The Primitive Way

Stage: Paradavella-Castroverde

  • Length 19.8 Km
  • Difficulty Medium-Low
  • Estimated Duration 3h 40min
  • Listen to the stage itinerary

Sections of dense forest alternate with more open areas. There are also a number of cultural sights, including the baroque altarpiece at Santa María Church in Vilabade and the medieval tower in Castroverde. There are two complementary ways, one enters Villalle and another reaches Castroverde passing through Vilabade (0.470 km and 5.29 km, respectively)

Paradavella- A Degolada

  • Length 1.9 Km
  • Difficulty Medium-Low
  • Estimated Duration 20min

From Paradavella we continue on to O Cádavo. Sections of dense forest alternate with more open areas near the C-630 road. We pass through A Calzada and enter the municipality of Baleira at A Degolada.

Paradavella - A Degolada

A Degolada- A Lastra

  • Length 3.1 Km
  • Difficulty Medium-Low
  • Estimated Duration 35min

We reach O Cádavo (710 m), capital of the municipality of Baleira and second most important town – after A Fonsagrada – on the Primitive Route in Galicia. The route continues up to A Lastra.

A Lastra- A Fontaneira

  • Length 2.6 Km
  • Difficulty Medium-Low
  • Estimated Duration 30min

We climb up to Alto de A Vaqueriza (840 m). A Fontaneira is the next destination. Tradition has it that nearby Campo de A Matanza was the site of a clash between King Alfonso II and a Muslim army.

 

A Lastra - A Fontaneira

A Fontaneira- O Cádavo

  • Length 4.7 Km
  • Difficulty Medium-Low
  • Estimated Duration 50min

We leave A Fontaneira behind and head on to O Cádavo, where there is a pilgrim hostel.

A Fontaneira - O Cádavo

O Cádavo- Vilalle

  • Length 5.4 Km
  • Difficulty Medium-Low
  • Estimated Duration 1h 00min

Before reaching Castroverde, we will pass through the village of Vilalle. Nearby, we find Vilabade (complementary road), the site of a former Franciscan convent, of which the temple , built in the middle of the 15th century, still stands in a beautiful square where the Pazo de Abraira-Arana is also located. The most outstanding feature of the Church of Santa María de Vilabade (declared a National Monument) is its altarpiece, a baroque piece of 1759 produced by Francisco Lens, from Compostela.

 

 

 

 

Vilalle- Castroverde

  • Length 2.1 Km
  • Difficulty Medium-Low
  • Estimated Duration 25min

Castroverde (540 m) marks the end of this stage. It is the capital of the municipality of the same name. The old castle keep still stands proudly, high above town, a reminder of the rule of the houses of Lemos and Altamira.