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The ground behind you: what the walk into Lavacolla crosses, and where it could have been broken.
Tomorrow from Lavacolla
Nothing says you have to stop here, or there. These are simply the towns within a comfortable day's walk, so you can decide tonight.
| Town | km from here | Shared | Private | The walk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vilamaior | 1.3 | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | |
| San Marcos | 5.0 | — No | ✓ Yes | |
| Monte del Gozo | 5.3 | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | |
| Barrio San Lázaro | 7.0 | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | |
| Santiago de Compostela | 10.3 | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | The walk from Lavacolla to Santiago de Compostela |
The name Lavacolla has one of the most debated etymologies on the camino, ranging from the prosaic ('field at the bottom of the hill') to the anatomically specific ('wash your scrotum'). What's widely accepted is that medieval pilgrims bathed in this river before entering Santiago.
The last hill awaits. Tradition holds that the first of your group to arrive at Monte del Gozo earns the title of King. The prize for this honor is entirely notional.
The name Lavacolla has one of the most debated origins of all the camino towns. They range from the bland “field at the bottom of the hill” to the more profane “scrub your scrotum.” What is more widely accepted is that pilgrims bathed in this river before entering the Cathedral.
If you walked down the stairs to visit either of the bars at the bottom, turn and walk up the steps towards the Iglesia de Benaval. The camino continues around to the right-hand side and down to cross the road. At the road, cross at the crosswalk and continue along the road and over the famous river (see inset below).The last hill is ahead, and if you are a stickler for doing things according to tradition you should start running now. It is said that the first of your group to arrive in Monte de Gozo is entitled to be called King. Be advised that there is no prize.

Esta entidad ha sido beneficiaria de una ayuda del Programa de incentivos a la movilidad eficiente y sostenible (MOVES III), gestionado por la Xunta de Galicia a través del Instituto Enerxético de Galicia (INEGA) en el marco del Real Decreto 266/2021, y cofinanciada por la Unión Europea — NextGenerationEU, dentro del Plan de Recuperación, Transformación y Resiliencia.