walk. All the hours one spends walking through industrial areas, big cities, small town suburbs or along busy roads. Or the fact that I thought olive oil was honey and poured it on my only slice of bread today, or that I again had to scramble… Read more >
Day 19: Camelle to Ponteceso September 4, 2023 Another early rise in advance of another long day. I left Camelle as the church bells rang for 8.00, 15 minutes before sunrise. It was still a bit dark. The early start was due to an administrative error on my side. Today’s official stage to Laxe is only 15km, which is too short a stage… Read more >
Day 20: Ponteseco to Barizo September 5, 2023 Planning a 36km stage is always a risk - bad legs, bad weather, tougher terrain than expected…. Doing 36 km should really be a decision one makes on the day. But given I book hotels ahead, I am stuck with the decisions I made back when I planned the walk. And behind a desk, I'm… Read more >
Day 21: Barizo to Malpica (and home) September 6, 2023 My last walking day. The reason for the marathon 38km stage yesterday was that I need to be in Malpica by 13.00 to catch a bus. The owner of the pension that I stayed at yesterday told me it would only take 2 hours and it was flat all the way. With 350m elevation over… Read more >

Camino Fisterra, Malpica to A Coruna ...

Day 9: Viana do Castello to Seixas February 22, 2025 Back in 2022 I didn’t walk this stage due to a sprained ankle which I suffered the day before when I rolled over on it. I spent the day in Viana do Castello and took the train to Seixas later in the day. Upon recommendation from a friend, I purchased an ankle strap, and it… Read more >
Day 10: Santiago do Compostela to Negreira February 23, 2025 Today was supposed to be my rest day. It is Sunday after all, and spending an afternoon in the church and town that in Spain is seen the same way as Fatima in Portugal, Lourdes in France and Rome in Italy, i.e. centres of Catholicism, seemed fitting. When walking, the weather plays a central role,… Read more >
Day 11: Negreira to Olveiroa February 25, 2025 After a days rest in the rain, I was back on the road with 35km and 925m elevation. There wasn’t any breakfast at the place I stayed overnight in Negreira, so after a shower and packing my stuff, I was on my way by 8.30. Leaving town, I didn't find anywhere to stop for breakfast.… Read more >
Day 12: Olveiroa to Cee February 26, 2025 A short day today, only 20km, a relatively flat stage with some elevation (350m) but a lot of downhill towards the coast at Cee, and a fairly steep downhill at that. It was pretty cold as I left the pension and soon I saw frost on the grass, after passing a couple of streams that… Read more >
Day 13: Malpica to Arnados February 27, 2025 Today I start a 2-day walk between Malpica and A Coruna airport i northern Spain. The last time I was in Malpica was the autumn 2023 after completing the Lighthouse Way from Finisterra (Stage 2 on my walk to Rome). Back then, I took a bus to A Coruna and flew home. In Spring 2024,… Read more >
Day 14: Arnados to A Coruna Airport February 28, 2025 The last day of my trip to fill in the bits I hadn't walked, started off in beautiful sunshine, which stayed with me for the whole day. I had convinced the owner of the hostel to open for breakfast at 8.30am instead of 9am, which gave me an extra 30 minutes walking, which was good… Read more >