Camino: Day 31

Distance: 25 KM (15.5 miles)

Weather: cloudy & rainy, 44-51°

Time on trail: 7 hours 40 minutes with 3 long breaks & a few stops

We left our hotel around 8:40 with high hopes the rain would soon stop like it did on other days.

However, it rained steadily all morning & only stopped for brief periods.

After a long lunch break, we decided the rain was not going to let up. So, we put on our backpacks, donned our ponchos, & once more sallied forth into the rain.

Less than 30 minutes later, the steady rain abated, then we only had to endure short rain bursts until we arrived at our hotel.

Here are some highlights from today.

Interesting churches

More smelly barnyards & cows.

Since it was Sunday, it was hunting day. Here is a trailer used to transport hunting dogs.

Interesting & clever sightings.

More challenging water crossings.

Historical fortress ruins at Castromaior which was occupied from the 4th Century BCE until the 1st Century CE.

Frequent rest stops.

These eucalyptus groves had a pleasant smell that reminded me of the sports cream I use nightly on my muscles & joints.

With all the rain & intermittent sunshine, a rainbow was bound to come into view.

As we get closer to Santiago, we are starting to see more people we have previously met; but, haven’t seen for a while simply because with so many places closed for the season, there are fewer places to stay & eat. Even finding an open bar for my daily cafe con leche has become more difficult.

Tonight I saw a young man who on Day 1 saved my jacket that had fallen out of my backpack. I hadn’t seen him in over 4 weeks. He told me he took rest days in the big cities like Leon, then he doubled up his distance the next day.

I think this instance is what makes the Camino special. You meet so many people along the way who come & go out of your life only to materialize later.

Our count down for today:

3 days to Santiago

7 days to Finisterre

A little sad to realize we will be finished a week from today.

Camino: Day 30

Distance: 22.3 KM (14 miles)

Weather: cloudy, rainy, & very windy, 49-60°

Time on trail: 6 hours 40 minutes including breaks & stops

We left our hotel at 8:40. Sarria is a very small city. I believe the Camino is one of its main income sources because many people start the Camino there.

The town is full of murals, stores, & restaurants geared toward pilgrims going to Santiago.

Before leaving Sarria, we passed by the lovely Monastery of Magdalena.

This was one of those days in which you say, “If you don’t like the weather, wait 5 minutes & it will change.”

After doffing & donning our rain ponchos 3 separate times, we decided that it was just easier to wear it.

Thankfully, it was warm; but, it was very windy in the afternoon. More than once I momentarily lost my balance in the extremely strong wind gusts.

I looked forward to walking by rock fences & hedgerows for some wind protection.

Our path also took us past many smelly farmyards that had me holding my nose and remembering the feedlots from my youth in Texas.

We also learned that Spanish farmers like to own big dogs. Most are friendly; but, some had fierce barks which made me glad they were tied by a chain.

When we left our hotel, another young couple was leaving to hike the Camino with their dog. They chose to take an alternate route; but, we saw them an hour later. After I took this photo, one of those big farm dogs which was not chained, ran on to the path attacking their dog who was on a leash. Fortunately, their dog was unscathed.

Due to the heavy rain over the past few days, all the rivers & streams are full with some overflowing.

Some water crossings have become trickier.

Once again, we walked under chestnut trees along with many apple trees today.

We came across this very old church.

Farm animals were a large part of today’s experience.

Normally there would be several bars open on the route; but, it is well past high season so many are now closed.

However, these vending machines can be found occasionally.

Luckily, we found a lovely bar around noon. It was filled with pilgrims. I was too busy chatting with new friends to remember to take a picture showing me with my daily café con leche. 😔

Not too soon after our nice break, we hit the coveted 100 KM marker.

Soon after this milestone, the wind picked up & stayed with us for the rest of our walk.

Here were some other sites along the way.

After the high winds & intermittent rain, we were more than ready to reach Portomarin.

I think one lesson of the Camino is to always look on the bright side & be thankful.

Even though it wasn’t perfect weather, we were very thankful it never rained hard & it was on the warm side. (After the day in the snow, everyday feels great. 🤣.)

You also learn patience with your body. Even though we are still moving, I can feel the aches & pains in my body telling me to slow down & take more breaks.

Count down begins:

4 days to Santiago

8 days to Finisterre

Camino: Day 29

Distance: 25 KM (15.3 miles)

Weather: cloudy with small rain amounts 44-51°

Time on trail: 6 hours & 45 minutes including breaks & stops

Because it was pouring rain just a few minutes before we departed at 9:10, we left Triacastela with the fear that we would soon be soaked & have to walk yet another day in wet gloves & boots.

Fortunately, the forecast for all- day rain didn’t happen. In fact, we soon took off our rain ponchos & enjoyed a lovely day with little rain. A day without rain now is a true gift.

Leaving Triacastela we had two routes we could take. We chose the 6 KM longer route through Samos.

The first KM were next to a road where large trucks kept whizzing by.

We were glad when the trail turned off to a more rural path. Most of the day we walked under huge chestnut trees with their seed pods littered at our feet.

The trail went along well worn paths with rock walls so old, they were almost entirely covered with moss & leaves.

At one point my husband spotted a black & white cat in a tree. It wasn’t long before the kitty became our companion following us for over 10 minutes.

The main reason for taking the longer route was to see the Samos Monastery which dates to the 5th or 6th Century.

Along the way, we also saw many small, charming old churches & buildings which provided an idyllic feeling.

We were also entertained by various farm animals.

The path was generally good; but, sometimes we had to maneuver steep rocky patches & wet, muddy stretches.

Thankfully, we reached Sarria before the heavy rain started

I don’t eat a great deal during the day. Usually a cafe con leche & some nuts with raisins gets me by during the hike. However, when we get to our hotel, I eat a snack or two or three & by dinner, I’m still famished. Check out our dinner tonight. All of this food along with a glass of wine & mineral water only cost 26€.

Tomorrow we will hit the 100 KM to go marker. Pilgrims are required to walk the last 100 KM if they want to receive the official Camino completion certificate in Santiago.

Camino: Day 28

Distance: 20.8 KM (13 miles)

Weather: cold, rain, snow, sleet; 39-55°

Time on trail: 7.5 hours with long breaks k

What a difference a day makes. We saw the dreadful forecast; but, hoped it wasn’t true because some forecasts have been way off.

So, before leaving we enjoyed a warm cozy breakfast at our inn.

I then put on 3 layers on the bottom & 8 layers on top because freezing temperatures were forecasted along with snow!!!

We were not overly eager to start, so we left at 8:50.

Initially, it looked like the forecast had been wrong. It was in the low 40s & not raining. It wasn’t long before I was too hot and needed to stuff my knit hat & puff jacket into my backpack.

I kept my rain poncho on in case it started to rain & within 30 minutes a light rain began.

As we started the gradual climb up San Roque, I noticed the rain was turning to sleet. Then SNOW!!! We never expected to experience snow on this trip. Just 4 weeks ago, it was in the 90°s, so we experienced all four seasons in one month’s time.

As we drove on through the snow & high winds, I thought about the Pony Express motto.

Never has a rest stop & café con leche ever been so welcomed.

By the time we resumed the trail, it looked like every kids’ & Bing Crosby’s dream on Christmas morning.

We moved on hoping conditions would improve. From time to time, it would let up; but, at other times, we were pummeled with tiny ice crystals.

When we reached the hill crest, we were tempted to step inside another warm bar; but, we elected to keep moving to get to lower altitudes & warmer temperatures.

A few KMs later we arrived at Fonfria. My water resistant gloves were totally soaked & I could feel water in my waterproof boots, so another stop was needed. I put my wet gloves by the stove to dry a bit & enjoyed some nice warm chickpea soup.

Once I was warmer & my gloves a smidge dryer, it was time to finish the last 9 KM (5.5 miles).

Thankfully, it stopped snowing & we were headed down to lower elevations with no snow.

Along the way, we came across this very old church dating back to medieval times.

Right before reaching Triacastela, we walked through another ancient village called Ramil which has a huge chestnut tree that is over 800 years old.

What a day!!! One for the record books for us. It felt really good to reach today’s destination.

What a way to finish Week 4 on the Camino. Our distance grand total is 643 KM (399.5 miles)! Our last week to Santiago starts tomorrow. 😊

Camino: Day 25

Distance: 32.2 KM (20 miles)

Weather: cloudy, partly sunny, overcast, rain, 38-50°

Time on trail: 10 hours including breaks

This was a long; but, still very enjoyable day. We experienced all kinds of weather from warm to cold & rainy.

We were expecting cold temperatures when we left , so we both had on extra layers.

When we left at 8:40, we were greeted with a friendly dog and the sunrise.

Except for the weather, today was similar to the first day with an uphill climb and a very long & rocky downhill. Thankfully today was much cooler and the uphill much shorter. However, the rain added some difficulty negotiating the slippery, rugged path.

Here are a few images from the beginning of the day.

We reached the highest point on the Camino which is called Cruz de Ferro. Traditionally you are to bring a rock from home & leave it at the top along with your worries. However, many people leave tokens to remember their loved ones.

We left 2 rocks painted by our great niece before we left.

It was very cold on the peak & we were glad we wore our extra layers as we started our long downward hill climb that took several hours.

Here are a few images from our downhill climb. About half way down, it started to rain again, so back on went my rain poncho aka “the witch costume”.

We enjoyed a lovely stop in El Arcebo. They played music from the 1920s while we warmed up.

Sights along the way.

The last rest stop for the day was in Molinseca which is a lovely town..

We then had 4+ miles to reach our hotel in Ponferrada. With the recent time change, we made it right after sunset.

Very thankful this is our only 20 mile day.

Camino: Day 24

Distance: 20 KM (12.4 miles)

Weather: cloudy to partly sunny (45-52°)

Time on trail: 5 hours 20 minutes including breaks

Thankfully the rain had ceased by the time we left the hotel around 9:00.

Spain turned back their clocks last night. I felt well rested after getting an extra hour of sleep.

As we passed through town we enjoyed the bell tower chimes.

I enjoyed seeing one more mural before we left town. The artist who did the 3 murals in Astorga was extremely talented. I find the ability to paint on a grand scale remarkable.

Today we walked through an area called Maragateria and entered the mountains of Leon. Our first stop was at Murias de Rexhivaldo.

After a few hours it is always nice to make a short rest stop for refreshments & a baño.

After a little rain, it turned out to be the most pleasant day. No wind & the perfect temperature for hiking.

We came across this man selling Camino wares for pilgrims. I was happy to give him a little business.

Our next stop around noon was in El Ganso that seemed to have an American West Theme going.

While we took a 10 minute break outside the bar, we saw a young French Canadian girl that we met 20 days ago & hadn’t seen her since then.

After a short chat on how things were going we noticed she was with a young man we hadn’t seen before. A short distance from us they joined hands & kissed. The Camino is known for starting romances. 💕

Today we actually saw many new people. Some of them appeared to be struggling. Not surprising since many people join the Camino in Leon & Astorga to avoid the Meseta. I feel for them. We call them “Newbies.”

Another change in the trail is more crosses.

A great deal of today was hiking through an oak tree forest.

The last few miles were uphill to Rabanal del Camino. Most the way we had a wire fence to one side covered with stick crosses.

It’s always nice to arrive at your destination for the day. Rabanal is a lovely little village that might not exist without the pilgrims passing through it.

Even though we are not in the high mountains, it has the feel of a small village in the alps.

We will need a good rest tonight. Tomorrow will be our longest daily distance on the Camino.

I’m sure our lemon chocolate from Astorga will help get us through the day. 😉

Camino: Day 23

Distance: 21.9 KM (13.6 miles)

Weather: partly cloudy, 44-59°

Time on trail: 5 hours 45 minutes along with many stops

We enjoyed a nice quiet breakfast at our home stay and left around 8:45.

Once again, another spectacular sunrise.

A little less than 3 miles later we came to the historical town, Hospital de Orbigo.

As we were walking into town, we saw 2 storks high in a nest.

This town is known for its 300 meter long medieval bridge along with its famed legend of Don Suero.

Here is one more version of the story of Don Suero.

In the next town it was time for a café con leche and bathroom break.

A few sights along the way.

On the trail we saw a man collecting herbs. We asked for a picture and he gave me a large bunch. It was Thyme Vulgaris. He told me it was good as a tea with honey to soothe a sore throat.

About 4 miles before we reached Astorga, we came across another rest stop staffed by volunteers. This one was maintained by a young German woman.

Some young French people were enjoying the shelter and singing songs.

As nice as the shelter was, it was time to get into Astorga before the rain started…again.

A special multi-tier walkway helps pilgrims get safely over the train tracks.

Only a few minutes from our hotel we stopped to take this picture. We then heard this man playing his guitar. When I gave him a few dollars he gave us an entertaining performance about Americans walking the Camino.

Astorga is known for making chocolate. We enjoyed a visit to the Chocolate Museum.

Other Astorga sights.

Today we said goodbye to the flat plains for good & once again returned to tall rolling hills.

Compared to yesterday, we saw more pilgrims along the way today as well as an uptick in activity along the way. Once again the trail is decorated with murals & comical figures and there are stops manned by volunteers along the route.

I enjoyed the Meseta; but, I am glad to see more villages & sights geared toward the pilgrims passing through the area.

Camino: Day 22

Distance: 30.9 KM (19.1 miles)

Weather: rain to partly cloudy with some wind, 45-56°

Time on trail: 9.5 hours with many breaks

Knowing it was supposed to stop raining after 10:00 and sunrise was at 8:45, we didn’t leave until 9:00.

Yesterday we walked almost the whole way without stopping. I vowed not to do that again since I was exhausted when we arrived. Plus, this was going to be our longest day so far with a full 19 miles to walk.

It took us over 1.5 hours to walk out of Leon. On the way, we saw this display from Mexico showing decorated skeleton heads.

Before reaching the countryside, we walked through Virgin del Camino that has a church with a famous legend.

As before, there is more than one path to take. We chose the path away from the major highway which took us to Villavante. As we headed out, a trail friend caught us in her pictures and sent it to me.

Once starting on our path, we didn’t see another pilgrim until we stopped in Villar de Mazarife.

Before walking the last 9 KM (5.5 miles), we enjoyed a nice long rest in Villar de Mazarife. It was in the local bar that we finally met another pilgrim from Canada.

Thanks to our constant breaks today, we completed 19 miles on the trail & finally arrived in Villavante.

Up until this point we have only stayed in hotels. Tonight we are staying in a beautiful home belonging to a lovely couple. They converted a mill into their home which is built over a river.

We enjoyed a muy delicious meal next to a warm fire.

Before heading to bed, my husband tried his best to dry out his wet shoes. 😉

Camino: Day 21

Distance: 19 km ( 11.8 miles)

Weather: rain, 47-58°

Time on trail: 4 hours 45 minutes including all stops

Before we started, we enjoyed breakfast at a local bar. It was quiet at 7:30 in the morning. Only a few pilgrims & locals stopped in.

It was a very wet day with constant rain for most of the walk into Leon.

A few interesting sites along the way.

Very ready to reach Leon and our hotel around 12:45. Rain gear only works so long before you start to get wet.

Once dried & rested, we enjoyed walking around Leon. It’s a beautiful old European city.

The main attraction in Leon is its beautiful gothic cathedral. It is easy to see why.

Hard to believe we have finished another week on the trail. We have now walked over 474 KM (294.5 miles.)

I wish I could say that it has gotten easier; along the way; but, each day has its own different struggles. It has been an incredible experience to walk 14 miles per day for 21 consecutive days.

Each day the view changes. You also see friends from past days & wonder about those you haven’t seen for a while. Time still moves quickly on the Camino; but, in a different way.

Camino: Day 20

Distance: 19 Km ( 11.8 miles)

Weather: cloudy, 49-58°

Time on trail: 5 hours including breaks

We welcomed our day with this glorious sunrise.

As we left town we noticed the church steeple had 2 large white stork nests waiting for the birds to return next spring.

As we walked, we passed these familiar crosses. I enjoy reading the messages left by pilgrims.

I loved this message left for friends who were further behind on the trail.

Many people take rest days on the Camino while others do not. With pilgrims walking at different paces, the saddest part on the Camino is no longer seeing friends you have made along the way. But then, you make new ones.

Here is a young Korean girl we met in the past few days. She speaks good English so we are able to have nice conversations.

I believe she is hiking on her own; but, with her friendly personality, she has no problem making friends.

Around 11:30 & past the half way point, we came into the small town named Reliegos.

I was hungry, thirsty, & needed a bathroom break, so it was perfect timing to find this small bar. By the time we left, it was full of pilgrims inside & out.

Reliegos is a cute town and feels like a tiny Santa Fe, NM. It’s known for its tomatoes. A meteorite also fell here in 1947.

A little less than 2 hours later we arrived in Mansilla de las Mulas.

This small town dates back to Roman times. In 70AD, the Romans built a wall around the city. Parts still exist today.

In the 11th & 12 Centuries, Mansilla was the largest & richest market town in this region, especially for livestock which explains its name “de las mulas” (of the mules.)

Mansilla has always been a major stop for pilgrims walking the French route. Although its grandeur has faded, it’s still a lovely place for pilgrims today.

After a short rest in our hotel, we took a stroll around town in the light rain.

Tomorrow will be our last day walking the Meseta which ends the 2nd major stage on the French Camino.