Today was our first day to walk with cloudy, overcast skies along with high winds in some locations. However, the weather brought cooler temperatures which was nice.
We were on our way at 8:45 AM. Unlike the other days, our travel company booked us at a nice studio apartment where we enjoyed a nice private breakfast before beginning our journey.
Soon after leaving Painswick we passed the half-way marker to Bath.
After crossing an open field, we were soon in a beautiful forest.
We only had to climb one big hill today, whereas over the past 5 days, the path involved a great deal of walking up & down hills.
Climbing hills affords a great view. You can also see the cloudy weather we experienced all day. These exposed ridges had very strong winds which made it quite chilly.
We walked through very pleasant forests with wide pathways for several miles.
Interesting stiles today.
Both these styles have a special section for the herding dogs to pass through since the small, offset rock steps are hard for them to maneuver. This is a Squeeze Style which is self explanatory
Crossing a farmer’s field always feels a little strange to be walking on their property; but, it is common practice on various walks in England.
I often think my dad would have enjoyed having hikers cross our family farmland.
Trail directions said turn at the hollow tree, so we did. Unfortunately, we didn’t see any Keebler Elves making cookies in it.
The last mile took us along a canal. Some people travel in a houseboat along canals in England.
We made it to our lovely hotel just as it started to rain.
History of the Stonehouse Court Hotel, very old place.
Wow, 5 days in a row with marvelous weather…no complaints here!
We left around 8:30 AM with nice blue skies. Even though rain was forecasted, nary a drop fell during our walk. However, a nice summer shower occurred late in the afternoon after we were already nice & dry inside our accommodations.
Most of the day we were high in the Cotswold hills walking through shady green forests.
One interesting part of the walk took us past the very steep Cooper’s Hill which is world renown for cheese rolling!!!
Every year at the end of May, the locals enjoy rolling a cheese wheel weighing several kilos down Cooper’s Hill which is 200 meters long with an almost vertical slope. The cheese wheel rolls down the hill at almost 70mph which basically makes it uncatchable; so the winner is the first person to cross the finish line down at the base. First prize is the cheese wheel. Too bad we missed this unique event by a couple weeks
Looking up Cooper’s Hill from its base Looking down Cooper’s Hill from the top
Like on all other days, many locals were using the paths & the woods to walk their dogs, run, mountain bike, or simply take a nice walk. Those of us hikers passing through the area on the way to Bath are small in numbers compared to the locals. I’m a bit jealous that they have such lovely nature paths so close to their homes.
When we reached Painswick, we explored the nearby Rococo Garden which was started in the 1700s. After the rococo style fell out of favor, the garden fell into disuse & ruin for a couple hundred years before being restored.
From this 1748 painting, historians were able to begin garden restorations to the original layout starting in the 1970s. Current garden view
For a few hours, we enjoyed walking in this special garden which is the only rococo garden in England.
Painswick is yet another extremely charming, old Cotswold village. Every street here has its own charm & history.
Sometimes the trail doesn’t bring us close to the town where we stay mainly due to the fact that there are limited places to stay right on the trail.
Seven Springs is located a few miles from Cheltenham where our hotel was located. So, we used a taxi service to pick us up & then drop us off the next day to continue the trail from where we left it.
From what we saw, Cheltenham is a lovely college town. It was a bit of a shame because I was too tired to walk around & explore.
After breakfast & our taxi drop off, we were on the trail around 9:15 AM.
After a short climb, we summited Leckhampton Hill which has an old Iron Age fort on it.
On the top, we enjoyed beautiful views for a while.
One shop along the way on Crickley Hill made a smart decision to sell ice cream for dogs as well as for humans.
That is a great business idea since many people from nearby Cheltenham were out enjoying the beautiful Saturday weather with their four legged friends.
We totally lucked out by doing this hike in mid-May because both the wildflowers & domesticated flowers have been stunning.
Wild GarlicEnglish BluebellWisteria Funny sign at Crickley Hill Farm
We asked this gentleman to take our picture on Leckhampton Hill, then met up with him again later on down the trail. We walked together for the next few hours chatting about England & America. He is a retired truck driver spending his time walking all the UK trails. He gave us some very good tips on future walks to enjoy in the future.
Made it to our cute English inn & had a snack after our hike.
Royal George Hotel in BirdlipCutest crisp (chips) bag in the world
Absolutely perfect weather today. Sunny & warm; but, not too hot.
The trail was a muddy in a few spots; but other than that it was a lovely day to walk across green pastures & through lush forests.
The hardest part on this the day was climbing 3 big hills.
The first hill was up to an ancient burial site named Belas Knap.
It was built in 2500 BC as a burial site where 38 ea. sets of human remains were found.
You can see how thin rocks were neatly stacked to create it.
A few other sites along the way.
Break timeThe trail directions said “Walk past swing”Sheep farmHorse stables Best horse trough ever with fresh water flowing straight from the ground
The second big climb was up Cleeve Hill which at 1,066 feet high, it is the highest point on the entire Cotswold Way trail.
Highest Point Marker on Cleeve Hill
There is also a golf course that runs along its summit through which the Cotswold Way trail runs. The wide open space provided us with a huge vista to enjoy.
There are also free roaming sheep on the golf course.
Rules to follow on the trail:
The third & last hill took us through a beautiful forest called the Lineover Wood which has large lime & beech trees. Lineover means “lime bank”.
We ended the day at Seven Springs which is the headwaters for the famed River Thames.
Seven small rivulets emerge from the ground here which create the source for the River Thames.
In the stonework basin is a plaque that reads in Latin: “Hic tuus o Tamesine Pater septemceminus fons” which translates to “Here, O Father Thames, is your sevenfold spring”.
After a hearty breakfast, we hit the trail by 9:30 AM enjoying gorgeous Spring weather.
Market cross in Stanton
Today’s walk was similar to the first as we walked crossed many green pastures & said hello to some sheep & lambs.
Yes, they speak English in England; but, that doesn’t mean I always understand what they mean.
No tipping… Tip who?
A fairly common sight in England are the ruins from the many abbey’s that were destroyed by Henry VIII.
Hailes Abbey ruins
Just after 1:00 PM we made it to Winchcombe. This town is over 1,000 years old with many old buildings. Our hotel dates from 1554.
This town could easily be used on a historical movie set.
After a quick lunch we visited the nearby Sudeley Castle. British royalty ranging from Richard III, Charles I, Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn, Lady Jane Grey, & Elizabeth I as well as many other well known names in British history are included in its story. Henry VIII’s last wife Katherine Parr who survived him is interred here making her the only English queen buried in a private castle. Sudeley Castle is also where Henry VIII & Anne Boleyn along with Henry’s Chief Minister Thomas Cromwell decided Britain would break with the Catholic Church so Henry could divorce Catherine of Aragon to marry Anne Boleyn.
Henry VIII & his 6 wives- (L-R) Catherine of Aragon (Divorced), Anne Boleyn (Beheaded), Jane Seymour (Died), Anne of Cleves (Divorced), Catherine Howard (Beheaded), Katherine Parr (Widow)
Henry VIII’s last wife Katherine Parr is buried in St. Mary’s Chapel on the castle grounds.
Great story on how Katherine Parr’s burial place was found
We were blessed with perfect weather on our first day hiking in the very charming Cotswolds.
We left Chipping Campden around 9:15AM passing through this lovely village that serves as the North-South Cotswold Way Gateway. The route ends 100 miles further south from here in historic Bath.
Chipping Campden
The walk began with a gentle ascent up Dover’s Hill. The climb’s reward is sharing a view overlooking the beautiful English countryside with sheep flocks at the top.
For the next few hours, we enjoyed meandering over green fields past too many sheep to count.
The trail is well marked & hikers simply have to look for the Cotswold Way signs which includes wooden posts with an acorn symbol or small round circle pointing the way.
One nice landmark on the trail is the Broadway Tower which is named after the town closest to it. The tower sits on the second highest point in the Cotswolds & as such, it can be seen from miles around. Its location affords a nice view from the hilltop.
This tower made me think about the Rapunzel fairytale. I could very easily envision Rapunzel on the balcony letting down her golden hair
Around noon we walked into the quaint village Broadway.
From Broadway, we only had 4.5 more miles to reach our final destination for today.
In England, you can walk through many farms & fields. This trail is a public walkway due to right-of-ways that have existed for centuries.
Since livestock needs to be controlled & managed, each time you cross into a new field, you have special gates to unlatch or fences to negotiate.
Along the way, we saw these very unique looking cows called Galloways or “Oreo Cows”.
Around 3:00PM, we reached our final destination of Stanton which is yet another cute English village.
I’ve always wanted to visit Seville. My oldest known maternal grandfather to leave Europe was named Antonio Gil Caesar Flores. He was born in Seville in 1719 & went to the New World with his parents in 1725. He moved to the Tejas region in New Spain which is now part of western Louisiana in the United States.
When I walked around the old city, it was very moving knowing some of these beautiful buildings were also there when he & his parents left to make a new future.
The Seville Cathedral was completed in 1519. It’s the largest Gothic church in the world.
Christopher Columbus now rests here.
The cathedral’s altar & organ.
The Giralda or Bell Tower was once a minaret for the Great Mosque when Seville was under Muslim rule during the Almohad Dynasty. Once the Christians defeated the Muslims, both the mosque & minaret were transformed into a church & bell tower containing 24 bells.
It is actually taller than Big Ben in London.
At night & during the day when I heard the bells ring, I wondered if my ancestors heard the same pealing of the bells before they left for the New World.
Another impressive old structure is the Alcazar Palace. Here is a brief history along with some images from it. Spain’s Royal family still lives in part of it when they are in Seville. It’s very beautiful & with its elegant & colorful geometric designs, it reminded me of historical homes in Isfahan, Iran.
We just so happened to be in Seville when the Latin Grammy’s were held. The night before the awards show, we saw fans lined up outside the swankiest hotel waiting for their favorite singer to appear.
The Christmas market outside the cathedral was selling items I had never seen before. All the shops were full of items not only to make a miniature nativity scene; but also, to construct the entire Bethlehem village. Much like an elaborate train set, no detail is missing. I wonder how much room these nativity scenes take up in Spanish homes at Christmas time.
Another Seville highlight was visiting the Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza where bullfights are still held in the spring & summer. Started in 1760, it is Spain’s oldest bullring & took 120 years to finish. This is also where modern bullfighting that we know today originated.
We also enjoyed a few of Seville’s special food treats. One was at the Convento de San Leandro where the nuns who are completely cloistered make a very unique cookie. Fortunately, a nice Spanish couple helped us obtain the cookies which are more akin to candy than a cookie.
First, I placed money on a lazy susan contraption, rang a bell to let the nuns know we were ordering, told the nun what we wanted, then spun around the lazy susan with our payment. A few moments later the lazy susan spun again & our cookies appeared. Never once did we see a nun’s face or even a hand.
Flamenco dancing is very popular in Seville. We didn’t make it to the Flamenco Museum or see a show; but, we saw stores selling the clothes. Fans are sold everywhere.
I’m very puzzled why Spain as well as all of Europe now has Black Friday sales? I thought that was strictly Kim an American thing. 🧐
Interesting buildings both old & new can be seen throughout the city. And, of course, Seville has some street performers.
Before leaving the city, we walked along the Guadalquivir River.
After the New World was discovered, Seville’s port became Spain’s economic center. Seville thrived in the 16th & 17th Centuries until Cadiz became Spain’s main port.
Even though Seville was past it’s hey day when my grandfather lived there, I’m sure it was still a vibrant city. Moving to the New World would have been a really big change for a young boy.
Seville is a wonderful old historical city. Even though Seville is known as being the hottest major city in Europe, I’m happy to see it is now a popular tourist locale. A perfect place to be in autumn or spring when the temperatures are pleasantly warm.
Many streets & squares are lined with orange trees and reminders from the past mix beautifully with the present here.
We did our best to hit a few high points as well as enjoy the local food.
The Royal Palace was very nice & is still used today for official visits. Unfortunately, no photos are allowed in most of its beautiful rooms; but, they were as spectacular as expected from being in a royal palace.
Among my favorites was a room made entirely from porcelain. My husband admired the Royal Armory with its armor & weapons collection that has been open to the public for over 400 years. Unfortunately, no photos were allowed in there as well.
Fun window shopping.
Man walking his 4 little dogs. They were all chained together & followed him down the street without being on a leash.
Trees made from ornamental kale.
You can also find the center of Spain in Madrid. It’s the starting point for measuring the distances for Spain’s six national roads.
Kilometer Zero marker in Puerta del Sol square marks Spain’s symbolic center
Food was a big highlight to our day.
Middle Eastern Breakfast Toast with Chocolate Pistachio Babka at GoldaHeard of a lobster roll? Here they have a calamari roll.
We enjoy watching the show “Somebody Feed Phil” on Netflix. Here are a few places where we ate that were featured on that show.
Casa Dani in El Mercado de La PazYummy breakfast Spanish egg Tortilla de Patata at Casa Dani Chocolatería San Gines which opened in 1894 features Churros dipped in thick Hot Chocolate as its specialty. YUM!!! 😋
Tapas!!! An entire market called Mercado de San Miguel is devoted to tapas. There are easily over 30 vendors selling different foods which means there is something for everyone.
Restaurante Sobrino de Botín in Madrid was founded in 1725 making it the world’s oldest restaurant. It still uses its original oven & is known for its suckling pig & lamb roast.
Madrid also had some old stores. This confectionery store has been operating since 1775. Older than the USA!
I needed some water & stopped in a supermarket. I was surprised to see a big Mexican food section. Our hotel was also having Mexican cuisine week. Looks like some food has come full circle.
Had a lovely time in Madrid. Hope to return for another visit some day.
Distance: 16 KM + 6 KM round trip to the lighthouse (13.7 miles)
Weather: cloudy, 61-64°
Time on trail: 4 hours + 2 hours round trip to the lighthouse
Total days walked: 38 (consecutive days; no rest days)
Total distance walked: 894 Kilometers (555.5 miles)
After many rainy days, we finally had a day with no rain & warm temperatures. Wow, what a blessing!!
We started at 8:50 with a more than a full breakfast. Today’s final walk was only a short 10 miles, so no need for a café con leche or omelette break today.
My last pilgrim silhouette Cee harbor Looking back to CeeCorcubion villageLast pair of abandoned shoes which were in great shape 🧐
One our last day, we walked along old wagon trails through eucalyptus & pine forests.
Plus we saw many mushrooms.
We walked through the small village called Estorde. A home caught our eye because it had scallop shells all over its exterior. The owner heard us talking, came outside, & offered us a shot for which he would not take no for an answer. We think it was a type of brandy.
After a few hours we reached the coastline.
We headed down to the beach to walk a few of the last KM & collect a few seashells.
Once we found our hotel in Finisterre & enjoyed a 30 minute break, we headed for the lighthouse & the Camino’s official end point that was still 3.1 KM (1.86 miles) away.
Last pilgrim statue
We finally made it to KM 0.000!!!!!
It has been a few years since I have done something physically hard. I wasn’t sure I could walk 894 KM (555 miles). I’m actually amazed I did! We averaged 14.5 miles a day. It wasn’t easy; but, it was a very enjoyable experience which will be impossible to forget.
Views from the End of the World.
On both the way to & from the lighthouse, we met a few old Camino friends who had also made the 4 day journey to Finisterre. It was nice to see them one last time.
My second goal for the Camino was to meet people from around the world. We met & talked with people from 25 different countries. Many folks I would welcome into my home. Most walkers came from European countries; but, we also met many from Canada & Korea.
Here is some history about Finisterre & why many pilgrims try to come here after reaching Santiago.
We only had one thing left to do to complete our journey across Spain… laundry.
Now we are ready for Phase 2 in our trip. Next stops in Spain will be in Madrid, Seville, & Barcelona. To continue our journey, we are taking a bus back to Santiago & then taking trains to our other destinations. We are both looking forward to seeing & experiencing more of Spain.
I’ll continue to post to this blog until we are home; so, if you are interested, then come along with the Wanderers.
Time on the trail: 7 hours 20 minutes including all breaks & stops
From the moment we stepped out the hotel’s door until noon, water fell from the sky. Within 30 minutes our outer gear was once again soaking wet.
Having no choice, we simply moved on hoping the precipitation would not last all day.
We entered a new province in Galicia.
Lunch was around noon at the last bar open for the next 15 KM. It was called Pilgrim Hospital which is so appropriate for hungry, tired, & wet pilgrims on their way to Finisterre.
Café con leche & eggs became my go to lunch over the entire Camino. Nothing like a little protein & a mild stimulant to get an old hiker through the rest of the day. 😁
Super thankful that the rain let up some after lunch at which time it was replaced by fog. Additionally, we walked past many clear-cut fields from which forests were felled. Felt like home in Washington.
We had a few interesting sightings along the way.
Be sure to read the 2nd paragraph about the werewolf.
Our trail split here. One going west to Finisterre & the other going north to Muxia.
A volunteer station operated on the honor system.
Another bar closed for the season.
Big Pilgrim shoes to fill
We also passed the old church called Ermita de Nuestra Señora de las Nieves which dates to the 18th Century.
The water from the spring by the chapel is supposed to help female animals & nursing mothers. The water is believed to help aching feet. Perfect for a passing pilgrim.
An hour later, another old church provided us with the perfect spot to rest before walking to Cee.
Our first view of the Atlantic Ocean.
To paraphrase Cheryl Strayed from her book “Wild” about her perspective as she hiked the Pacific Coast Trail:
“It has gotten easier, but, it is never easy. “
This is exactly how I felt when we arrived at the hotel around 4:20. Always happy to be finished.
My husband & I have talked about what makes a day easier or harder on the trail.
These are the factors listed in no particular order which we feel determines whether a day is easy or hard on the trail:
1. Physical condition (aches, pains, ailments)
2. Distance to cover
3. Terrain along the path
4. Trail Quality
5. Weather
Today is the 37th straight day we walked & are averaging just over 14 miles a day!
I’m a little sad that tomorrow will be our last day hiking when we reach Cape Finisterre; but I think my feet, legs, & knees will be extremely happy. Vitamin I (Ibuprofen) has become more important over the past few days than I would prefer.
The Wanderers 