Ribadiso to San Poilo

Being a bit unsure about what the weather was going to do, put the alarm on for 6.40 and then checked weather app and peered out to see whether it was raining. It didn’t appear to be but by the time we were leaving it was spitting and got a bit worse as we walked up towards Arzua.
I had a bit of a panic as thought I’d lost my tiny savlon - which is unreasonably important to me. However it turned up in the cafe in Arzua which was a relief.
I toughed it out without rain gear to start with as it didn’t seem too bad and wearing a poncho is a sweaty business and only worth it if the rain is significant. But by the time we stopped for coffee in Arzua it was raining more strongly and I gave in and put the poncho on.
Arzua consists, from a pilgrims point of view, of a long busy road with lots of hostels and cafes. By the time we were leaving at around 8.30 we were joining the main group of people who had stayed in the town overnight - so it was busy - but then again nothing like last year when it was largely nose to backpack from Sarria onwards.
I gradually overtook people and had a little more space which was good.
Although the camino is now getting close to Santiago and of course the scenery is nothing like as dramatic as that on the Primitivo, it is pretty along this stretch. Winding paths through woods, rising and falling gently(ish) with some views out across the surrounding fields.
There are lots of places to stop - a novelty after the Primitivo- but we didn’t choose to stop much given it was a 30k day.
I talked with a very fast walking lady from Denmark who has walked from Leon - her pack was minute given she was carrying all her stuff but didn’t even include rain gear (apparently she had been lucky with the weather!) but this is northern Spain and you definitely can’t count on that. She walked super fast so fairly soon said goodbye and I never saw her again. Then fell in with some Americans who had done the whole Frances. Lovely people and clearly had had a great time.
We finally stopped for lunch in O Pedrouzo. I’ve always stayed here before on the last night but the accommodation is expensive and not great so today we walked on after lunch another 8k to the tiny village of San Poilo. Much was fab - Mexican food and a whole veggie menu. Delicious and perfect. I had a burrito and nachos with guacamole - very tasty and filling, which is lucky as tonight there is only a cheese sandwich for dinner. The last 8k was pretty hard going - not because of the terrain which was fine and through beautiful woodland. But because I was so tired. I’m not good at eating and then walking til 3/4pm. However we made it and had an ice cream on the way which helped, or possibly hindered as while I was eating it I couldn’t use my poles, but it was good.
I’m now sitting on bed in the b&b which could be in England (the lady who owns the pension spent many years working in the UK and clearly has retained some influences from her time there). Feeling a bit exhausted but tomorrow is the last day and only about 12k to walk so sure I will be fine in the morning.Læs mere