Stage Vilalba – Baamonde: Camino del Norte guide

A short, flat stage across A Terra Chá, ideal for finding your rhythm. You pass hamlets with wayside crosses and granaries, cross a medieval bridge and reach Baamonde, the Camino’s old post house.

Torre dos Andrade, Vilalba, Camino del Norte in Galicia
Photo: Luis Miguel Bugallo Sánchez (Lmbuga), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Distance

18.5 km

Difficulty

Low (easy)

Estimated time

About 4.5 h

Altitude

Approximate total climb: +209 m / −273 m

Key tip for the stage: It is one of the easiest stages of the Norte, but there are several motorway and national road crossings: follow the waymarks closely and carry water and some food.
Water and services: Bar in San Xoán de Alba and Casa Alejandro beside the N-634; another bar near A Ponte de Saa. Few services in between.

Route map

See the walking route step by step on Google Maps.

Open the route in Google Maps

Interactive map, elevation and weather for this stage

The stage on the map, its elevation profile and useful tools for the day. The track is approximate: always follow the yellow arrows.

The map loads only when you press the button, using OpenStreetMap data, so nothing is sent to third parties unless you ask.
18.4 kmTrack distance
408 mLowest point
516 mHighest point

Elevation profile

350 m400 m450 m500 m550 m0 km4 km8 km12 km16 km

Swipe to see the full profile →

Tools for the day

  • Weather in Begonte
  • Estimate your arrival time
  • Sunrise and sunset today

    Emergencies: 112 (SOS Galicia). Save the number before you set off.

Track based on open data from OpenStreetMap (© contributors, ODbL) and elevations from an open digital terrain model; values may differ by a few metres. Weather and warnings: MeteoGalicia (Xunta de Galicia). Always follow the yellow arrows and check the official forecast before setting off.

Watercolour illustration of a pilgrim filling a water bottle at a mossy stone fountain
Illustration

Services on this stage

Shops, pharmacies, ATMs and health centres along the route, listed by kilometre. They also appear as coloured dots on the interactive map above. Slide your finger along the elevation profile to see that point on the map.

The stage section by section

1
0 – 2,3 km

Leaving Vilalba and Ponte Rodríguez

You leave from Plaza de Santa María, go down through the old town streets and cross the River Madalena. In Ponte Rodríguez there is a wayside cross and a granary.

2
2,3 – 5,7 km

Country paths

Tracks and hamlets with several crossings of the A-8 and the N-634.

3
5,7 – 7,8 km

San Xoán de Alba – Pedrouzos

San Xoán de Alba has a bar-restaurant; Pedrouzos comes shortly after.

4
7,8 – 13 km

Goiriz, Carballido and A Ponte de Saa

You pass the chapel of San Adrián and the medieval bridge of A Ponte de Saa over the River Labrada.

5
13 – 18,5 km

Hamlets up to Baamonde

Cardosa, Contariz, Fontefría, Silavosa and A Rega. The last 400 m follow the N-634 to the roundabout at Baamonde.

What to see

In Baamonde you can visit the Casa Museo Víctor Corral, the Torre de Camarasa and a thousand-year-old chestnut tree.

Food and drink

Try chorizo, androlla sausage, San Simón da Costa cheese (PDO), lacón con grelos, Galician broth and empanadas.

Centuries-old chestnut tree in the churchyard of Baamonde
Photo: José Antonio Gil Martínez from Vigo, Spain, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Bridge in Vilalba on the Camino del Norte
Photo: José Antonio Gil Martínez from Vigo, Spain, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Practical tips

  • After rain there can be mud on the forest stretches.
  • Take care at the motorway and national road crossings.
  • There are few services along the way: carry water and supplies.
  • In Baamonde, visit the Casa Museo Víctor Corral and the thousand-year-old chestnut.

Frequently asked questions

How many km is Vilalba – Baamonde?

About 18.5 km.

Is it a difficult stage?

No: it is rated low or easy.

How long does it take?

About 4.5 hours.

Is there anywhere to eat on the way?

Yes, though not much: in San Xoán de Alba, beside the N-634 and near A Ponte de Saa.

Where to sleep in Baamonde?

There is a public hostel and private accommodation, as well as guesthouses.

After the stage: rest in Arzúa

When you reach Arzúa, we would love to welcome you at Casa Buen Camino: an entire house for up to 8 people, 400 m from the centre. You get in with a code, we confirm your booking within 60 minutes and, if you book directly with us, it is 10 % cheaper.