Arca - Santiago de Compostela
The Northern Way
- Ribadeo
- Vilela
- A Ponte
- Vilamartín Pequeno
- Gondán
- Lourenzá
- San Pedro da Torre
- Mondoñedo
- Abadín
- Martiñán
- Goiriz
- Vilalba
- Ponte de Sa
- Baamonde
- Digañe
- Miraz
- A Roxica
- O Marco das Pías
- Guitizá
- Sobrado dos Monxes
- As Corredoiras
- Sendelle
- Arzúa
- A Salceda
- Santa Irene
- Arca (O Pino)
- A Lavacolla
- Monte do Gozo
- Santiago
Stage: Arca - Santiago de Compostela
The last stage of the Camino, now very near the goal. A journey full of expectations from O Pedrouzo to Santiago passing by the Monte do Gozo.
Arca (O Pino)- A Lavacolla
We leave the hostel of O Pedrouzo and go towards the petrol station at the entrance to the village, where we return to the Camino.
We then cross to the next place, Santo Antón, where the ascent begins to the municipality of Santiago. O Amenal, Cimadevila and San Paio will be the following towns.
Arca (O Pino) - Lavacolla
A Lavacolla- Monte do Gozo
We ascend to the town of A Lavacolla, in the vicinity of the International Airport of Santiago. Here, the pilgrims had the custom of washing their entire bodies in the stream which passes this place. In fact, the etymology of “Lavacolla” derives from “lava colea”, an uninhibited reference to the hygiene of the genitals.
Very near here we reach the Monte do Gozo (380 m.), a small hill where, for the first time, the pilgrims delight in a view of the far off Cathedral. Among the groups of pilgrims, the first pilgrim to reach the summit is proclaimed “king of the pilgrimage”. In 1993 a large pilgrim hostel was built here.