STAGE 5: CALDAS DE REIS - PADRÓN
The stage between Caldas de Reis and Padrón runs entirely through the countryside, crossing the provincial border between Pontevedra and A Coruña. The route is mostly easy, with moderate gradients; the only notable feature is the gentle, steady climb to the Santa Mariña de Carracedo pass. On leaving Caldas de Reis, the route combines sections of secondary tarmac roads with forest tracks and footpaths that wind through dense oak and eucalyptus forests, interspersed with areas of pastureland and vineyards in the Bermaña river valley. Halfway along the route, you pass through the municipality of Valga, which leads to the descent towards Pontecesures, a town where you cross the River Ulla via its Roman bridge, marking the entry into the province of A Coruña. The stage ends in the town of Padrón, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Sar and Ulla. This town is of considerable historical and literary significance, linked to the figures of Rosalía de Castro and Camilo José Cela, as well as being a key point in the pilgrimage tradition of La Pedrón – the limestone of Roman origin located beneath the altar of the Church of Santiago where, according to tradition, the boat carrying the remains of St James the Apostle was moored.