Negreira to Augapesada

The departure from Negreira, at around 180 metres of altitude, leads the pilgrim along streets that soon give way to open countryside. The Camino crosses the hamlet of Logrosa, with its horreos and farmhouses, and begins a gentle descent towards the valley of the Tambre. The murmur of the river announces the arrival at one of the most emblematic settings of the entire route to Fisterra, where centuries-old stone merges with the current in a landscape that has remained almost unchanged for ages.

Ponte Maceira is the heart of the day. Its medieval bridge of several arches, stretched over the Tambre, is accompanied by old mills, a chapel and a rural ensemble of rare harmony. Jacobean tradition tells that, when the disciples of the Apostle fled with his body pursued by the soldiers of Queen Lupa, the bridge miraculously collapsed after their crossing to halt those who harried them. The legend lends the place a sacred resonance that the walker senses while crossing its arches.

Beyond the river, the Camino passes through Trasmonte and confronts the most demanding part of the stretch: the climb to the Alto do Mar de Ovellas, which crowns the day near 290 metres. The ascent runs along tracks and corredoiras through eucalyptus and oak woods, with sections of firm gradient that test the pilgrim's legs. From the top, on clear days, the view opens over the gentle hills of inland Galicia on the way to Santiago.

The descent from the summit is decisive and leads down to Augapesada, already in the municipality of Ames, the lowest point of the stretch at around 50 metres. There, a modest bridge of medieval origin spans the Rego dos Pasos and provides a natural close to this half-stage. With barely 8.2 kilometres behind them, the pilgrim has experienced climbs, descents and the spell of the Tambre, and prepares to continue advancing towards the cathedral of Compostela.