Into unknown territory!

Last year we bought a street map of Greater Vigo. It’s an excellent map except for one thing: the area just behind our block of flats, San Xoan do Monte, is covered by the key that tells you what all the various symbols on the map mean. Clearly, whoever put the map together decided that no-one could possibly want to go up there or if they live there they don’t need a map. 

So that is precisely the area we went exploring on Sunday afternoon. We’ve been up there a few times before. You can’t really get lost. You just know you have to go back downhill towards the sea. So no problem. Unless, of course, the fog comes down! However, Sunday afternoon, although cloudy, didn’t seem about to lose us in the fog. In fact it was positively warm – there’s that tropical weather again! We had gone out with just-in-case umbrellas, in view of the clouds, but really should have taken water bottles. 

Off we went, up Rua de San Xoan do Monte, past the point where I turn off to the left on my morning run, round to the right beyond the funny little roadside shrine that looks as though it’s been there since the Middle Ages and past the Bouza Brey School. At this point we often turn left, which brings us out eventually somewhere near the Carrefour shopping centre. This time we tried a new route to the right and found ourselves going up and up and up, with no turning off for some time. Eventually we seemed to reach the top of the “monte” where there were some fine views. 

We went past a huge “depósito de auga”, some kind of water treatment plant. Oddly, there was a small rowing boat outside the building. I wonder why. Did they expect floods at the top of the hill? Or do they occasionally have to row about to inspect the depósito”? 

There was also quite a substantial forest, almost all eucalyptus trees unfortunately but I suppose you can’t have everything. 

Right at the very top, one of the fine houses was called “La Cumbre” – the summit – which seemed appropriate. 

After taking a look at the view from the other side of San Xoan do Monte, we tried to find a way down that would not involve retracing our steps, something we really prefer not to do. This proved quite difficult and did at one point involve us turning back from a dead end. 

By now we were looking down on the promontory of A Guía: pretty high up! 

The views out over the bay were impressive. 




Looking “inland”, we could have been out in open country, not on the edge of a large city. There were horses tethered on open land. Almost all the grand houses were equipped with large, loud dogs that kicked up a song and dance as we went past. 

Eventually, following the earlier mentioned principal of heading down towards the water, we found our way back onto familiar territory, along Rua da Fonte das Mozas (Maidens’ Fountain Street – how picturesque) and onto Camiño da Pouleira (Henkeeper’s Road), where there was a drinking fountain – much appreciated. By then we could see out twin blocks of flats sticking up. It’s always reassuring to see where you are aiming for. 

Back home to wash our hot feet and have a cup of tea. Enough exploring for one day!