A Gudiña to Laza

As I was getting ready to leave I wondered why it was so dark outside, it was early, but not that early, but once I went out the front door I found out why...it was heavy fog. I set off making doubly sure that I was on the right path, there is a variant that goes through Verin. The fog was so thick that I could only see about 10 feet either side of the path, I was grateful for the Gronze app it helped me stay on the right path. Apparently this stage is one of the most beautiful, unfortunately all I can see is fog.

After about 3 hours the fog started to lift, or rather the path started rising above the fog. This stage has a few steep climbs and a few steep descents as well but the path is very good, nice and firm and once I got above the fog the views were spectacular.

When I arrived in Campobercorros I stopped for coffee and tostada then sat in the sun with my socks and shoes off for a short while then carried on up the hill once more. The path eventually levelled out giving yet more wonderful views, the last 9-10km was on a gentle downhill gradient and that made the walking a lot easier. I stopped at As Erias where the locals leave a selection of fruit and other foods, home baking and iced water with a few chairs in the shade for any passing pilgrims, it was very welcome, and I took a 30 minute break there.

Setting off once more it felt like no time at all before I found myself on the outskirts of Laza, I couldn't believe how much it had changed in two years, there were dozens of new houses, and the roads had been upgraded, and there was a nice looking hotel. According to the guidebook it is 35km from A Gudiña to Laza, but my fitbit says 39.7, and, either way it is the furthest I have ever walked and to be honest I feel like I could do at least another 5km.

I remembered that the albergue here is nice but it has several cramped rooms with four sets of bunkbeds and they fill up one room before opening another, so I decided after walking so far I would treat myself to a night in the hotel, it was twice th eprice of the albergue but ten times more luxurious.

I got a room no problem and it included breakfast, although I was leaving early (big mountain tomorrow) the girl said that there would be plenty of stuff set out in the dining room and I should just help myself. The room was luxurious, and huge, there was a double bed and a single bed, and a fantastic en suite, the shower was great.

Unfortunately, my non appearance at the albergue casued some concern. On the way, just before As Erias, I had passed a Belgian guy whom I had met before and we chatted for a bit and then I went on ahead of him. He arrieved expecting me to be there, but he never had my contact details, so a few hours later I got a message from Jan, the Dutch lady to check if I wa sok, they were relieved to hear that I was in the hotel and ok. Pilgrims do tend to look out for one another.

The walk tomorrow is only about 20km but the first section is over a mountain, it is the one I had trouble with the last time, and where I met Ugo who taught me how to walk up a mountain, and I remembered what he had taught me but I still wasn't looking forward to it.

A group of cyclists have arrived and are in the room next door, they are very noisy, I hope they quieten down soon, although tomorrow's walk is about half the distance of today's, I am now very tired, in fact I couldn't be bothered going out for dinner, so I just ate the Russian salad I bought in A Gudiña.Read more