Camino Finisterre: Day 3

Distance: 25 KM (15.5 miles)

Weather: Rain & Sustained Winds, 58-64°

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.

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.

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.

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.

Camino Finisterre: Day 2

Distance: 28 KM (17.3 miles)

Weather: misty, drizzle, rain, 51-62°

Time on trail: 7 hours 50 including all breaks & stops

We were told to expect rain in Galicia in November which has been true. Today started with a light mist, then changed to a continuous drizzle by mid-morning which then became constant rain in the afternoon.

Seeing rain was in the forecast along with a having 17 mile day, we made sure we left early.

The hotel ensured we had a good breakfast by serving huge croissants.

Negreira looks like an old English or Irish town. Not surprising since the entire Camino has strong Celtic connections.

Unlike yesterday, we saw many hikers on the trail; but, far less than our days heading towards Santiago.

For most of the morning, the trail passed an through beautiful woods & was often on old wagon paths.

I absolutely love how the Spaniards are so creative with recycling various items for planters & decorations.

A few sights along the way today.

Thankfully, a nice bar which was a perfect location for us to have lunch at noon.

It was fine until around 1:30 pm; but, gradually the drizzle turned into constant rain for the rest of the day.

Our last rest stop. We were happy to find some shelter from the rain to take a break. From here, we hiked for almost another 2 hours to reach our hotel.

From what little I could see due to the rain & fog over our last stretch, this area is very green with rolling hills. It looked & felt like Ireland.

We were very happy to see our hotel just before 5:00 pm. The temperatures were in the high 50s, so it wasn’t cold; but, we were both very wet from head to toe.

Unlike at every other places we stayed, the hotel clerk didn’t ask for our passports; but, took us directly to our room. He also told us when the bus leaves tomorrow for Finisterre. When we said we were walking there, his response was “Perfecto!”

Rain is forecasted again for all day tomorrow; but, at least it’s a shorter walk.

Our hotel has a restaurant, so fortunately we don’t need to go back out into the rain this evening.

Count down to Finisterre:

2 more days

Camino Finisterre: Day 1

Distance: 21 KM (13 miles)

Weather: cloudy with intermittent rain, 46-57°

Time on trail: 6 hours 10 minutes including all breaks & stops

Yesterday, I was extremely tired once we reached our hotel around 1:30 pm. At that moment, I wasn’t so sure I’d be up to do 4 more days on the trail.

However, after an afternoon nap & a good night’s sleep, I was once again ready to go.

We enjoyed a leisurely breakfast along with our new German friend who was staying in the same hotel.

We learned that she had walked the Camino many times & had done different routes. The Camino Primitivo was her favorite; but, she also enjoyed the Camino Portugues which follows a coastal route. Good food for thought if we decide to walk another Camino.

On Tuesday, she decided to take advantage of the nice weather & walked a double leg all the way into Santiago arriving in the early evening. So, on Wednesday morning, she was among the first pilgrims in line at the pilgrim office.

For many years, the 1st ten pilgrims in line each morning to pick up their completion certificate have been offered a free lunch at the Hostal Reís Católicos (oldest hotel in the world.) She said it was very nice.

Capitalizing on the nicer weather this morning, we snapped few pictures around the cathedral before heading on our way.

I wasn’t sure if we would still have the yellow arrows guiding us to Finisterre; but, thankful we do, along with the ubiquitous KM markers.

Our last view of Santiago with the cathedral dominating the skyline.

On our way again.

There are very few bars on this Camino. You have to hope to find one open that is used more by the locals than pilgrims. This one came along at the perfect time.

We saw very few pilgrims/hikers today; but, to our great surprise, this young Korean man was on his way to Finisterre. We have seen him off & on during the entire trek.

It was great to see him again & finally learn his name.

After a long steady climb, we found this nice spot in the eucalyptus woods to enjoy our lunch.

Other sights along the way.

We crossed a very old stone bridge at Ponte Maceira which was built in the 14th Century & refurbished in the 18th Century.

A Spanish village.

Tomorrow is our last very long hike. We plan to start earlier & take more breaks. Forecast is for rain all day. Unfortunately, there will be few places along the route, possibly with a bar where I can enjoy a break for a cafe con leche.

Count down:

3 days to Finisterre

Camino: Day 34

Distance: 16.4 KM (10 miles)

Weather: rain, 50-61°

Time on trail: 4 hours with few stops

It’s official, we walked into Santiago today.! The forecast showed rain all day & that’s exactly what it did.

But, a little rain is not going to stop people who have already walked over 475 miles.

We were on the trail at 8:40 wearing all our rain gear.

Fortunately, today was a short walk. An hour into our walk, we saw our young friend from Italy. She stayed with us the rest of the way.

The count down begins.

It is hard to explain the feelings you have when you reach the Cathedral Santiago de Compostela. Pure joy & disbelief are just two.

Pictures never do justice to this church. It is incredibly large & you can feel it’s all encompassing presence. Experiencing it justifies all the time spent to reach it.

After we arrived, we watched trail friends arrive. Many hugs & big smiles were included in the greetings.

We also had hugs with several Koreans who had been walking with us from the 1st day as well.

Our next stop was inside the cathedral.

Next we went to the pilgrim office where you show your pilgrim passport with all the stamps collected on it since the start. You need at least one stamp each day which are collected from hotels, churches, restaurants, & volunteer stations.

Once you show your passport stamps to the official at the pilgrim office, you are issued the official completion certificate.

Our hotel adjacent to the cathedral was once a 16th Century Monastery.

In the square next to the cathedral is the world’s oldest hotel started in 1489 by Queen Isabella & King Ferdinand to accommodate pilgrims.

We celebrated at our evening meal with a Torte de Santiago.

What a day!!!

Tomorrow, we head for what was once believed to be the “end of the world”, hence its name Finisterre. I hope my knees, feet, & legs can handle walking another 90 KM. It will be interesting to see if we know anyone from the Camino Frances on the trail or make new friends along the way.

Camino: Day 33

Distance: 23 KM (14.2 miles)

Weather: cloudy with periods of light rain, 45-54°

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

Next to a perfect day on the Camino. Only some light rain during a nice autumn day walking through woods full of oak & eucalyptus trees. With the ground covered with so many fallen yellow leaves, it was easy imagining being somewhere in Vermont in October.

As we get closer to Santiago, we almost always see pilgrims either in front or behind us most of the day. It wasn’t until the last 5-6 KM that we had the trail to ourselves. This was because most people stopped before us in Pedrouzo.

With the number of pilgrims currently on the trail, it is hard to envision how crowded the Camino must be during high season.

By 9:00 we were high above Arzua & on our way.

After several rainy days, you could feel the happiness in the air from the pilgrims as well as everyone knowing that Santiago was very close.

With few bars open, it is not uncommon to see friends congregated at the first major bar during the walk, which today was about 2.5 hours into the trail.

Bars also provide the opportunity to introduce yourself properly to people who you see each day. Now I finally have a real name to go with “orange jacket” & “black glasses” who walk together. 😉

The main obstacle today was trying to avoid the mud.

Around noon, we came across this bar/restaurant. I only wanted tea; but, their salad looked too good to miss.

Cute menu too.

When we left the restaurant, it started raining; but, it was a short shower & we enjoyed the remaining afternoon rain free.

Came across this man offering inspirational quotes & smoothing music.

Solitude in the forest on our next to last day to Santiago was a wonderful way to end our hike.

Tomorrow, I expect a crowded trail even though rain is forecasted all day. Some people rise very early to hike in the dark to reach Santiago at sunrise. We don’t plan on participating in this custom. 😂

Count down:

1 Day until Santiago 🤗!!!

5 days until Finisterre

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.