O Camiño dos Faros – 8 stages of immersion and inspiration

People hiking O Camiño Dos Faros

In the surroundings of ISlow there is plenty of leisure options in nature but if you really want to explore Costa da Morte, fill yourself with inspiration and soak up its essence, we recommend you to explore it on foot following O Camiño dos Faros (The Lighthouse Way).

Today we want to talk to you about this special hiking route that runs along the Costa da Morte from Malpica to Finisterre. A total of 8 stages full of magic, sea, beaches and, of course, the lighthouses that will guide you along the route.

Unlike others, this is not a century-old path full of traditions, but rather a recent initiative that arose in 2013 from the motivation of a group of Trasnos friends determined to revive and show the beauty and richness of this region to the rest of the world.

History

In 2013, six Trasnos explorers accompanied by two dogs made their way for the first time and managed to connect Malpica with Fisterra along the coast with no help other than their equipment.

Since then they have continued working to conserve and promote this route as a sustainable destination. They have managed to make out of O Camiño dos Faros a tool of great impact in the development of A Costa da Morte.

Today, thousands of people keep coming year after year maintaining this spectacular path alive.

General data of Camiño dos Faros

  • Coordinates: In total there are 8 stages with departures from Malpica, Niñóns, Ponteceso, Laxe, Arou, Camariñas, Muxía and Nemiña, ending in Finisterre.
  • How to get there: All arrival locations are available on the O Camiño dos Faros official website.
  • Type of route: The 8 route stages are linear, it is recommended either to go in two cars or to take a taxi from the end of a stage to the beginning where you have left the car.
  • Type of trail: In the 8 stages it is fully signposted, and you have all kinds; forest tracks, small sections of road until … most of the time, you will be very close to the sea by cliffs, beaches and fishermen’s trails.
  • Slope: It depends on each stage.
  • Mileage: The average of each stage is around 25 km, the shortest is 17.7 and the longest 32. They are routes that we could call “full day”.
  • Duration: About 8 hours per stage.
  • Recommendations: Always carry enough water with you and check the weather before leaving, in Costa da Morte the weather is quite changeable and a clear day can change to very cloudy or foggy in a few minutes. Bring appropriate shoes and clothing, as you will walk on dirt roads but also on stone.

Camiño dos Faros por etapas

Here are the highlights of each of the 8 stages:

Stage 1: Malpica – Niñóns (21.9 km)

The first stage of the Camiño dos Faros leaves from Puerto de Malpica to reach Niñóns Beach, during this stage you will pass neither more nor less than 6 beaches (Area Maior, Seaia, Beo, Seiruga, Barizo and Niñóns), incredible cliffs and other points of interest, such as the Sisargas Islands or the Nariga coast until reaching Playa de Niñóns, passing through a cliff area.

Camiño dos Faros - Playa Niñons

In total, the route is about 22 km with a cumulative difference of 459 meters. It may not seem too demanding, but we assure you that there is a section of about 5 km at the end of the stage with important climbs and, as will happen in the 8 stages of the Camiño dos Faros, the views are simply spectacular.

Stage 3: Ponteceso – Laxe (25.2 km)

The third stage of the Camiño dos Faros takes us along the coast and the interior of the lands of Cabana to finish in Laxe, where we will cross its beach to finish the stage.

Playa de Laxe

In total just over 25 km with a climbing area around the middle of the stage, and a cumulative difference of 427 m. There are more sections of road than in the first two, which makes it more bearable.

Stage 4: Laxe – Arou (17.7 km)

The fourth stage between Laxe and Arou could be called the easiest of the 8, as well as the shortest, but there is also plenty of charm.

If you only have one day, we recommend you start with this one, since it will give you time to enjoy it as well as knowing the main points of interest of this route. In this stage, you will pass by the Laxe Lighthouse, the Peñón de Soesto, the Praia dos Cristais or the Praia de Traba, in addition to being able to see the Museum of Man after a spectacular stretch.

The unevenness of the stage is 204 meters in slightly less than 18 km, which makes it the most affordable.

Stage 5: Arou – Camariñas (22.7 km)

The fifth stage connects Arou with Camariñas along the coast, in a stage that, although on paper it is by no means the hardest, it is almost as demanding as it is spectacular.

The small Porto de Santa Mariña gives us access to Praia de Trece and the Cemetery of the English. From there, through a very comfortable section, we arrive at the Vilán Lighthouse, a key point on this path. The end of the stage runs through the entire Arco do Vilán to Camariñas.

In total, they are slightly less than 23 kilometres with an average drop of 296 m.

Stage 6: Camariñas – Muxía (32.0 km)

The sixth stage between Camariñas and Muxía is the longest of the eight that the entire route consists of, but also the flattest.

Among the most outstanding points of interest we could not forget the Santuario da Virxe da Barca and the Muxía Lighthouse at the end of the stage, or the beaches of Area Grande, Leis or Lago towards the middle of the route.

puesta de sol en el santuario de la virxe da barca en muxía, españa - muxia fotografías e imágenes de stock

In total there are 32 kilometres with an accumulated difference of 470 meters as we said, quite flat, don’t be scared by the mileage!

Stage 7: Muxía – Nemiña (24.3 km)

The one before the last stage of the Camiño dos Faros connects Muxía with Nemiña along the coast and, in contrast to the previous one, is much more rugged and almost inaccessible.

seagulls (playa nemiña-muxía-la coruña) - nemiña fotografías e imágenes de stock

This seventh stage consists of about 24.5 km with a cumulative difference of 912 meters, so take it easy and, above all, with time.

Stage 8: Nemiña – Cabo Finisterre (26.2 km)

The last stage of the Camiño dos Faros connects Nemiña with Cape Finisterre on a tough but incredible route, passing by a multitude of cliffs, beaches and points of interest such as Castro de Castromiñán (be careful, don’t look too much for it, it is currently unexplored), the Monte do Facho or the Ría de Lires, in addition to, of course, the Faro Fisterra.

faro de fisterra - fisterra fotografías e imágenes de stock

The stage is about 26 km in total with a cumulative difference of about 815 meters, especially concentrated in the second half of the stage, so cheer up on the final sprint!

Conclusions of the Camiño dos Faros

The 8 stages of this great route together with the history of this small group of Trasnos have meant that in a few years O Camiño dos Faros has achieved such an impact that both the press and national and international television have noticed them.

ERA (European Ramblers Association) has shown interest in including it in its directory of the best trails in Europe (LQT Leading Quality Trail). So currently the Trasnos are fighting for its homologation both nationally and internationally.

From the ISlow team, we celebrate the success of this initiative, it fills us with pride and makes this a very special journey.

An experience of immersion in nature and in the local community, to be done calmly. In which, enjoyment and inspiration (personal as well as professional) are assured.

We are warning you! O Camiño dos Faros is addictive! If after this, we have encouraged you enough to do any of the stages of this route, please, contact us. We will be delighted to accompany you.

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