Day 36 The walk to Melide

We had a nice meal of bread, cheese and wine last night. This morning we set off at around 6.20 to Palas de Rei. We stopped for coffee and a croissant for breakfast and saw our first big school group. We bought bread, cheese, ham, salami and a tomato and made big sandwiches for lunch. Then we set off on the long 14km journey to Melide. The route was a pleasant one but I was tired and am finding the last 100km hard. We did some singing for a while though which kept me going.

We walked around 26km and 53 remain for the next two  days.

Day 35 The push to Ventas de Narón

Yesterday evening was peaceful and refreshing beside the millpond, just chatting to other pilgrims and drinking beer. We chatted to an interesting Japanese man about our reasons for walking the camino and with a Swiss German man who had helped us find our albergue the day before.

At around 5 people began to get up and get out. We ate a yoghurt each and then set off in the dark to Portamarín. We walked through the Galician villages and rolling hills and dropped down into Portomarín where we saw the wide river, boats and gleaming white buildings.
We climbed down a treachorous path with huge steps to the road into town, crossed the bridge and climbed the steps to the old gateway. We visited the strange romanesque church like a fortress and ate a dish of Galician octopus - 'pulpo' in the square. I saw my first tour bus arrive and a smart Itlaian couple drank wine beside us. In fact we are out of phase with the main group of walkers who are going from Sarria to Portomarin so we still walked in relative peace.

After lunch we still had 13 km to go and after the first hour or so through pleasant woods it became a bit of a slog. We saw an Indian tour group on the path who took photos of us trudging up the hill and smiled and greeted us nicely. We also passed massive earthworks and a site of settlement from 4th century BC to 1AD.

Just as I thought we would never arrive and was looking for a ditch to throw myself into, Ventosa appeared and we got bottom bunks in an aubergue with a bar and are now enjoying beer, Spanish soap opera and a rest as our clothes wash. Viva the pilgrim life!

PS We now have less than 100km to go!

Day 32 Top of the World!

Today I conquered O Cebreiro! We started at 5.50 and I arrived at the big municipal aubergue at O Cebreiro at about 3pm. We started at around 500 metres above sea level and climbed to 1300m. We walked over 28km!  I am now in Galicia and can practically see Santiago from the mountain top.

It was a great walk with some steep parts and fantastic views. I'm tired but am in better shape than yesterday as it hasn't been so hot.

We shared breakfast with two cafe cats.

Day 34 A lovely walk through Galicia

Today we walked 28km through the Galician countryside - drystone walls and bridges, rolling hills, lush grass and wonderful ancient trees, shady avenues and lovely old villages and churches.

It was cool and overcast in the morning when we set off after our breakfast in the aubergue at 6am. We walked with the headlamps through damp woody lanes and climbed 300m over a hill. It rained lightly at the top and we put the pack covers on.
But it soon cleared up.

We had an excellent coffee after the first 10km and greeted all the other pilgrims we know who joined us.

At lunchtime we arrived in Sarria which is a small town that is pilgrim crazy and we had lunch and got our first stamp in the church as now we need two a day.

Although  the stage finished in Sarria after 18km, we pushed on and did another 10k and have been rewarded  with a lovely quiet aubergue in the middle of nowhere that is a converted mill. It is very calm and peaceful, and the hospitalera is nice. We were the first people but now there are about 6 of us.

Day 33 Just 21km to Triacastela

Last night Irena and I had a pilgrim's menu with wine to celebrate our climb. There were lots of other hungry pilgrims and a nice atmosphere. Then we went to look round the village, visit the church and sit looking out over the mountains.

We slept in the huge dorm with around 70 beds and were woken by some twit's alarm  that went off every 5min from 5am. We just got up in the end and left in the dark and trekked through the woodland path with our torches.

It was a great day for walking - sunny but not too hot and the green Galician countryside and dark stone houses and rural villages were very attractive. We also had fantastic views.

The camino population is evolving with more big groups of kids joining the stream.

We arrived in Triacastela suddenly at around 12, and we ate lunch in a noisy cafe while we decided  where to stay. Our aubergue is a stone house with uneven wooden floors and a much appreciated quiet charm. It is called Aitzenia.

Day 31 A good walk to Villafranca del Bierzo

Last night we went to pilgrim mass in the chapel next to the albergue as it was St James' day. It was nice with a small choir and a guitarist. Then we were all invited for sangria and a piece of pie in celebration outside in the garden. There was a really lovely atmosphere with  singing, kids playing, talking and laughter.

We got up early the next day and ate breakfast of guacamole and bread with a much appreciated vending machine cafe con leche.

We walked past the remains of the Knights Templar castle and out through the leafy suburbs of Ponferrada.

We walked through a mixture of  vineyards and small attractive towns like Cacabellos. We did over 25km as we took the older route over the hills rather than following the road.

We are now in the glorious aubergue Leo with clean sheets and hand towels and soap and kind  hosts.  Just 10 eur.So far it is wonderfully quiet. We left the first place we went to after taking a dislike to the woman who ran  it.

Tomorrow the last mountain is to be climbed. Then we'll be in Galicia.

Day 30 ... and down to Ponferrada

Last night we helped the hospitalero prepare a meal for the 26 of us (7 had to sleep out in a room in front of the chapel on mats). We all squeezed round the table, everyone turned up and there was a good mood and much joking between the young Italians and the young Spaniards. It got rather raucus towards the end and then no one wanted to sleep so the hospotalero patroled with a torch round the rooms like a teacher on a school trip.

We set off at dawn after a simple breakfast and a decent cafe con leche. We climbed up to Cruz de Fierro and left our rock burdens/sins/worries there. Then we had a beautiful hike through the mountains to El Acebo for Spanish pasties and Aquarius, then we met the young Spanish from yesterday who taught us 'one banana' as a round and we sang that together. Then after a long descent on a difficult rocky path, we stopped in Molinaseca by the beautiful river where pilgrims and locals were swimming and we had patatas bravas and calamare and lots of iced drinks.

The last section was a long hot slog to Ponferrada. We are now in the huge San Nicholas de Flue aubergue. We've showered, our clothes are being washed, a Hungarian has given us a big bag of food as she is leaving for home later today. We know nearly everyone. All is well.

Day 29 The Climb to Foncebadón

Last night the hospitalero washed, hung out, brought in and carefully folded our clothes for us which was very welcome and quite unexpected. True hospitality!

We saw a Spanish boules match in the village. I ate pig's ear stew finally.

This morning we set off in the dark at 5.50 and I even wore the head torch. We are now already  at Foncebadon and waiting for the Parish aubergue to open at 13.00. We had an excellent brunch of eggs and bacon and then climbed up the mountain for 5km. A group of forresters were also climbing up but looked hot and uncomfortable in their hard hats and high vis jackets.

Today was an easy day - just 21km! Tomorrow we go over and down the mountain. 

Tonight we will stay in the aubergue with a young Italian priest whom we met in Leon and his group of 8 jolly teenagers. 

Day 28 It's a long way to Murias de Rechivaldo

Last night we had a nice communal meal in the aubergue with an urbane Pole, a Barcelonan cyclist, an Italian couple who didn't speak much English but graced the table with their goodwill and two American teachers from New York and New Jersey who were nice and had been next to us in the Leon aubergue.

The Spanish boys slept like babies and there was not a peep from them. We all had a decent  breakfast together and then Irina and I set off at 6.45. It was only about 10°C when we set off.

We walked an unbelievable 29km today according to Irina. However, it seemed a bit easier than all the tarmac and road following yesterday as the path went through beautiful countryside and the attractive towns of Hospital de Orbigo and Astorga. We hit one village with the last remains of yesterday's fiesta and a crowd of weary drunken Spanish yoof. The next village over the hill played stirring music as the citizens went to mass. We stopped at David's Oasis and had watermelon and a rest. In Astorga we saw the cathedral and Gaudi palace and a Spanish  visitor called out to us, 'Are you Santiago peregrinas?' and when we said yes she took photos of us. We stopped for calamari and lemonade before treking the last long dusty 5km to Murias. We are at the municipal aubergue which has just 12 places. It is very basic (and cheap) but at least we don't have bunk beds and we are so tired it is enough just to have a bed and a shower and maybe a glass of vino tinto later.

Tomorrow we will do just 20km but the last 5 will be the beginning of the climb over the Mountain of the Iron Cross (Cruz de Ferro). I picked up a stone today to leave there and Irina has one from home.

I have now walked over 500km and am on the last third of the journey!

Day 27 San Martin del Camino

We had a free breakfast at the aubergue at 6 with a decent cup of cafe con leche and then we walked through the dark streets of Leon past the palace with its prergrino statue to the outskirts of the city and beyond through a series of small towns that almost ran into each other. We made good time and by the time we stopped just before 10 we had half the journey done.

We ate the Leon filled doughnuts that I had bought at the patisserie yesterday. Then we pushed on and it became a bit of a long slog along beside the road. At Villadangos del Paramo we passed the 300km mark! We then finally got to San Martin where we went to Aubergue Viera and discovered we are sharing a room with a group of 6 young men from Madrid who are walking as a group to Santiago.

Day 26 pt 2 León

After a shower and clothes washing at the aubergue, Irina and I went to a restaurant for the menu of the day. We chose a very popular restaurant called La Macy and took the last table outside. As we ate we watched several Spanish people being turned away.

Then we walked around the old town centre and visited the cathedral which was a wonderful building. Later we went to pilgrim mass with the nuns who run the aubergue. Later Irina and I had a glass of vino tinto and tapas on the square. Then it was lights out and sleep - a surprisingly good one in such a crowded dorm with Friday night street noise outside.