The Primitive Way

Stage: San Romao da Retorta-Melide

  • Length 30.7 Km
  • Difficulty Medium
  • Estimated Duration 7h 35min

San Romao da Retorta offers delightful examples of the Romanesque style. These include San Romao da Retorta Church, outside which there is a Roman milestone – evidence that the Primitive Route follows the path of an ancient road – and Santa Cruz da Retorta Church, with its stone cross.

San Romao da Retorta-Melide

San Romao da Retorta- Augas Santas

  • Length 13.5 Km
  • Difficulty Medium
  • Estimated Duration 3h 25min

San Romao da Retorta offers delightful examples of the Romanesque style. These include San Romao da Retorta Church, outside which there is a Roman milestone – evidence that the Primitive Route follows the path of an ancient road – and Santa Cruz da Retorta Church, with its stone cross.

We pass the small villages of Seixalbos, Xende and Ferreira. At medieval Ferreira Bridge, in Palas de Rei, there is also a Romanesque church dating from the late 12th century, which was part of Vilar de Donas. Palas de Rei is also home to the parish of Augas Santas, with its curative springs. There was a monastery here in the 9th century and San Salvador de Merlán Church still has lovely Romanesque elements.

San Romao da Retorta - Augas Santas

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Palas de Rei

Pazo de Ulloa manor house, Palas de Rei

The Way of St. James in Pambre

Augas Santas- Vilouriz

  • Length 8.4 Km
  • Difficulty Medium
  • Estimated Duration 2h 10min

From Augas Santas the route continues on to As Seixas, Casacamiño and the border between the provinces of Lugo and A Coruña. We cross the Careón Mountains, which span the Lugo–A Coruña border, an area of great ecological value where flora and fauna that have grown scarce in Galicia have been preserved. The highest peak, O Careón, rises to 798 m. We soon come to the municipality of Toques, where we pass through Santiago de Vilouriz.

 

Augas Santas - Vilouriz