Ferrol → Pontedeume

It is not the route's hardest in climbing, but it is the longest, and that alone makes it demanding on day one. It starts in an urban, industrial setting — Ferrol is a shipyard city — and takes several kilometres to break out into open country. Anyone who would rather not take on almost 28 km in one go can split it in two, with Neda as the natural halfway stop.

The route, village by village

You set out beside Ferrol's harbour, near the tourist office, where it is worth stamping the credential before starting. Anyone arriving from outside Galicia can check trains, coaches and flights to the region in how to get to Galicia. The route crosses the Gándara industrial estate (6.2 km) and carries on to Xubia (12.6 km), with a pleasant stretch of promenade along the estuary. Shortly after comes Neda (14.6-15 km), with its church of Santa María, several bars and a Xunta hostel: it is the usual point for anyone splitting the stage into two shorter days.

From Neda the path continues towards Fene (18.6 km), among the shipyards that define the whole estuary, and reaches the Vilar do Colo estate (22 km), with a bar and a hypermarket. It goes on through O Pereiro and Laraxe (22.9 km, with an inn) and drops down to Cabanas beach (25.9 km) before the last stretch into Pontedeume.

Near Cabanas you have to cross the N-651, a point flagged as dangerous because of the traffic; there is a waymarked variant that avoids it, adding 1.4 km. You will also come across the option of cutting across the As Pías bridge, saving about 11 km: do not take it if you are coming from Ferrol and want the Compostela, because it would leave you below the 100 km minimum required. Gronze, the classic reference for this route, also advises against it because you miss the most interesting part of the stage.

Where to sleep

The Xunta hostel sits by Pontedeume's harbour, with about 15-20 beds. The network's standard rate is 10 €/night; some guides still quote the old 6.10 €, so do not be surprised if you see that figure elsewhere. Among the private ones, Albergue Río Eume charges around 18 € and opens from March to October, and Pensión Luis has single rooms from about 20 €. The Inglés has far fewer beds than the Francés or the Portugués, so it is worth carrying a plan B if a hostel fills: we cover it in what to do if you end up without a bed. Guide prices for 2026.