Lighthouses Route/ Camiño dos Faros: the first 4 stages

Information about the trip: Lighthouses Route/ Camiño dos Faros: the first 4 stages

This walking tour includes the initial stages of this path and offers the pilgrim a singular vision and exceptional pathways where you will discover the cliffs, beaches and the most important landmarks in A Costa da Morte. It is the most occidental coast in Spain and it is located in the northern region of Galicia, in the A Coruña province.
Traditionally, it is a magic place where the pilgrims can find themselves because the parallel universe is meeting here. Besides that, the brave sea of this coastal region has records like a big black mark. Its for that in the late 19th century started to built lighthouses for guiding the ships between so beautiful and dangerous cliffs.

O Camiño dos Faros (Lighthouses Route) is a 200-km hiking route in Galicia (Spain) that links Malpica with Finisterre along the coastline. A route that runs by all the Lighthouses and the most important landmarks in A Costa da Morte, where definitely, it is the sea the one that plays the main role.

El Camiño dos Faros is not a walking path for beginners or persons who has not a physical training or just they are finding a low difficult route. It has some complicated sections with a medium or high difficulty stages.
Even we provide all the necessary information in order to assure us you have the most enjoyable Camino.

Travel itinerary (Summary)

DAY 1: Arrival to Malpica
DAY 2: Stage 1, Malpica, Niñons 21,3 km 3/5
DAY 3: Stage 2, Niñons, Ponteceso 27,1 km 4/5
DAY 4: Stage 3, Ponteceso, Laxe 25,3 km 2/5
DAY 5: Stage 4, Laxe, Arou 18 km 1/5
DAY 6: Return

Travel itinerary (Detailed)

ProgramDAY
1

Transfer from Santiago de Compostela to Mapica

91 km/ 57 mi separate the start of this itinerary from Arou, the final destination.
Arrival to the Santiago de Compostela on behalf of the client. After that transfer with direction to the picturesque village of Malpica.
This postcard village is placed in a peninsula formed by the fishing port in one side and the Arena Mayor beach in the other side.
Likewise the coastline stretches from Monte Nariga until Punta de Razo.
ProgramDAY
2

Stage 1, from Malpica to Niñons

Distance : 21,3 km Difficulty : 3/5

Breakfast and the start of the stage. The first stage starts at the lighthouse in the port in Malpica and goes along this beautiful fishing village: the port, its streets, the promenade and the beach Area Maior to go on towards Saint Adrián. Before reaching the chapel, we walk by the beach Seaia and the fountains of the Romeros (people who take part in pilgrimage), where we can get some water.
From Saint Adrian, we can enjoy an awesome view of Malpica and of the Sisargas Islands. We will see these islands from the so-called path of the fishermen which leads us to Beo, walking through the first cliffs of this Camiño dos Faros. From Beo, that is a stop to have something to relax, we go on with the route towards Seiruga, where we will have to take off our boots, to pull up our trousers untill the knee to go through a river. Then, we will walk along the beach Seiruga and we will arrive at Brizo, where we will walk along the beach before going up through a stream towards Punta Nariga. When being up the stream, we have to take the dirty track on the right and a path which will lead us to the windpark that we will walk through.
Then, we will walk down a path till we reach the road of Nariga and, from there to the lighthouse Punta Nariga, built by César Portela. There are both a complicate ascent and a downhill to the beach Niñóns walking by a cliff-lined area where you are told to finish the stage at that point.
ProgramDAY
3

Stage 2, from Niñons to Ponteceso

Distance : 27,1 km Difficulty : 4/5

Breakfast and the start of the stage. This second stage is kind of long with 26 kms from Niñóns to Ponteceso. It starts in the beach of Niñóns, walking along the coast till the Port of Santa Mariña. It is from this point from where we will start the most demanding and complicate ascent of the day reaching the “Virxe Do Faro” (the Virgin of the Lighthouse), from where we can enjoy some breathtaking views of the following stages.
The furthest point we can see is the dune of MountBranco, in Camariñas, that is the halfway of O Camiño dos Faros. From there we get into the estuary. We walk along the fishing port in Corme, and we leave it to head towards the beach Valarés, walking along the beaches Osmo, Hermida and Rio Covo. When leaving the beach of Rio Covo, we will head towards a broad forest track over the estuary that leads us to the mount Facha and to Valarés, where we can stop to enjoy its beach and pine forest. The end of the stage along Mount Branco is amazing. The coastline takes us close to the river mouth of Anllóns, with a privileged view of the Tiñosa Island, all the dunes and the beach of Barra.
We will descend to walk along this unique kilometre, as it seems to be part of a desert, in the middle of the bay of Insua, a spot popular for its importance ornithological. From there we will walk along the boardwalk in Ponteceso that divides the croplands till we reach the bridge in Ponteceso.
ProgramDAY
4

Stage 3, from Ponteceso to Laxe

Distance : 25,3 km Difficulty : 2/5

Breakfast and the start of the stage. The first kilometre goes along the hard shoulder of the main road that we walk across by taking a crossing point on our right to get to the Bay Insua and walk along its pine groves until Neaño and the beach Urixeira. From there, a 3 km walk starts untill O Lodeiro where we can still watch a great number of birds that have their habitat in this estuary of the River Anllóns.
From Dombate we go towards the coast again, turning off in Fontefría to ascend to the Castle of Lourido, which is the summit of this Camiño dos Faros with 312 meters high. From there we can enjoy the most amazing views of the “Ría of Corme and Laxe”. From this summit, we descend across Canduas towards the Beach Area das Vacas, which we will never reach as we take a crossing point that takes us across the pine yards and eucalyptus to the Rebordelo beach, where we suggest having a stopover.
The last part of this stage takes us to Punta do Cabalo, from where we can see Laxe kind of close. We will reach Laxe by walking along its beach and promenade until the village square, which is the end of this stage of O Camiño dos Faros.
ProgramDAY
5

Stage 4, from Laxe to Arou

Distance : 18 km Difficulty : 1/5

Breakfast and the start of the stage. This stage starts in Laxe visiting the port and the Church of Santa María of Atalaya to go on untill the lighthouse by taking the Route of Insua.
From the lighthouse we have a big panoramic view of the estuary of Corme and Laxe and we can also see all the route we will have to do until Camelle. In Soesto, we will make the first stop to get some food before walking across the Rock Catasol and the beach Arnado. From Mordomo, at the end of the beach Traba, we can take a path that will take us to another amazing landscape of this Camiño dos Faros.
All this part of the coast leading to Camelle takes us to the fairytale Lilliput in the world of huge rocks. Rocks and stones of all shapes and sizes form another unique landscape in this Camiño dos Faros until we get to the cove of Sabadelle, and old whaling port.
ProgramDAY
6

Transfer to Santiago de Compostela - Return

After breakfast, transfer to Santiago de Compostela for your return.

Included

5 nights nights in handpicked hotels and inns, all with en-suite accommodation, on a bed and breakfast basis.
Transfer from Santiago de Compostela to Malpica accommodation.
Transfer from Arou to Santiago de Compostela.
Transfer from accommodation to begin /end of the stage.
Luggage transfer from hotel to hotel: 1 bag max. 20 kg/ 44 lbs per person.
GPS tracks and travel documents.
Travel insurance.
Telephone assistance (English-speaking)