“In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.” – John Muir 

Day 16

Leaving Pontevedra there were not the hoards of our previous walking day although maybe that’s because we had a later start… but there was still quite a lot of pilgrims on the road. I was a little anxious as I knew we at some stage would diverge from the main path and I didn’t want to miss the turn off… and I really wanted to get away from the crowds. 

Today is the start of an alternative route- still part of the Portuguese Way but known as the Spiritual variant… it is supposed to be less crowded and more serene because the main route, as I’ve mentioned, has become so crowded since all the routes have merged. 

The Spiritual Variant, allows pilgrims to follow the journey made by boat by the remains of St James and joins up again with the Central Route at Padrón. This route is often referred to as the origin of the Camino de Santiago. Legend has it that after St James’s beheading in Jerusalem, his body was stolen by his disciples and placed on a stone boat which eventually reached the Rio Ulla where it travelled upriver to Iria Flavia. which is near present-day Padrón. This route is part of the Spiritual Variant. 

We did miss the turn off but I realised pretty quickly when I checked my Camino Ninja app. We backtracked and left all of the other walkers behind and enjoyed the solitude of a quiet and beautiful walk through the Galician countryside… vineyards and farms… a few uphills but nothing dramatic.

Our pace is slow as Anne’s feet are very sore even after our rest day… but we are blessed that our planned stages for the next four days are much shorter than many of the stages we have been doing. 

There are many stone crosses dotting the countryside…

… and other small signs that we are on the Way of St James.

The waymarkers have changed as well, with the Spiritual Variants own distinct insignia: a scallop shell with a Cross of Saint James. Personally, I think this is the single most beautiful Camino symbol I have seen, but though the route is very well sign-posted, they are not always as obvious as the blue and yellow ones we have followed all this way… definitely easier to miss. 

We come across a small church- the Igrexa de San Pedro in Campaño but it is closed…

… so we stop nearby for a coffee and fresh orange juice before continuing downhill to the Monasterio de San Xoan in Poio. There is a service on including a choir and a concert band and we sit and rest and soak it up.

And eventually continued down to the absolutely charming old coastal town of Combarro. 

I had heard this town and its coastal scenery was lovely, and that was part of why we had chosen to make this a short leg and stay for the night… but I was unprepared for its fascinating uniqueness that just mesmerized me.

The historic quarter in Combarro has been declared a Property of Cultural Interest and is often mentioned as one of the most beautiful villages in Spain. Combarro is largely built of granite and it gives the village a distinctive feel. There are no cars on the narrow granite-paved streets of the historic quarter, which we explored on foot. The narrow winding historic streets are lined with stone Galician houses, tiny gardens and flowers everywhere…

… stone crosses…

… and granaries…the casco histórico, or old town is truly something special. 

Rua da Mar is the main street passing through the old quarter and runs parallel to the estuary. This beautiful street is lined with taparias and other restaurants, craft, and souvenir shops (yes, it is touristy)…

… and is a great place to see the unique raised granaries and sea houses with balconies filled with flowers, that are one of Combarro’s main claims to fame. 

We have seen the hórreos regularly through our walk from Portugal to the point where I googled what they were. These hórreos, or raised granaries, were used to store and preserve corn, potatoes and other grains. They are raised on posts off the ground to keep rodents and moisture from getting in. The crosses and embellishments found on most of them were symbols for protection, in addition to a show of prosperity and wealth. Hórreos are protected structures in Spain, due to their historic value and by law cannot be destroyed. 

These amazing hórreos along with ancient stone sea houses (casas marineras)and stone crosses (cruceiros) dot the narrow medieval streets here… and line the waterway. There are 60 hórreos of which 30 are lined up facing the sea and 9 cruceiros in this little town. It was low tide when we arrived and we walked along the ‘beach’ marvelling at the ancient and unique architecture. Some restaurants are even built underneath them. 

Speaking of restaurants… there are many… unassuming… right by the seaside… serving some of the freshest Galician seafood straight from the sea and often cooking it on a grill right beside the water.

We had a delicious fresh seafood lunch… just what we needed after our walk… and then repeated again for dinner just a few hours later. In between I explored. 

Everywhere you go in Combarro we noticed dolls and effigies of witches and wondered why. Apparently Galicia is a superstitious place with many legends involving magic and witches, which have a long association with the village. It’s said the many granite crosses dotted around town were meeting places for witches. Clearly the witches were unconcerned by Christianity. A bit freaky for me I’m afraid… even though I know that many ‘witches’ of the past were just strong women who wouldn’t toe the line or challenged traditional gender roles. 

Magnetic, beautiful, and mystical- these are all words that come to mind when I think of my brief time wandering the streets of this unique fishing village. With its stunning coastal scenery, charming Galician folk architecture, and its compact yet vibrant old quarters, complete with hórreos and stone crosses, this place is truly captivating. I am just grateful that Camino brought us to such a beautiful place.

Steps today- 25,355

Kilometres today- 16.63

Flights climbed- 9

Temperature- 26°