Many Ways to Santiago : Oia to Ramallosa

Camino Portuguese Pilgrimage to Santiago

The Camino de Santiago, also termed the "Way of St. James," is more than just one route. Pilgrims can choose from various paths like the popular Camino Francés, the rugged Camino Norte, the historic Camino Primitivo, and the lesser-known Camino Inglés, Camino de Madrid, or Camino de San Salvador. 

Along the Way of St. James, some will follow alternative trails, some will rely on Google Maps for navigation, and others make choices based on time, physical ability, or personal goals.  As much as the Way is wrought by religious faith and spirituality each trek is also very much shaped by those who walk it. 
 
Despite this truism, it is nonetheless easy to fall into judging others based on the route they take and the choices they make.  Those who start in St. Jean Pied de Port or Irun or Lisbon can at times begin to critique those who trek from Sarria or Tui at the one hundred kilometre marker.  Just as those who follow more direct paths via Google Maps rather than the marked “Way” can find themselves the object of derision.  Such judgment does not flow in a single direction – indeed those who strive to find the shortest routes and rely on shortcuts equally critique those who “blindly follow arrows” rather than making their own way. 
 
Ultimately however such judgment is a waste of effort.  The Way of St. James is an individual journey that we each choose and shape according to our goals.  We each hike our own hike and we each find our own way.   The Camino, your Camino is a personal journey.  There is no single way, like life there is a world full of possibilities – one only need to choose.

 
Today was a day in which there were a variety of options – the Litoral, the Coastal, an alternate route, and the Google recommendation.   As we walked from Oia to Ramallosa, we were reminded of how diverse this journey can be. At one point, while climbing a steep coastal hill, it was tempting to critique those who opted to follow the easier, more level sidewalk along the road as recommended by Google. Later on, when we passed other pilgrims strolling along the beach, envy replaced judgment. By evening we would be mocked by one set of pilgrims who “couldn’t imagine how anyone would be so stupid as to climb a hill instead of just getting into town.” 
 
The Camino offers endless options, and everyone’s experience is unique.  The lesson being: Beware judgment or you too will be judged by others.
 

Morning Routine on the Camino

 
After a solid night’s sleep in our historic stone house, we were awakened by the sound of strong winds off the Atlantic.  Nonetheless, it was cozy to be warm inside and listen to the waves crash onto the nearby beach.  It was however distinctly less cozy to think that we would soon have to walk out into the day’s tenuous-sounding weather.
 
We were out of bed by 7 AM, which a day ago in Portugal would have been 6 AM, and even though it was only just beginning to get light outside we realized that we could maybe have gotten up a little later and enjoyed the peacefulness of our accommodations.  Pulling ourselves out of bed, we got dressed, packed up, and went into the kitchen to make coffee and enjoy the yogurt, jam and bread that we had purchased yesterday from the local Mercado. 
 
Beyond these comforts morning also brought the realization that our clothes and in particular our shirts and socks were still not dry. Indeed they remained distinctly damp.  With little to be done, we pinned them to the top of our backpacks in the hopes that the sun would parch dry by evening.  Ready to set off, we put the key back into the lockbox and walked out.
 
Stepping on the streets of Oia the sun had just begun to light up the forested hills surrounding the town, and the call of a Eurasian Wren greeted us.
 

Leaving Oia 

 
Navigating town, we left the peaceful harbour and passed the monastery, making our way along a quiet, meandering gravel road bordered by stone walls. The morning was filled with birds: Eurasian Wrens perched on telephone lines, while European Stonechats perched on rocks.

 
The landscape unfolded beautifully, with cows, sheep, and spring wildflowers lining the path.  Lizards warmed themselves on the stones of the walls.   We paused for photos, enchanted by the lush greenery and the vibrant colours of the early morning light. The cool coastal breeze made the walk even more pleasant.

 
Trekking the gravel lane alongside the ocean we saw European Stonechats perched on the wall around fields, a Eurasian Blackbird perched on pasture fence, and European Goldfinches feeding on thistles, while Zitting Cisticola sat on a fern.

 

After a couple kilometers the fields gave to houses as we ventured through the small village of Viladesuso. Here we found ourselves among a large group of pilgrims.  Sharing the road with others the sense of community on the Camino was unmistakable, as pilgrims from all walks of life came together on this shared path.
 

Porto Mougas

 
Continuing on we crossed through the next two towns, including yesterday’s original destination, Porto Mougas.   Neither of these communities seemed very attractive and felt as though we had chosen well yesterday by staying in the peaceful Oia. 

 
Walking onward our course followed an uninspiring route which was little more than the narrow piece of asphalt on the side of a regional roadway.  In this stretch groups of cyclists, referred to by the French as a peloton or platoons of riders whizzed past us.  The combination of tired pilgrims, Portuguese Lorries and cyclists did not make for an enjoyable trek.  Maybe Andrew McCarthy was correct when he humorously pointed out in his book Walking with Sam, that there seems to be an inherent rivalry between hikers and cyclists—perhaps it’s the cyclists’ speed that both intimidates and fascinates us. 

 
Along the route, the coast was lined with seaside hotels, resorts, holiday homes and kayak rental shops as well as bars, cafes, and restaurants.  A few hours in we took a break at one non-descript roadside bar to enjoy some refreshing orange juice.  Shockingly the two shot glass-sized cups of orange juice we received cost us 8 euros!  Both of us were stunned after paying 1-2 euros for full glasses of orange juice along the Rota Vicentina and more southerly stretches of the Camino Portuguese Central between Lisbon and Porto a few weeks ago.
 

Hito de Mougas

 
Though we were trekking beside the ocean the walk along the busy highway made this stretch uninspiring.  Thankfully, just past Hotel Costa Verde the Camino turned inland and began climbing up a narrow, paved road through a quiet neighbourhood.   Although we were following signs for a monastery for part of the way up the steep hill, we didn't actually seem to pass a monastery. 

 
Instead, at the top of the hill we came to the 'Hito de Mougas' (Mougas landmark), which consisted of a very large pile of stones created around the Camino cairn/distance marker.  Here many of the stones were quite large, and they were decorated with fantastic rock art including pictures of pilgrims, hikers, lighthouses, cats, Camino maps, poems, the Barcelos chicken, and crosses.

From here the view along the white sandy beaches of the coast curving into the distance, over the red roofs, and out to sea was fantastic.  As such, we stripped our backpacks off and took a brief rest to watch a nearby Zitting Cisticola before making our way on the trail. 

On the way back down the hill headed toward the coast we passed a large metal storage shed with many plastic animals outside – it was an odd-looking thing that we assumed was maybe used for local festivals or parades. 
 

Prophecy, Metaphor or just a ‘Dog Fight'?

 
Walking passed an agricultural field we spotted yet another Common Buzzard.  This one however had just caught a large brown snake in a field and begun to start eating it.  Startled by us watching, the buzzard flew off, while the snake attacked the bird from below as it flapped past.  The entire event was an oddly stunning, brutal and yet uniquely beautiful scene. 

 
Undoubtedly at some point in history, this might have been recognized as a powerful omen of something?  These types of events always make me wonder about the local histories of the various chapels and cathedrals that the Camino passes through whose construction began when someone saw something in nature they found to be of deep importance.  As Martin Sheen’s inspirational movie The Way notes, “this whole way is filled with metaphor”, “it is brimming with meaning”!  Then again, however “sometimes a dog fight in a cheese farm, is just a dog fight in a cheese farm.”  Who among us is wise enough to know the meaning of such moments?

 
The Camino continued following along the highway tracing the coast.  As a lighthouse appeared on the horizon in front of us we caught sight of a Eurasian Wren and European Stonechats in the shrubs along the road as a Carrion Crow danced among the rocks of the shore.
 

Campgrounds and Camino Art

 
A little farther down we stopped at the Camping O Muino Bungalow Park which is a welcoming campground defined by a large windmill and a restful café on the property.  Arriving it was full of other pilgrims and we so joined them, sitting down and enjoying energizing café con leches on a treed patio.

 
Both of us were unexpectedly physically tired and sore.  Chatting we decided (and hoped) that our stiff muscles and aching legs had less to do with our age and more to do with the route of the trail.    Today the Camino had constantly shifted, venturing through small communities for a few kilometres before following the highway.  In between it wove between homes, and dropped to the Atlantic waterline where it meandered along beaches, before again climbing back up to follow the highway.  In truth, the zigzagging and indirect nature of the route was confusing and all one could do was to trust in the signs and yellow arrows to guide us to our destination.

 

The highlight of the day was coming across a small display and honesty shelf en route.  Here there were stunning watercolour paintings for sale.  Each was a beautifully painted piece of artwork that I wished I had the means to safely carry with me on the way.  Despite not being able to carry and protect this art we left a donation to support the talented artist and walked on.

 
The picture we took of this wonderful piece of art does it no justice.
 

Roman Roads and Steep Climbs

 
Returning to the main roadway we knew that we had to climb up and navigate a hillside forest, unfortunately, we found it difficult to find the exact place where we were to begin this ascent.  It seems that a number of people were having this same problem as most pilgrims consulted their phones while others simply continued along the sidewalk following the road.  As we were about to follow suit a gentleman who had walked the route before pointed out where we needed to deviate to stay on the Camino.  Realizing our mistake and the location of the missed turn-off, we thanked him and turned back to rejoin the trail heading uphill.

As we proceeded the climb became increasingly steep.  The trail along the hillside was bordered by a range of wildflowers and at one point we passed a pond with frogs and saw a European Serin perched in a tree as well as hearing the call of a Eurasian Wren. 

 
Eventually, the track turned into a forested footpath whose historical name is the Camino da Portela, or the Gate Road.  Here the trail was lined with tracks like those a wagon wheel might carve into the stone after decades or centuries of use.  These were exciting to find and the firmest indicator that we were travelling along an old Roman road.

 
At the peak, about 120 m above sea level, we found two rock obelisks.  From here we enjoyed panoramic views that enabled us to trace the red rooftops of As Minas stretched along the Atlantic shore. At the foot of the rugged, rocky mountains could still see the red and white striped tower of the lighthouse at Cape Sileiro.

 
Once over the summit, we could see that the regional harbours along the other side were absolutely filled solid with houses – each a white building with a classical red tile roof. Descending the Camino wove through these small communities that had grown together.
 

Long Stretch 

 
The final part of the day would lead us through quiet neighbourhoods where the landscape blended into the suburbs. Stepping out of the forest and onto a paved road we entered the community of O Sinal.  

Throughout this stretch, stately homes with well-manicured gardens or small private vineyards lined the road. To one side we could see the hills rising up around us like wrinkles in a blanket and on the other side we could see the bright blue sea stretching out to the horizon.
 
Warm from our climb and descent on the sunny and often shadeless roads we stopped at a restaurant cafe where we enjoyed cold drinks and took a welcome rest.

 
As we continued our walk towards Ponte the houses and traffic grew denser.  At one point it looked like our trail would simply follow the long crescent of sandy beaches below, but then (a bit frustratingly) the Camino turned and we switched back up to the Miradoiro do Monte Alto.  From the top, we could see the distant rocky outlines of the Cies Islands which are the largest breeding colony of European Shags in Europe. Between us and this amazing birding site were blue waters full of sailboats, cargo ships and other small watercraft.
 

Baiona Spain

 
As we made our way towards historic Baiona, we could see a promontory sticking out into the harbour.  On this piece of land are the Castelo de Monterreal, the Fortaleza de Monterreal, and the Torre do Principe, as well as other historic monuments.

 
According to the Wise Pilgrim guidebook, Baiona has a special place in history, as on March 1^st, 1493 Baiona became the first Old World town to learn of the successful journey made by Christopher Columbus to the New World.  The news was quickly widespread and reached Spain three days before Columbus would arrive in Lisbon Portugal.

 
Following large brass shells in the ground we navigated the suburbs of Baiona.  At one point we passed by the small Capela de Santa Liberata, sitting at the edge of the Plaza Santa Liberata.  This chapel was built in 1278 and restored in 1976.   Unfortunately, it was closed to visitors however its outside square was filled with a lot of pilgrims resting.

 
Behind it was the larger and more imposing Colexiata de Santa Maria de Baiona.   This church was open so we took a few minutes to explore.  Inside was a very large gold gilt altar and a tall statue of Madonna.  Along the walls was a large display with information and photos of small markings that had been carved into the stone structure of the church.  These markings had the appearance of graffiti but also looked similar to symbols left by the stone masons who worked on cathedrals.

 
Interested we explored and were excited to find some of these engravings on the walls which appeared to be ships, fish, and tools that could have been used for sailing.   Fascinatingly it is believed that some of the ships used by Paio Gomez Charino to help conquer Seville in 1248 were built in Baiona.  As such, according to the information plaques, it is likely the marks were left by the shipbuilders as a sign of their local work.
 

Galician Literature Day

 
Walking on and more than ready for the day to be done, we stepped out of the Cathedral into the historical bar district which was full of people celebrating Galician Literature Day.  This is a public holiday to celebrate the Galician language and its literature.  It was begun in 1963 by the Royal Galician Academy.  This is the second time that we have been on a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela during this holiday. And the extent of the celebrations also reminded us of the Easter Week festival going on in Medina de Rioseco when we walked the Camino de Madrid and the streets of that medieval town were packed with excited and happy people.
 
In a similar fashion, the main boulevard of Baiona was a lively street party and residents were busy setting up an outdoor music stage.  The streets were packed wall-to-wall with very well-dressed individuals drinking and eating outside every bar and restaurant.  As a result, to make our way along the Camino path, we had to wedge through the crowds with our large packs.  Slowly progressing we apologized with every inadvertent bump that we might have given to anyone en route.
 
At this point in the day, the Camino navigated both non-sensibly and frustratingly up and down the hillside through town and along roadways.  As a result, most pilgrims ventured to the coastline or trekked along sidewalks following a more direct Google-based itinerary.  In contrast, we continued to mindlessly follow the yellow arrows up and downhill making slow progress.  While we are not ones for shortcuts or simply taking the most direct route – there are undoubtedly times that blindly following a trail defies reason. 

 

Weaving through the crowds and festive atmosphere we continued along the Camino past local landmarks and historic sites.  After some time we arrived in Nigran and found the lovely bar O Parque on the edge of a tiny, tree-lined square covered in umbrellas.  Happy to be out of the afternoon sun we ventured indoors and perched at the side of a wooden wine barrel enjoying a cold beer - grateful for the cool, dark interior.   As we drank the waiter was kind enough to bring several bowls of delicious Portuguese olives for us to snack on.  Such an amazing oasis has always been a favourite of ours to find near the end of the day or on a hot stretch of the trail.  
 

Ramallosa Spain

 
We eventually and begrudgingly left the cool atmosphere of the bar and walked the final few blocks to our accommodations in Ramallosa tonight.   There is, however, little that is harder to do than stand back up, slide on your backpack and walk on further after sitting for a couple of hours in the shade and enjoying a few cold beers.  I would say that we would ‘live and learn’ but we haven’t yet after all of these years hiking.  Such is life.

 
We crossed the Rio Minor on the old Ponte Romanica da Ramallosa.  This bridge has an interesting backstory.  Having been built in the 13th century, it has 10 arched spans, and in the middle of the structure is an image of Saint Telmo, patron saint of sailors, as well as an altarpiece with three souls.   Apparently, fertility rights were celebrated here and when women who couldn't get pregnant would go down to the bridge after midnight.  Tradition says that these women would then ask the first man who crossed the bridge to pour water on their bellies and to be the godfather of their child. While an interesting tale, it is also somewhat suspect as one can only imagine what meeting a man under the bridge at the edge of town at midnight might also infer. 

 
Shortly after crossing the river, we climbed up through the residential streets of A Ramallosa to the stone gates of El Pazo Pias, an albergue in a 17th-century building built by Don Felix Correa Alemparte.  This albergue is a simple accommodation that has a beautiful interior garden and well landscaped grounds which are very quiet and peaceful.
 
Checking in we quickly stripped out of our sweat-soaked hiking clothes, took long cold showers, and hand-washed our gear.  Then since everything else seemed closed for Galician Literature Day we headed back to the bar we had enjoyed earlier for a dinner of eggs, chips, and possibly more ice-cold Sagres cerveja.

 
As we sat enjoying our meal an ever-growing crowd of local residents gathered to watch the soccer game - Real Madrid against Manchester City.  As the group arrived tables were pushed together and large platters of Iberian ham as well as delicious-looking cheeses were brought out. The celebratory and communal atmosphere was wonderful and contagious.  Unfortunately for these fans it became clear early on that Madrid wasn't up to the task, and the score of 4-0 for Manchester City eventually confirmed this.  Even though the game wasn’t going the way they had hoped it remained a lively and enthusiastic group of men fueled by a seemingly bottomless supply of edibles. 

 
With it growing dark outside, the air cooled off and with us tired from the day’s exertions we returned to the monastery and slept for the evening. As we settled in for the night, we reflected on the day’s journey.  It was one that was filled with beautiful landscapes, historic sites, and memorable conservations with fellow pilgrims. The Camino continues to surprise us with its richness, and we’re grateful for every step.
 
Accommodations: El Pazo Pias