Galicia
Green and Celtic, this forested Atlantic land is steeped in mythology, ancient rituals and religion. Galicia is a far cry from many people’s image of Spain; in many ways it has more in common with Wales than Andalucía. This is part of the diversity of the Iberian Peninsula, where very different landscapes, cultures and identities make up a fascinating jigsaw. Locked away in the north-west corner of Spain, Galicia is a product of its climate; Atlantic storms roll in, ensuring that the grass, ferns and forests stay green and healthy.
Predominantly rural, it is famous for its seafood and white wines (Ribeiro, Albariño, etc); and of course the ‘caminos’ which head from all points of the compass to the holy city of Santiago de Compostela. While the pilgrim trails are often the easiest to follow, there are many other routes for walkers in this region. One of the best is the eight-day hike along the Coast of Death (Costa da Morte) which is covered in this section.
The Coast of Death
It sounds grim, but you only have to look at the photos to see that on many days of the year the Costa da Morte is a spectacularly beautiful coastline with some of the best beaches on the planet. But, when Atlantic storms sweep in, it becomes easier to understand how...
Coast of Death – Day 1
The Camiño dos Faros (Lighthouse Way) walk starts in Malpica's port. The official route for the first day goes to Niñons beach (Praia de Niñons) and is 21.3km in length. Due to the lack of accommodation available for single travellers in Niñons I opted to do a shorter...
Coast of Death – Day 2 (part 1)
This is a long day, which could be split into two stages if a bed can be gleaned in Niñons (see explanation at the start of day 1). I walked from Barizo to Ponteceso, which is 34.5km and took nearly 12 hours. Around 1km can be shaved off and time saved with a shortcut...
Coast of Death – Day 2 (part 2)
It's 27km from Praia de Niñons to Ponteceso and there is plenty of up and down along the way. At the beach sign, walk onto the sand, noticing the green dots on the rocks on the left.The dots show that the route rounds the rock, then heads out of the back of Praia de...
Coast of Death – Day 2 (part 3)
You will need a rest and some sustenance in Corme before starting the final 11km of the day's stage to Ponteceso. Be warned; you need to arrive before 3.30pm (15.30) to have any chance of a meal. I arrived at around 15.45 and the only place still open was Cafe-Bar...
Coast of Death – Day 3 (part 1)
Some walkers will have had a marathon trek on day 2 and will be nursing tired legs. For those who are suffering, the good news is that this stage from Ponteceso to Laxe has an inland section which can be avoided. The full day's walking, which includes a diversion to...
Coast of Death – Day 3 (part 2)
Keep straight on along the road for 200 metres after the Dombate dolmen, then turn right at the junction to walk to the village of Fontefría. Pass through the village, keeping left at a dog-leg bend in the road, where there is a 'hórreo'. Continue for around 50m and...