Day 13: O Pedrouzo to Lavacolla

Today it is not about the distance covered or the elevation gained. I am forcing myself to slow down and take each step consciously. I am pausing to take in my surroundings, absorb all that this walk means and just be.

I have just walked through a beautiful cathedral of trees, standing incredibly tall and providing dappled sunlight to the floor below. It felt like the original and natural showcase of this trip rather than the church in Santiago at the end. I have just found out it is called Carballeira de San Antón (St Anton’s Oak Grove) although it was full of so many different trees.

I am now sat on a small bridge over a peaceful river, listening to the birds and the chatter of the passing pilgrims. There are a few Spanish school trips that are excitable and effervescent with the prospect of reaching the end of their walk. They destroy the peace but are also quite fun. As I walked into the woods earlier, they were standing in a circle singing wonderful songs!

I’m half way in my journey today and I have found a place away from the hubbub and noise of the Camino trail to sit in the dappled shade and just be. It’s weird how difficult that can be even on the Camino as there’s always somewhere to go, something to do or someone to see. At this late stage, the Camino trail has also become quite a conveyor belt of pilgrims, so it’s nice to escape. It’s wonderful to be able to just watch the little things, like the wind blowing through the grass or the sun dancing on the leaves. It’s the ultimate peace and it has maybe taken me this entire walk to truly reach it again.

Next stop, I’m having a drink and some cake sheltering from the hottest part of the day in the shade of a beautiful little church in Lavacolla. It’s very peaceful but I think I’ve eaten too much! I’m looking forward to getting rid of my bag at the Albergue and going for a wonder around this little piece of heaven.

I have just arrived at my Albergue for the night and I’m very early, it looks lovely and I’m looking forward to dropping my bag off and relaxing in the sunshine for a while. I rested under the shade of another church earlier where pilgrims wondered passed at leisure. It was fun to sit and watch them all.

There is no electricity in Spain and so I am sitting in the shade of an apple tree in the Albergue garden, reading my book. I have done some washing by hand and it’s drying on the line in the sunshine. Bellisimo!Читать далее