The 17km walk out of Arcade leaves over a bridge.
The way winds through local back streets and into woodland paths.
I might be smiling, but the stone paths are really starting to get to me now! They are tough on the feet, for sure! Once again, I am glad to have my poles as the ground is so uneven.
There was a piper in the forest playing a dirge.
Nearby was a pilgrim board filled with mementos.
This section didn’t have much in terms of facilities, so weeing in the woods is the best option!
Here’s my pack and poles at the 76 km waymarker.
Even the woodland paths are stony in parts.
The scallop shell sign of St James is everywhere now. This oversized shell was on the way into Pontevedra after the only cafe on the route.
Pontevedra is another bigger city, and the waymarkers are often in more urban settings.
There is a pilgrim church in the center — Igrexa da Virxe Peregrina Pontevedra Spain. They provide stamps for the credential.
Scallop shell stained glass window from inside the church.
Pontevedra is a big town with lots of restaurants, shops, and facilities. It’s always a bit of a shock to arrive somewhere wearing sweaty, dirty clothes from hiking and a backpack on, and find people dressed in normal clothes hanging out and having a good time. It’s a reminder that most people on this route are not pilgrims!
Continue the Camino journey: Pontevedra to Caldas de Rei, Spain
Accommodation: I stayed at the Hotel Rias Bajas, just around the corner from the pilgrim’s church and near all the restaurants and bars. It has a great bathroom and good breakfast, both pilgrim necessities. I had some excellent tapas and local wine at Vinoteca Bagos.
Facilities: Not many places to stop, just one cafe in the last third to Pontevedra, before reaching the outskirts of the city. Pontevedra itself is a big town with lots of restaurants, shops, and facilities.