Gonzar to Ponte Campana - long and lovel

It was a cold start this morning - I think I wore my jumper for longer than. I have ever done before - apart from in the Pyrenees.
We left around 7 and soon came to Castro Mayor - named after the Castro, or basically hill fort, which is on the hill just above it. 50m from the Way but basically not signposted or much visited it appeared.
The situation is very like a hill fort in the UK and really reminded me of one I visited in Devon, but it has so much more. Many of the walls were still in evidence as well as a large number of buildings in one section. I feel there must be so much more to find there (there was a sign which I think said that there was now a project to invest in more excavation?). It was a fascinating site dating from the first century BC and in a classic ‘hill fort’ location. There is so much to see in this area of Spain and I get the feeling that it is really only the odd pilgrim prepared to veer off the track a bit who gets to see it.
So after the Castro we continued on through the Galician countryside. A quick breakfast at a very friendly cafe was followed by a walk though a gentle landscape. I wanted to see a Romanesque church with frescos preserved from the 15th century so opted for an additional 4.5k to do this, reassured that it would in fact be open by the sign at the start of the track leading to it.
However after a solitary 2 k I reached the church - whose beautiful doorway was all I got to see as it was closed. I even rang the number of the caretaker but didn’t get a reply. But the walk was lovely anyway and I didn’t feel upset as was happy to be alone in the space with just a buzzard overhead for company.
The walk into Palas de Reí seemed very quick once I was back on the main path. I met up with Caroline and Anna there who had been searching for knickers (Anna had left two pairs behind by mistake a couple of days ago!). Nowhere seemed to be open for lunch but finally we were given a suggestion for a local bar (by someone at a bar whose kitchen was closed) where we had a delicious ( really) cheese and salad bocadillo.
After lunch meandered on towards our destination for tonight - an easy walk of about 5k- stopping for an ice cream and to look at local artisan jewellery- where we both bought earrings. So much for my aspiration to be less materialistic. It works as far as absolutely not buying anything remotely heavy but jewellery doesn’t seem to count!
The Albergue tonight is amazing. Laid back and beautiful. We are in a very old building that I think must be an old mill. Surrounded by water - swimmable - and so quiet. And I have, of course swum. Cold but perfect.
Now I’m sitting on the terrace with a glass of local white wine feeling very happy! This is a great place and will definitely be staying here next time.
Just to add: for the first time my blog uploaded quickly and I haven’t finished it! Now I don’t think it will update as the wifi in this building is very poor.
Anyway delicious vegetarian dinner with lots of new people. Sylvia from Italy, also vegetarian, was particularly lovely and shared some fairly horrendous Camino experiences with us She’s not only struggled to find vegetarian food, like me sometimes, but people have on occasion been really unpleasant to her - very relieved that hasn’t happened to me! She has been walking for about three weeks with a group including two Australians and an American. Sounds as if they’ve got on very well and are continuing on to Finisterre after reaching Santiago so may see them there.Read more