The Best Day's Walking So Far

After our quiet evening in the hills at Herrerias de Valcarce we awoke to a freezing morning. With a clear starry night the temperature in these mountain quickly dropped to near freezing point. After breakfast we took a short transfer to another mountain top start where the views down over the surrounding hillsides were absolutely breathtaking. Some of the valleys were still filled with white fluffy clouds which had not been burnt off by the low sun.

The region we are now in is the mountainous province of Galicia. This is a huge contrast to the flat landscapes we had been hiking through a few days earlier. Although the walking is harder, it is infinitely more rewarding. Apart from the glorious views, the cool, clear mountain air made us all feel much fresher.

Another feature of this region is stone houses with slate roofs. Some of the roofs were tremendous examples of the workmanship of the tilers, almost a work of art in themselves.

Although we started at around 1400 metres in elevation and knew that we had to finish the day in Sarria at only 400 metres, the descent did not actually begin in earnest until long after the half way point had been reached. In fact we had a significant amount of steep climbing to complete before we could face the additional challenge of the steep downhill.

Fortunately the path itself was in much better condition than the treacherous rocky paths that had been such a challenge yesterday. In addition we had the benefit of liberal shade along the way.

When we felt that the steepest of the climbing section had been completed (at around the 10 km point), we took advantage of a lovely hilltop cafe to celebrate with a hot coffee. This was also the perfect location to sit, admire the views and appreciate just how far we had climbed. I believe that anyone undertaking a walk like this one simply must take the time to savour the journey. Especially in this region, the surroundings are just so magnificent, that it would be a crime to just hurry through without stopping time and time again to appreciate the beauty that is all around us.

Although we might have been expecting an immediate descent to begin, the path actually continued along a saddle for some kilometres. Sometimes there was a small drop, but this was quickly followed by another rise. Apparently this is a classic feature of the Galician mountains. It often means that you can never get into a rhythm.

It was not until we had reached the 16 km mark that the serious descent began. On this terrain you feel your toes squashed into the end of your shoes. The backs of your legs start to feel the constant strain and you need to pay close attention to every footstep, lest you take a tumble.

As we descended we pass through a couple of tiny villages. At one time we found ourselves in the middle of a small herd of cows. At the front of the her a cattle dog was making sure they went the right way, and at the rear, the owner was making sure they kept moving. The houses crowded on either side of the path. Some of these looked like they were danger of collapse, while others had been heavily restored.

With about 6 km to go we caught our first glimpses of Triacastella, nestled neatly in the bottom of the valley. We continued to descend steadily and each glimpse of the town showed that we were slowly getting closer and closer.

When we noticed an enticing looking cafe we decided that it would be a nice spot to have a drink and rest before completing the walk to Triacastella. There were several young pilgrims already resting there. It so happened that two of our team members were celebrating birthdays today. Christine Swistak was turning 59 and Allan Barlin was celebrating being born exactly 10 years prior to Christine.

When I suggested we could sing another round of Happy Birthday to Christine, a young German pilgrim immediately produced a ukulele and began to sing. She had a lovely singing voice and for an all too brief moment, we all felt united in the spirit of the Camino. It is these completely unplanned events that for me, make travel so magical.

Soon we all wished each other yet another "Buen Camino" and continued on or way. A short time later we were in Triacastella and the day's walk had been completed. With a final total of 22 km, it had been one of the longest of our trip so far, but somehow it did not seem too hard at all. Perhaps we are all getting stronger, but I think it was more like being carried along on a wave of positive energy.The slightly cooler weather certainly helped also.

We arrived at Triacastella around 3 pm - just in time for lunch. This might seem a little strange in Australia, but in Spain the rhythm of life is completely different. It is not at all unusual to have lunch late in the day and dinner much, much later. Dinner is seldom eaten before 8 pm, and often as late as 10 pm.

After a brief stop at the huge Samos Monastery, we continued by bus the final few km to Sarria. The main claim to fame of Sarria would appear to be that it is the closest point to Santiago that you can begin a Camino and still qualify for your Compostela (certificate). I guess that makes it a popular starting point for those will not much time or energy to devote to a longer pilgrimage.

My first impression of Sarria was slightly underwhelming as it appeared to lack the charm and history of so many of the other towns we had passed through over the past 10 days. We are booked for one night at the Hotel Alfonso IX. I guess that if it was good enough for the Fonsie, it will be good enough for us. And it was.

It is hard to believe that in just two day's time our Camino will be complete and we will have arrived in Santiago. Tomorrow we have another long stage to complete, but I already sense that the group is really looking forward to it. Since Santiago is now almost on the horizon we are expecting to be sharing the path with a much higher number of pilgrims.Read more