Camino de Santiago 2025

Luke cooked breakfast for us in the hostel this morning and then off we went into the rain with ponchos flapping in the wind. We opted to have our backpacks transported today since this was a new road to me and all I’ve heard is that it’s such a long climb. Fingers crossed our bags reach our next hostel!
We got on the road regretfully leaving Pontevedra and the Peregrina Virgin, but excited for the physical challenge promised today.
There were so many pilgrims leaving town this morning and we were swept up by their excitement (a good excuse?) and so we missed the turn to the Spiritual Variant. Once we passed Alba I realized our path was incorrect but we opted to visit the tiny Capila San Cayetano then doubled back to cross over the Rio Gándara towards the Iglesia San Pedro de Campaña which was not open but we did see the exterior pulpit! This road was so much better- peaceful and serene with nature to enjoy and appreciate. It was much easier walking without packs because there were already some uphill stretches. We stopped at a little café just past Fragomoeira for a couple of cokes and the waitress also brought us small bowls of steaming arroz con pollo with chorizo for free- yum!! It was a great pit stop and we felt fortified. As we kept on, we were so surprised to see a huge church in the distance and eventually came upon the Monasterio de San Xuán de Poio built in 1098! It was majestic and wonderful and unexpected for us- it wasn’t stressed in the guide books but definitely should have been. It was a very holy place filled with beautiful art, carvings and statues and that in combination with its age just amazed us- we are so grateful for these unexpected detours and surprises!
We continued on and reached the waterfront and a park with a sandy trail bordered by huge palm trees- the sun was trying to come out so we took our ponchos off and breathed the fresh air and enjoyed the cool breeze. This path followed the coast until we reached the mariner’s village of Combarro which means “coast with hórreos” -aptly named because there were many of these tiny little historic buildings bordering the coastline and the village. Hórreos are little grain storage buildings built up on stilts and then adorned with crosses that make them look like miniature churches and they are all over Spain but Combarro had a lot- so charming! We’ve also seen many of the carved stone Cruceiros along the way and there were 9 actually in and around the fountain square in the old quarter of town. These Cruceiros are usually situated at a crossroads and they are thought to provide divine protection. They are carved front and back with the crucified Jesus on one side facing inland and the Virgin Mother on the other side facing the sea. It’s a somber reminder each time we walk by one to think of sacrifices Our Lord made and for us to keep to the right path. There were lots of small cafés along the waterfront that looked inviting but we had miles to go so maybe next time!
As we walked we were treated to magnificent views of the Pontevedra estuary because from up high it’s just beautiful. We were about to be much higher though because now the climb up Mount Redondo began! It was quite an experience but there was lots of pilgrim themed paintings/graffiti and lots of shell displays to distract us from the pain. Twice when it was almost unbearable, a donativo popped up and we helped ourselves to cold water. And then it started raining again but we were grateful for the overcast skies. At one point we were passed by a cute family- mom, dad and 2 boys around ten years old. They had matching Camino tshirts and looked so adorable but I was puzzled that something wasn’t quite right. We exchanged greetings and I told them what a beautiful family they had…. But something was amiss and I couldn’t quite figure it out but Luke did! He asked me if I had seen that the dad was wearing 4 backpacks! He had one on his back, his front and 1 hung from each each arm- I guess I was delirious from climbing and missed that! Poor guy! When the climb was over we had gained 2000m in altitude and possibly sweated off 5 pounds! We caught our breath so we could enjoy the Miradouro do Loureiva, a scenic overlook, but since there’s no rest for the weary we kept going on a slight incline which leveled off periodically on a dirt path for another couple of miles until the Monasterio de Armenteira ( built in the middle of the 12th century!) finally came into view.
It seems you always get a second wind once you realize you’ve made it for the day and I suddenly felt better. I got a shower, put clothes in to wash and then we went to visit the beautiful Santa Maria da Armenteira church. So happy to be here in this peaceful and holy place! The church was so grand. These huge churches we see are so demonstrative of a different time when faithful craftsmen labored to complete these masterpieces of architecture. It’s possible that people who worked on these churches never saw the final product in their lifetime and we are definitely the grateful recipients of their work. Our day was almost over (a 15+ mile day!) so after a quick dinner of fried ham and pork and a plate full of the famous Padron peppers, we headed back down to the Monastery for the traditional pilgrims blessing. The ceremony was run by 8 nuns who sang so sweetly that it make you want to cry. ( Yes I did!) In the end, a priest came up to bless us in our own languages. It was heartfelt and so kind and unforgettable. This was the perfect way to end a long hard memorable day. Time to sleep now and dream of climbing hills.Leer más