Ponte Ulla
Via de la Plata
Camino Sanabrés
Camino de Invierno
Ponte Ulla marks the crossing of the Río Ulla and the boundary between the provinces of Pontevedra and A Coruña. It's also where the Camino de Invierno walkers, who joined at A Laxe, continue alongside you on the final approach to Santiago.
The town has practical value: a Día grocery store on the way out (stock up if you're heading to the albergue in Outeiro), and an excellent panadería right on the camino in the blocks after you cross the bridge. The Romanesque church in town is dedicated to Mary Magdalene and is worth a quick look.
The bridge itself is the town's reason for being. The old stone bridge over the Ulla has been a crossing point for centuries, and you can feel the weight of all that foot traffic as you walk across. The distinctive railway viaduct of Gundián, dating from the 1930s, is visible from town -- about 170 meters long, it was built as part of a rail line from Pico Sacro.
The stretch of N-525 leaving Ponte Ulla can be dangerous. Keep an eye open for the two points where the camino leaves the road.
The parish celebrates its patron saint festivities in the summer. Check locally for dates.
The camino follows briefly a section of the N-525 as it leaves Ponte Ulla. This section can be a bit dangerous, so keep an eye open for the two times it leaves the road. The first is to your left, so you'll need to cross. The second is to your right, which means crossing back. About 500 meters separate the two crossings. If these crossings sound unnecessarily dangerous, you're not alone.
After the second crossing, the camino returns to safer side roads as it climbs to Outeiro.
Accommodation in Ponte Ulla.
| Albergue-Pensión O Cruceiro da Ulla 16€ 18 |
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