Portomarín → Palas de Rei

A classic Galician day through the interior countryside. The route climbs steadily out of Portomarin on the road before turning onto quiet paths that roll through a landscape of small farms, pine and eucalyptus plantations, and stone hamlets so small they barely register on a map. The rhythm is constant: a gentle climb, a gentle descent, a cluster of houses, a bar that may or may not be open, then another climb. It is not dramatic walking, but it is deeply pleasant, and the shaded paths through woodland offer welcome relief on warm days.

The villages along the way have a timeless quality. Gonzar, Castromaior, Hospital de la Cruz, Ventas de Naron, Ligonde, and Airexe each consist of a handful of granite houses, an old church, and perhaps a bar with plastic chairs outside. Ligonde has an ancient pilgrim cemetery and a medieval tradition of hospitality that dates back to the earliest pilgrimage records. The countryside between these hamlets is the Galicia of the imagination: moss-covered stone walls, dairy cows grazing on steep green hillsides, horreos standing beside every farmhouse, and the faint smell of woodsmoke and eucalyptus in the damp air.

A worthwhile detour of about 1.5 km off the main path leads to the Iglesia de San Salvador de Vilar de Donas, a 14th-century church with exceptional medieval frescoes and the stone tombs of the Knights of Santiago. It is one of Galicia's hidden treasures and sees far fewer visitors than it deserves. Back on the main route, the final kilometres into Palas de Rei pass through Rosario and A Brea before the town appears on its hilltop. Palas de Rei is modest but has all services. You are approximately 70 km from the Cathedral. The countdown has begun.