Camino del Norte Stage 8

We leave the hostel of O Pedrouzo and go towards the petrol station at the entrance to the village, where we return to the Camino. We then cross to the next place, Santo Antón, where the ascent begins to the municipality of Santiago. O Amenal, Cimadevila and San Paio will be the following towns. We ascend to the town of A Lavacolla, in the vicinity of the International Airport of Santiago. Here, the pilgrims had the custom of washing their entire bodies in the stream which passes this place. In fact, the etymology of “Lavacolla” derives from “lava colea”, an uninhibited reference to the hygiene of the genitals. Very near here we reach the Monte do Gozo (380 m.), a small hill where, for the first time, the pilgrims delight in a view of the far off Cathedral. Among the groups of pilgrims, the first pilgrim to reach the summit is proclaimed “king of the pilgrimage”. In 1993 a large pilgrim hostel was built here. [Stage details] Start: Arca (O Pino) · End: Santiago de Compostela 20.2 km · about 5h 05min · difficulty medium