Day 6 – at Ermita de Santa Hadriano del Mar, Malpica

The section of coast between Malpica and Muros, where I am now, is called the Costa da Morte, or Death Coast.

It’s name is as a result of the many shipwrecks along its treacherous rocky shore, exposed as it is to the Atlantic.

Interestingly, despite the proximity of the Camino de Santiago, some local people still hold on to pagan rituals, there are the giant ‘rocking nstones’, or pedras de abalar in the Galician language. These stones, balanced on a point, can be moved back and forth easily, or even wiggle in response to the wind. These were used at one time to determine the guilt or innocence of those accused of serious crimes.

We took in a circuit around this bit of headland we are on, including a few spectacular kilometres of the Camino. The rain eventually gave way to a drier afternoon, but with a busy sports spectating afternoon, I couldn’t afford to wait around. The crashing of the waves into the coast is more atmospheric in such conditions anyway..

Ascending through the odourful eucalyptus..

The summit of Beo, at 187 metres.. dizzying..

These are (below) the protected, Sisargas Islands, Grande, Medio and Pequeña, though the latter two, these days, are not separated by the sea. Over a million migrating birds stopover here the the spring and early summer on their route north, chiefly to Siberia.

There was a section of the track that had recently had the prickly gorse cut, and Roja wasn’t keen. He got one in his front paw, and gives me that pleading look to help remove it..

Back at the van for late lunch. It was clear by now, which the van solar appreciated, and the chance to sit outside for an hour or two before the rugby.