Arzúa to Santa Irene

I emerged from the albergue at about 7.45, peering into the gloom and trying to see whether it was still raining. I had succeeded in drying my clean clothes (including my preferred walking socks) but my boots, hat and coat were still pretty wet.

It was raining a little and so I headed to a nearby bakery for breakfast.

I set off once more just after 8, no longer needing my torch, and followed the straggly line of pilgrims picking up the trail, no doubt also in damp boots or clothes! By now the rain was a light and intermittent drizzle.

The path rapidly led off into the countryside, with a regular series of ups and downs, or perhaps it was downs and ups today.

It was still blustery and so as the Camino took us along under tree lined paths, it was hard to tell whether it was actually raining, or the trees were giving up the rainwater stored in their leaves. There may have been a shower or 2 at first but, within the first hour, the sky began to lighten and soon there were long shadows on the path in front of us, and patches of blue sky above, as the clouds whipped by on the wind.

I paused for a second coffee and slice of apple cake after about 9km, and collected a stamp for my credencial. As I rejoined the throng moving along the Camino, I was delighted to bump once more into my bunk mate from Seattle (via Triacastela) who was walking with another friend, a doctor from Menorca. We walked together, also meeting some other of my bunkmate’s friends along the way, until I stopped at the village of Santa Irene. My friends were continuing to O Pedrouzo, a few km ahead and so we said our goodbyes, hoping to meet up again in Santiago tomorrow.

I had attempted to book a bed in O Pedrouzo, which would have been the natural place to stop, with just under 20km to go. But I couldn’t find anywhere and so had no option to return to my previous approach of trusting that the good Lord would provide me a bed in the right place. I thought I would try the Xunta municipal albergue in Santa Irene, and then walk on if that was already full.

However, partly as a result of a shorter day and having made pretty rapid progress with the sun out and walking and talking to friends, I got to the Santa Irene albergue before it opened, and so was 5th in the queue for their 30 odd beds. Thanks be to God!

I was also delighted to be allocated a bottom bunk and, later, discovered that I’d already met my Australian upper bunk mate back in Itero de la Vega!

As I wandered to the bar a couple of hundred metres back along the Camino, I bumped into an Italian friend from Oncina! Czytaj więcej