Pilgrims have been crossing this green upland of Galicia on their way to Santiago de Compostela for more than a thousand years, and the scallop-shell waymarkers still guide them through the villages around Vilalba and Guitiriz. This is the Terra Chá, the flat land, a high plateau in the north of the province of Lugo where the northern pilgrim routes come down from the Cantabrian coast toward the interior. The Ways of Saint James in northern Spain are part of a UNESCO listing that recognises not only the famous French Way but also the coastal and inland routes that run through this region.
The landscape is gentle and rural: fields divided by stone walls, small oak and chestnut woods, scattered farms with their raised granaries, the hórreos, and streams winding through wet meadows. The Miño river rises not far from here, at the beginning of its long journey south toward Portugal. Rain and mist are frequent visitors, and the green is the kind that only comes with plenty of water.
The riding is relaxed rather than dramatic. Roads on the plateau are mostly smooth, with gentle curves and light traffic, crossing open farmland and passing through quiet villages. Toward the north and east the land rises into hills with tighter, more interesting roads, and the coast of A Mariña is within reach for a day ride. Beware of wet leaves, cattle being moved between fields and pilgrims walking along the roadside, especially in summer when the routes are busiest.
Vilalba is the main town nearby, with fuel, shops, cafés and restaurants. Its castle tower, once the stronghold of the Andrade family, now houses a parador. The town is also known for San Simón da Costa, a smoked pear-shaped cheese produced in the surrounding area, and for its rich local cooking. Guitiriz, the other neighbour, has a long tradition as a spa town with mineral waters.
Galician food is a reason in itself to come: octopus with paprika and olive oil, hearty caldo gallego soup, local beef and crusty bread from wood-fired ovens. May, June and September tend to give the kindest weather and the thinnest stream of pilgrims. Even in rain, a ride across the Terra Chá has a peaceful, timeless quality, the road threading through a land where people have walked toward the same city for centuries.