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Itinerary
| Thu, Sept 27 | Playa de Silencio, Playa de Catedrales, Hotel Refugio o Castro |
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| Playa de Silencio from the trail above. |
Today we left Los Picos, heading for Santiago de Compostela. But to break up the drive, we planned some stops along the beautiful north coast, including an oceanfront overnight stay.
In retrospect, this was too much starting and stopping, along with a one-night stay which should be avoided on a big trip like this. We should have driven straight through. Or, stayed longer and made day trips. The coast there is absolutely stunning. Here is what we ended up doing.
We skipped Ermita de La Guia, which I had marked on the map. So our first stop was Playa de Silencio, or, Silence Beach. It was somewhat tricky to get to.
We missed it on the first try because the street we were driving turned into a dirt road. There was a parking lot just there, so we parked, unsure what to do. Then we saw a couple cars speed by onto the dirt road and decided to follow.
The road sign we initially interpreted as "Do not Enter" actually meant no parking. And we soon saw why - the dirt road quickly returned to pavement in a one-lane loop past some spectacular scenery.
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| Playa de Silencio in panoramic view. |
There were many cars parked on the narrow shoulder, with no space available as we made a lap. We continued out and stopped at a La Más Salada (The Saltiest) for lunch.
Despite its location by what must be a popular attraction, the spot had the feel of a local bar as much as a tourist spot. The food was pretty good, as I recall.
Equipped with knowledge and full bellies, we gave the beach another try. We were able to park this time and set out for the beach.
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| I really want to hear Nick Zentner explain these colorful, nearly-vertical rock layers. |
There is a bit of a trail that turns to stairs, and then there you are, on the pebbly beach. It is well named - the cove excludes sound from above and captures its own quietness. There were a few people wandering, along with one who seemed to stake out some rocky seating for a reading spot.
At home we had been watching Nick on the Rocks, documentary snippets by geology professor Nick Zentner. The rock layers here were so interesting I wanted to send him a picture! Colors and layers turned at angles and even running vertically. I may have to investigate the geologic history of this place.
We walked up the shore a ways, and back. Then we climbed back to the car and got on our way.
There are lots of beaches and rocks and coves along the coast. But our next stop was the Playa de Catedrales (Cathedrals Beach) in Galicia. This terrific beach juxtaposes smooth sand with sea stacks, columns, and arches.
Unfortunately, I should have researched this more, because access to it is restricted to timed ticket entry. There are certainly pros and cons to that, but in todays climate of swarming influencers, I think it is probably a good thing.
It was starting to rain. While we might have been able to get entry that day, we did not feel like waiting in the rain for the tour slot. Walked around the public areas and imagined what it would be like to walk through the arches.
Travel Tip: If you want to visit Playa de las Catedrales, check online about booking advance tickets. And be prepared for whatever weather you might get.
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| Playa de Catedrales from the top of the entry stairs. |
Our overnight was booked at the Refugio O Castro, Barreiros. It sits on a bluff right over the beach. I don't know if all the rooms have an ocean view, but ours basically had a wall of glass and a little balcony and you could see forever.
Except for the rain. Of course the one night we book with the great oceanfront view is cloudy and rainy.
Outside the window was an expanse. Otherwise the room and bathroom were tiny. Like, could barely squeeze by the bed to get into the bathroom tiny. And forget two people brushing their teeth at the same time.
The room was clean, with new paint. It had AC but unfortunately, we didn't see a way to turn it off so that we could hear the ocean overnight. Perhaps they leave it on because they are constantly battling coastal humidity.
The one place I had my eye on for dinner looked like it needed a reservation, and I hadn't made one since I wasn't sure when we would get there or how tired we might be. I sent an email and received a response that they were actually closed for the week, I guess more people celebrating the end of the busy season.
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| Along our morning walk, trees in this shape reveal the effects of the wind. Though the new growth suggests intentional pruning, perhaps. |
Travel Tip: Traveling on shoulder seasons is great for avoiding high prices, big crowds, summer heat, and maybe even some tourist hate. But especially in more sparsely populated areas, you might have to do more research and planning for meal, activities, and accommodations.
Instead, we drove up the road a ways to a grocery and got some bread, meat, and wine. We did not yet open our Cabrales cheese (though I don't recall why not). We always enjoy going into grocery stores when we travel, to see what is there and what the prices are like. We ate in the room enjoying the view, despite the rain.
Travel Tip: Travel with a small, collapsible cooler. You can carry local foods or leftovers to enjoy them longer and, frankly, save money. You can chill a bottle of water in hotel refrigerators and use that as a cold source (in the US, the TSA will only allow frozen freezer packs but once they melt into a liquid, you might have to discard them).
In the morning we took the continental breakfast that was included with our booking. It was adequate. We were already past the main travel season and so they were not opening the bar and restaurant, even though there seemed a pretty fair number of people staying in there. The hotel is not enormous and there isn't (yet) much nearby so there is not a large customer base to draw from.
I say "yet" because based on our morning walk along the beach trail, this appears to be an up-and-coming vacation mecca.
Along the ridge above the beach is a 21-kilometer stone-paved trail. It gives access to the beach in various spots. We walked a long ways, with no rain, but it was fairly windy.
The trail parallels the main road, and across the road the houses are generally set back and are somewhat sparse. But the layout and infrastructure investment seems poised for development. It would be a nice spot to spend some time with family or friends, a jigsaw puzzle, and a good book.
After our walk and a cleanup from the salt air, we continued our journey to Santiago de Compostela.
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| Sea stacks are all along the coast, not just in Catedrales. |
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