The Way of Stone and Water : Poio to O Cruceiro Vello

The Way of Stone and Water

Embarking on the Camino de Santiago is a pilgrimage filled with both challenges and transformative experiences. No matter which route you take, there will always be moments that test and tempt us, moments that provide wonder and joy, and moments that push you beyond your comfort zone. 

Over the years we have had a number of friends and fellow hikers that have had fate intervene on their pilgrimages.  People have slipped on the sidewalk.  One friend stumbled on a small stone along the way and twisted their ankle.  Another tumbled off a chair while others fell sick from a cold or food poisoning.  In every case it was clearly no one’s fault, it was simply a matter of fate changing the course of an individual’s journey. 

Today continually felt as though fate was striving to intervene once again as one group of pilgrims that we had seen for several days and who proudly taxied from place to place and from hotel to hotel were forced to hike on and walk– in their designer clothes, skin tight jeans, and dress shoes.

Fate can be fascinating that way – for some, it ends their pilgrimage while for others it offers the opportunity to learn and grow.  The Camino, in its unpredictable nature, reminds us that every pilgrimage is a blend of determination and chance and that sometimes, fate has its own way of guiding us forward and shaping the path we walk in unexpected ways.

A Calm Morning in Poio

Last night’s stay at the Monasterio de San Xoan de Poio was one of the most restful and peaceful evenings on the Camino.  The night was calm, quiet and wonderful – with only pure silence throughout the cloisters and the cool air of the evening coming through our window for company!  We woke up at 7 AM but lingered in the quiet atmosphere hoping to stay in the moment.  By 8 AM, both of us begrudgingly got out of bed, washed and packed up, and made ourselves a simple breakfast of coffee, and bread with jam.  By 8:30 AM it was time to head out.

Today, we were unsure of the exact distance that we would cover.  This stage is potentially a 15 km saunter to the highly recommended Armenteira, or a 23 km venture to Barrantes, or even a tough 36 km hike to Vilanova de Arousa. Our hope was to walk to Armenteira, but we remained open to the possibility of having to head further, depending on the availability of accommodations along the way.  Such is often the nature of stepping out your door and going for a hike. 

Exploring the Streets of Combarro

We checked out of the Monastery and continued on our way along the Camino descending the winding cobblestone streets of Poio toward the fishing village of Combarro.   The route wove along streets lined with stone walls and bordered by local shops and restaurants. Eventually, we diverted off the roadway and followed a pedestrian path through the Campo de Futbol A Reiboa - a large urban park with a soccer field and recreational building.  

Not long after, the path directed us onto a sandy coastline beach.  Here we walked across the still damp sand along the water’s edge.  With the tide out we spotted 20 different species of birds including Eurasian Blackbirds, Black Headed gulls, Whimbrel and a Little Egret. The natural beauty surrounding us, with the distant hills of Galicia across the water, was a peaceful way to begin the day.

Coastal Birding

Navigating local construction we could see the red and white homes of the seaside village of Combarro ahead of us.  

Walking across the sandy coast of the Praia do Padron we were astounded when we noticed that the mudflats were filled with more birds including Common Ringed Plovers, Black-headed Gulls, Yellow-legged Gulls, Eurasian Linnet, Little Egret, Whimbrel, Great Black-backed Gulls! Needless to say, our progress this morning was not quick.

Father Sarmiento Trail

Leaving the beach we passed under a number of palm trees that were full of sparrow nests.

Nearby was the seaside village of Combarro, with its historical stone homes and iconic horreos (Galician granaries). It was clearly in the midst of being restored and updated when we walked through. 

The road led us past stone homes before coming across signs for the Father Sarmiento Trail a coastal route that pays tribute to Father Sarmiento, a Galician priest who left for Madrid at the age of 15 to join the Benedictine Order.  Later in the Holy Year of 1745 Sarmiento returned to Pontevedra to follow the coastal route around the O Salnes peninsula to Santiago de Compostela.

Climbing Up Mount Castrove

Though fascinated by the possibility of following another route we nonetheless stayed on the Espiritual variante.  Leaving this cultural and spiritual crossroads the Camino began to climb steeply for 30 tough minutes.  Walking on exposed paved roadways we navigated historic Galician neighborhoods filled with old, rounded stone homes.  Slowly making our way amid the rising temperature of the day we were closely watched by several amused Spanish men standing in their doorways. 

Soon, the village’s dense neighbourhoods thinned out and we found ourselves surrounded by fields, gardens and the region’s ubiquitous vineyards. Pushing on, we thankfully found shade along the roadway which we took advantage of stopping and resting from time to time.  Stands of tall pines and eucalyptus spotted the hillside around us serving as a clear divide between the city and the forest.

Throughout this stretch, only a single other pilgrim passed us, and like ourselves, he was too focused on conserving energy and sweating from the climb to stop and chat.  

Scenic Views from Miradouros

At 10 AM, we reached Miradouro do Loureiro, a lookout offering panoramic views of the Ria de Pontevedra, the coastline and surrounding hills.  From here we could see back over the route we had traced and appreciate how far up we had come since breakfast.   We were soon joined by a cyclist who also stopped to take in the view.

Turning onward we found a large rectangular sign for the Variante Espiritual noting ‘Usted Esta Aqui’ – You are Here.  Accordingly, we were now only about 5 kilometres, or an hour away from Armenteira.  Following the Camino we then walked along a country lane through a dense forest of pine and eucalyptus.  

The route, which was a logging road, was well-signed as made our way up Monte Redondo.   Despite large sections of logging cut that created large gaps in the forest canopy the packed dirt tract provided us with long periods of wonderful shade nonetheless.

Discovering Petroglyphs : Petroglifo Outeiro do Cribo

As we walked through the forest, we kept our eyes open for a hidden treasure.  According to online resources, there was s series of Petroglyphs just off the trail! 

Fortunately, we were able to locate the carvings just a few steps off the Camino.  These ancient petroglyphs were detailed carvings in the rocks and added an even deeper sense of history to our pilgrimage reminding us of the timelessness of the lands we were walking on. 

Excited by our discovery we continued on eventually descending through the forest following local logging roads around empty parcels of fallen trees.  Surprisingly at one point, we met a large group of people all wearing binoculars who turned out to be on a birding tour!  Unfortunately, we never found out what species they had seen or hoped to spot.

Armenteira

Emerging from the forest and back onto roadways we traced our way downhill past an exclusive hotel whose rooms for tonight were 300+ Euros – well outside of our budget.  As we walked into the village square of Armeteira we caught the familiar sight of tour buses – complete with hordes of tourists shuffling into the monastery.   The town appeared to either be hosting a conference or be in the midst of a public celebration – which would explain the number of cars and sheer number of people that were exceptionally dressed up. 

The sight of dust-covered pilgrims alongside these elegantly dressed tourists created an odd juxtaposition.  As a result, the clientele at the bar was a unique mix of haggard and dirty pilgrims, slightly more polished day trippers, and highly dressed-up families.  Regardless we nonetheless found a spot to sit down, rest and enjoy a much-needed snack.

Ordering our early lunch the waitress was kind enough to warn us that we only needed to order one sandwich not two.  We were grateful for her advice as the bocadillos that arrived was over a foot long and packed with delicious vegetables and cheeses!

Santa Maria da Armenteira Monastery

Having enjoyed our time in the shade and full from a terrific meal we walked over to the monastery, received a stamp for our credentials from the tourist office and explored the church as well as the attached cloister.

The Santa Maria da Armenteira Monastery is a 12th-century establishment founded by Don Ero its first abbot.  Historical legend purports that on this site Don Ero prayed for the Virgin Mary to give him a glimpse of what heaven would be like.  Afterwards, he entered the surrounding forest and sat on a stone entranced by a bird’s melodic chirping and song.  After enjoying a deep sense of peace and contentment Don Ero got up and headed back to the monastery.   Upon his arrival, however, he did not recognize the monk who greeted him at the door, nor any of those who soon congregated to meet him.  Perplexed Don Ero finally realized that he had gone some 300 years into the future and that rather than listening to the bird’s song for a few minutes he had instead spent 300 years in paradise.  He concluded that the Virgin Mary had granted his wish to see heaven. 

This site would be used with commitment by holy orders until the early 1830s when it began to decline and was sold.  Later from the 1960s until the 1980s, it would undergo restoration. As we were visiting mass was just concluding in the church and so afterwards we had a chance to wander. 

While local legends and spiritual stories can be interpreted a number of different ways – and often are.  I have chosen to believe that the message of Don Ero’s vision is to definitively proclaim that it is through birds and bird songs that divinity can be found.  Blessed be the birdwatcher for they shall find paradise!

Rumours, Uncertainty, and Choices

Though only a short distance from Poio last night we had hoped to stay in Armenteira for the night and so were taking our time exploring here.  As we departed the church however a gathering of pilgrims caught our attention. 

The local Albergue run by the convent and listed as having 30 beds was full and people were being turned away.  Apparently, the nuns were accommodating several “injured pilgrims”.  Adding to this problem was the fact that the local resort hotel cost was in excess of 380 Euros per night and the closest accommodations, in towns 5-10 km away were already full for the evening.

Unnerved given our intentionally slow progress and the rising temperatures we returned to the shade of the bar and soon found a hostel 12 km away and 2 km off the Camino that had a single room left.  Breaking from our usual approach while hiking we reserved it without delay.   While not ones to typically reserve a room we both felt that we did not have it in us to walk still further to Villanova de Arousa.

Now knowing that we had accommodations for the night we felt relieved.  The fact remained however that now we also had 2-3 hours of walking still ahead of us before day’s end.  As such, we heaved our backpacks on and once again set off along the Way of St. James.

Into the Wilderness

Shifting our expectations for the day we set off.  From the village square in Armenteira the Camino began at a parking lot, crossed a grassy field and entered into a wooded corridor that followed the Rio Umia. On the edge of the woodland, we watched as a great diversity of people got out of their vehicles and meandered into the forest along the trail. 

Some were in fancy clothing and high heels while others looked as though they were trekking off into the Alps wearing huge backpacks and carrying bags full of food.  Still others carried compasses, GPS devices and fold-out maps.  More than one person seemed nervous about “stepping into the wilderness”.  En route, signs warned people about trekking “into nature” noting that they needed to be prepared.  

It is always a startling reminder to us as North Americans that people’s reactions to nature vary depending on their cultural backgrounds and experiences.  Having lived in Ontario, British Columbia, and the Yukon and having spent months at a time in locations such as Algonquin Provincial Park, Gros Morne, Fundy National Park, Riding Mountain, Jasper, and Banff the European approach to nature which seems to vary from wonder and amazement to fear is interesting to witness.

On our first pilgrimage, we noticed this when a tall and very muscular German teenager waited on the Camino Frances to join other pilgrims as they crossed through a city park on the outskirts of Leon.  For him this park was a forest and wilderness while for us it was merely a 30-foot wide green space that you could see through from each end.  Despite our perspective of this same area, he was clearly very nervous as we walked through together.  This reaction to “wilderness” by Europeans is something that we have witnessed time and time again.

The Way of Stone and Water: Ruta de la Piedra y del Agua

The walk from the monastery at Armentiera to Ballantras is a stretch of the Spiritual Variant is known as the Ruta de la Piedr y del Agua or the Way of Stone and Water.  It follows the Rio Umia and weaves through a lush, moss-covered landscape with interpretive signs detailing the history of old mills along the riverway. As we walked along it the path would soon reveal itself to be one of the most magical sections of any Camino that we have yet visited.

Descending from the Monastery and fields we immediately entered a lush green corridor of mosses, lichen, and huge ferns along the edge of a rushing river bordered by thick stone walls.  Above us was a dense tree canopy as the river splashed along creating a welcome mist and dampness along the path.  The cool, shaded trail was a welcome relief from the heat, and the calming sounds of the river created a serene atmosphere. 

Following the dirt path, we traced along the waterway slowly descending through the river glen passing the foundations of abandoned buildings.  The trail would ultimately pass 33 historic mills which were scattered along the banks of the Rio Umia.  Alongside them, information plaques had been installed to provide details as to how the mills were built and what their importance was. Accordingly, these structures were once used for grinding corn though have been long since abandoned, slowly transforming into the picturesque ruins which people today explore. 

 Given the coolness of this stretch, we were in no rush to leave.  Taking our time to wander we were fortunate to see a number of huge beetles and catch our first glimpse of the large slugs which have been so common along our other pilgrimages. 

Enjoying the moment and given the rough footing in stretches, from time to time we waited as families slowly made their way past.  Interestingly one man stopped to tell us in rough English “be careful in the wild.”

Aldea La Brega : The Town of Stone

After a few kilometres, the Camino passed into a park whose sign indicated that we had arrived at the Aldea La Brega, or the Town of Stone.   This area is an outdoor museum with a collection of stone statues celebrating Galician history and culture.

It is a tableau of an outdoor village which includes several stone figures of animals (pigs, chickens, dogs, sheep, and a cat), a horrero, a cooking oven, a wagon, and a stone cross in addition to a number of stone people harvesting. 

Young stone women held their stone children.  A stone boy headed off to a stone school.  A stone priest stood welcoming people into a small stone chapel. And most eerily a stone older woman in a shawl stood and watched over everything.  

While quaint and historical we both found it somewhat unnerving.  This space felt, to us, less like an outdoor museum and more like an island that Medusa had conquered. 

Not wishing to be tuned into part of the collection we ventured on.  Our green corridor continued leading us around local fields and vineyards for another kilometer to the edge of a busy roadway.

Barrantes

Briefly following the highway we crossed a bridge and walked the short distance into the next town and the first bar we came to – the Hospidaje Rustico Os Castanos.  With only 3 kilometres left to hike and it still being 2 hours before we would be allowed to check in we decided it was time to sit in the shade and enjoy a couple of beers on the hotel’s covered riverside patio.   This establishment was a lovely spot that we would have easily enjoyed spending the night at, unfortunately as we had discovered earlier, it too was full for the night.  The hotel was spotlessly clean, the staff were friendly, and the space was welcoming.  Best of all the beer was cold – making it perfect for an unexpectedly longer day of hiking.

Sitting in the shade we were soon joined by other pilgrims and learned that one of the men we had been seeing on and off for a few days had slipped and broken his ankle on the path of Stone and Water an hour after we had passed through.  He had to be taken to Santiago by ambulance – a humbling reminder that we are all only a single step away from disaster. 

Ultimately we lounged here writing our day’s journals, talking about the day’s stage on the Camino, and chatting with other pilgrims. 

Ruta do Vino

After an hour we begrudgingly returned to the Camino and trekked the final 3 km we still had to cover following a trail through vineyards alongside the Rio Umia.  Along the way, we found a sign noting that we were now trekking along the ‘Ruta do Vino’ or the Route of Wine through the Albarino wine region.  To us there seemed to be some commentary in a pilgrimage trail following a wine route as though inextricably tying imbibing with insight and spiritual awakening.

Following the landscape, our route continued along the river’s edge under arched trees.  Around us long rows of grape trellises lined the fields and large green leaves covered the budding grapes.  Here the river Umia is used to irrigate the orchards and vineyards of the O Salnes valley.  Apparently, this region specializes in albarino grapes, which produce a white wine distinguished by tart, acidic fruitiness. 

Our route took us against the current of the river’s flow, under alder, ash and willow trees.  Among these riverside stands of trees, we spotted a number of bird species including both Common Chaffinches and European Greenfinches.   In addition, amid the meadows swallows flitted about at impossible speeds creating improbable arcs as they chased flying insects to feed their fledgling young.

In this stretch, our pace was slowed by the fact that we were now trekking behind a couple who were walking the Camino hand in hand spread across the entire trail.  We had seen this duo several times and overheard that they were newly married.  The result of which had not made them very popular in the albergues at night.  Beyond their frequent and loud nocturnal activities in the bunks and dorms, the two wore the same clothes – identical hiking shirts and shell hats – and often walked hand in hand rocking back and forth singing all day as they ventured along the trail. 

O Cruceiro Vello Spain

Despite the slow and lyrical pace that was set in front of us the Camino soon emerged at a road where signs directed us across a bridge towards O Cruceiro Vello, the agricultural community in which we had reservations for the night.

Leaving the Way of St. James we walked along the exposed roadway into town.  We arrived only to find that the owner was not there so waited for her arrival.  When our host appeared we were met with friendly smiles and quickly checked in.  According to the young lady in care of the hotel, the Way of Stone and Water is one of the true highlights of the region and the Spiritual Variant and she was glad that we had enjoyed it.

We were grateful to find that the Hostel Santa Baia was clean, safe and secure.  Once in our room, we took cool showers, hand-washed and hung up our clothes and rested for a couple of hours. 

With evening settling in and being a little hungry, we set off to find food.  According to our host, there was only a closed Mercado grocery store in town and our best option was to visit one of the three local bars.   Ultimately however only one establishment seemed to be open and it was staffed by a disinterested waitress.  While several groups of pilgrims were seated on the patio striving to order dinner the waitress repeatedly claimed that there was no food and that she could not make meals.  We too asked for cheese sandwiches or bocadillas, but were also told no.

Frustratingly all around us local residents talked to the same waitress, placed their orders and quickly received large meals and sandwiches.  Ultimately, after several requests, the waitress offered us a single large bag of potato chips from the bar – for which we were charged 5 Euros. 

Beggars cannot be choosers, and so we paid the exorbitant cost and ate what was available to us. 

Afterwards, we made our way to our room.  Today the trail was gorgeous, the landscapes were beautiful and the bird species fascinating however there was no denying that the end of the day was distinctly less inspiring.   Then again, not every moment can be perfect and we remained grateful to have found accommodations for the night. 

Reflections on Pilgrimage and the Camino's Unpredictability

As we reflected on the day’s journey, we were reminded of how pilgrimage is defined by the unexpected twists and turns of fate, chance, and challenge.  The Camino de Santiago, with its mix of scenic beauty, historical significance, and unexpected events, continues to offer valuable lessons on perseverance, humility, and the importance of staying open to the changing tides of fate.

Tomorrow will be a short stage walking to Vilanova de Arousa where we will catch a boat to Padron the following morning.   Given this schedule, we will arrive into Santiago de Compostela a full 3 days earlier than we had anticipated.  Although the path ahead is uncertain, we know that every step is part of the greater pilgrimage—a journey that continues to surprise, challenge, and inspire.

Accommodations: Hostal Santa Baia