Pontedeume to Betanzos
Inland
- Distance
- 19.7 km
- Climb
- 380 m up, 350 m down
- Ground
- 2 to 250 m
- Time
- 5 to 7 hours
- Difficulty
- moderate
- Underfoot
- dirt, paved, forest, cobblestone, urban
Where this day sits on the Camino Inglés
Above, the highest and lowest ground of each of its 6 stages. Below, the word each day is given.
From open-pilgrimages: each stage's highest and lowest ground and its interior theme.
The day
Today the path leaves the coast for good. Out of Pontedeume the climb is sharper than expected — eucalyptus forest, the smell of menthol, the sound of wind through tall thin trees. By midday you crest a ridge and see Galicia opening south toward Santiago. The descent into Betanzos follows the Mandeo river and brings you into one of the most-preserved medieval towns in Galicia. Betanzos is a Gothic town: three 15th-century churches anchor its streets, the old town walls partially survive, and the air smells of fried squid from the local tabernas. By tradition, pilgrims stop at the Igrexa de Santiago for a stamp before finding lodging.
What pilgrims often meet here
- The sharp climb out of Pontedeume in eucalyptus forest
- First view of inland Galicia from the ridgeline
- Walking into the medieval old town through the Porta da Vila
- The Igrexa de Santiago de Betanzos with its Gothic basilica plan
- Galician fried squid (chocos) and red wine from a Betanzos taberna
When you turn away from the sea, what part of you is being asked to turn with it?
The ground
Out of Pontedeume the path climbs steeply through eucalyptus to a ridgeline and then drops gradually toward the Mandeo river valley. The descent into Betanzos along the river is on cobbled lanes through several small villages.
The light
Sunrise and sunset in Pontedeume depend on the day you walk.
Walk it with Pilgrim
Pilgrim doesn't carry the Camino Inglés as a route yet. You can still walk it with the app in Wander mode, speaking what arises and keeping it on your phone.