Day 32: Lavacolla to Santiago de Compostela

Having just 10km left to walk today day 32 was an easy one. We set of at daybreak to avoid queues in Santiago. It rained on our way into the city which is meant to bring good luck to all that enter so we didn’t mind a bit of rain!

The path was a combination of forest path and road for the final stretch however the sounds of the city in the distance were undeniable. We passed through Monte del Gozo on the way, the highest point where pilgrims could catch a glimpse of the city. In our case the rain blocked this opportunity. We were able to see however the large sculpture to commerate the visit of Pope John Paul II in 1993. Monte del Gozo also has one of the largest alburgues before the final stop to Santiago with no less than 400 beds, it is used a lot by schools and large groups of which there were many on the route. I was rather glad we had chosen alternative accommodation the night before as it looked more like a detention centre than an alburgue.

There were lots of sculptures as we entered Santiago to remind us that we were on the right way. I was glad to share the final walk in with my 3 Spanish companions, Adolfo, Luis and Carolina that I had spent the last number of days with.

The final walk in….

We met my favourite Italian couple Fabio and Renata while collecting our compostela. I met them every day along the primitivo and it was a pleasure each day.

I’ve learnt lots of lessons on the camino but for me the final lesson is that, yes I can absolutely do everything on my own but the way is often more fun if you find others along the way that allow you space to be alone when you need to and offer hugs and laughter when you don’t. I feel very blessed to have met the people I met along the way.

Day 31: Ribadiso to Lavacolla

With a great day for walking and a relatively flat path we took advantage today and walked a longer stretch today leaving just 10km to Santiago for the morning. The purpose of this is twofold, people were walking in droves to try and be in Santiago for Sunday…ie too many people! and secondly, our current option allows us to be in Santiago for early morning beating the queues to get the compostelas.

The first town we passed through this morning was Arzúa which was just 2.5km outside Ribadiso. With 17 hostels alone in Ribadiso and signs everywhere for camino services it seemed like it was a town existing only for the camino. It seemed a little sad to see no other visible existence …it lacked a little so soul for me.

A lot of the way today was on forest paths which was great.

There were large packs of people hiking again this morning. There seemed to be a lot of schools doing the camino…lots of disgruntled looking teenagers racing for the next coffee break! We stopped for mid morning breakfast in O Pedrouzo and mysteriously but thankfully, the paths seemed quieter for the last 9km.

It is becoming clear that we are leaving the quiet of the countryside and entering a big city. The people is one side but a sadder side is to see how the camino signs now have graffiti…The bad “tag only” type all over them, trees too. It’s a different type of people walking this part of the camino. There is however beauty to be found too.

We are staying in Levacolla tonight in a nice alburgue just 10km from Santiago. It is quiet and peaceful and seems and apt way to spend the night before the final walk in tommorow…plus it had an amazing restaurant up the street from here (Sabugueira) we were treated to a great lunch.

Lavacolla is said to have got it’s name from a tradition of older times where pilgrims washed in the river running by the town prior to walking the final 10km to the cathedral. The river was certainly refreshing so it seems like a good plan even today.

Day 30: A Seixas (Merlán) to Ribadiso

Today was a shorter day and filled with rain. We started walking approximately 6am and it poured rain until after 2pm. Thankfully the afternoon has improved so it gives us a chance to dry everything…and also sit outside and avail of the beautiful stream that runs alongside the alburgue.

Photographs are limited today as taking the phone out risked water damage each time. We were on the roads a lot but also got to go through more forest trails today which was great.

We passed through the town of Melide today which is the first town where the primitivo meets the French way. The number of people on the track changed dramatically and it was rather a shock to the senses. It was also evident that we had a lot of people joining to do the 100km compostela. We stopped into a lovely bar/cafe for mid morning breakfast and a nice pick me up from the rain.

We also met up with my favourite Italian couple who I met every day since Oviedo.

We are staying in an alburgue by the river as you enter town. A nice rest place for the evening and night.

Day 29: Lugo to A Seixas (Merlán)

A longer day today of 32km as the weather was cool and dry so we decided to take advantage as the days ahead are promised unsettled with rain looming for tommorow. Today was the dullest part of the camino primitivo by a long stretch. We walked almost the whole way by paved road today which felt way too like Cantabria. I really dislike walking on paved roads as it burns your feel and feels soulless. We were saved intermittently by some great forest trails which helped along the way. I was also grateful for the company of Louis and Carolina two Spanish fellow pilgrims that I have spent the last few days with as it made the walk more enjoyable.The first 11km were on Paved roads with not much to see.

It wasn’t all bad today we did pass through some nice farmlands and saw some more great Galician horróes.

The woodland walks though few were also beautiful.

Just outside Leboreira we came across lots of beautiful signs in the forest which led us to an artist’s studio where a valencian man had set up a leather workshop. He offered us a unique hand designed stamp for our pilgrims passport. He seemed half man half wizard and the encounter was a good one.

Home for the night was a beautiful new alburgue in the countryside.

Day 28: Castroverde to Lugo

It was a nice short day today, just 22km felt like a bit of a luxury. Today was also the last of the hilly stretch and compared to previous days were very gentle. Leaving Castroverde you have the option to go a slightly longer route to take in an older church walking through a chestnut forest…this was the option we took. W

300 year old chestnut tree

The route to Lugo was mainly flat after passing through lots of farmland…two adorable dogs for morning cuddles and having to suck my stomach in to let the cattle past.

Coming in to Lugo we met a group of people practicing to parade for Santiago day in full costume. We also passed an important camino milestone…We are now just within the last 100km…a task that seemed impossible just a few weeks ago.

Entrance to Lugo
Entrance to Lugo old town
Lugo walled city

Lugo is a really nice city and is easy to navigate to and from. Unlike the other cities I have passed through along the camino the path in was through beautiful farmland and villages instead of industrial factories. Lugo is the capital province of Lugo and reported to be one of the most populated cities in Galicia. A once defensive wall built by the rim and in the 3rd century surrounds the old city. It’s it 2km long and up to 15km high in places with 71 towers and 10 gates. Walking on the elevated path provided a great view of the city below.

Lugo has also a very beautiful cathedral which was very active today with lots of masses on. We were however able to get in for a look around.

After settling into the hostel it was time to go search for some of that great Galician seafood. I found it and “Grandma’s cake” a layered chocolate cake I had been told about and been craving for days now…than and a large helping of wine I had to avail of siesta time in the afternoon.

Our hostel is just meters from the cathedral so is in the middle of all the hustle and bustle. is Santiago day today so there is a holiday in the region with much of the shops closed. Bars and restaurants are open and I’m guessing there won’t be much sleep tonight as the celebrations go on outside. I can forgive this as it’s been a good day!

Day 27: O Piñeiral to Castroverde

A longer day was planned for today, 28km before hot midday sun meant that an early rise was required. The route promised to be less strenuous than other days but delivered a large amount of up hills and down hills…The hilly primitivo was not giving up the ghost just yet!!

Again the morning was beautiful. I really love the early mornings. Since I’ve started the camino it take a little longer each morning to get bright. There is something really lovely about walking in the dark with a headtorch and then putting it away as the sun comes up lighting the way.

Now in Galicia it is noticeable how the farm buildings have also changed. We came across several round stone buildings today different to the raised Asturian Hórreo.

Making my way to O Cádavo the largest town before my final stop for the day I stopped for a rest break. A coffee, fresh orange juice and chocolate croissant left me very happy. To my surprise 3 irish men on motorbikes pulled up alongside me, two from Limerick, one from Cork. It was really great to sit and chat for a while having a bit of irish banter. They provided great company and I can only imagine what a great trip they were having motorbiking around Spain together. The walk from there was just 8km to Castroverde. There was an option to add 800m to view Church of Santa María, Vilabade before coming to Castroverde which I’m very glad I did as a local man let us see inside the church and Louis a Spanish guy I had walked with was able to provide all the history.

Castroverde was a small town but with the festival of Santiago kicking off there was music into the small hours. We had some great food and on the way back spotted a rather unusual instrument…a chicken plucking machine! I hadn’t know they even existed before this…it reminded me of an episode of Dr Who.

One of the sad parts of the camino is that you are meeting people and then continually saying goodbye. It was one such night in the alburgue tonight as we said out goodbyes to some of the gang who were walking on to a longer stage while half the group decided to remain with a shorter stage to explore Lugo.

Day 26: Castro to O Piñeiral

Today the weather was promised to be the hottest of the week with a thunderstorm promised for the afternoon. We were all on the move early and with my pre-packed ham and cheese bocadillo nicely settling into its new home with my tummy it was time to set out for the day. As with the previous days the morning views were worth the early rise.

On the path this morning we also crossed from the spanish region Asturias to the region of Galicia where the last stage of the camino is based. Galicia is famed for it’s seafood so I’m looking forward to sampling some delights over the coming days!

It became clear very quickly that Galicia follow a different direction system to Asturias….within 500m there were two signs with shells pointing in two different directions! Thankfully they are great at painting yellow arrows everywhere.

The path continued to be beautiful

I was lacking in energy at the start of today and my mood was low. I couldn’t put my finger on what it was that was stirring emotions but stirring they certainly were. I decided to sit outside a farmhouse on a bench mid morning to rest and chill for a bit. It was at that point that Marilana (the owner of the house)..a name I have no doubt spelt wrong came over to me put her hand on my shoulder and it was like she looked into my soul. She had no english, I had no Spanish but somehow we were able to communicate. She invited me into her home for coffee and breakfast. I sat at the kitchen table with herself and her husband as they kept bringing out food and time and worries stood still. It was a magical moment of pure kindness and generosity that will stay with me forever.

The path continued to A Fonsagrada which had a nice steep hill to climb before entering the town. It was a case of putting the head down and getting on with it. The town of A Fonsagrada itself had a ghost town feel with lots of shops boarded closed…once again I was happy we had decided to stay outside of the town.

Entering A Fonsagrada …it’s on the hill above!

The walk from A Fonsagrada to O Piñeral was a really nice one through small villages and countryside.

The alburgue we are staying in is situated in the middle of the forest. It has a restaurant and bar attached so we got fed well.

We awaited the storm that never came, rested and got ready for another day.

Day 25: Berducedo to Castro

Today the walk out of Berducedo was beautiful. I left early as the day was promised hot and I was rewarded by a beautiful sunrise and start to the day.

I came across a small beautiful church after the first uphill climb from A Mesa which stood strong and beautiful in the morning light.

The path then had a steep decent to the reservoir at Emblase de Salime. We crossed through the original camino way which had a fire come through in 2017. The marks of the fire were still evident on the treeline.

The views as you decend towards the reservoir at Emblase de Salime are impressive as is the dam itself. I was joined on the way by some fellow pilgrims, Marie Therese from France, Adolfo from Spain and Kim from Denmark which made the walk lighter. We stopped for refreshments at the hotel post the reservoir with great views over the valley, a wonderful family dog and a bonus of freshly squeezed orange juice. It was a good morning on the camino!

We passed through Grandas which seemed like a rather run down town and while we stopped for some refreshments I was glad that we had made the decision to sleep outside of town.

Some interesting creations to wish us Buen Camino

We walked on to Castro and stayed in the alburgue there. The alburgue is great in Castro. There is great food and the place has a great community energy. It was a lovely place to spend the night.

On the way to Castro from Grande

Day 24: Campiello to Berducedo

Having set up yesterday’s stage it left two choices for the stage today. We had to either go high over the ridgeline via the Hospitales route or take the road through the valley via Pola de Allende. There was much discussion in the alburgue the night before as to what the weather would do as the mountain was nowhere to be with high wind and rain. In the morning clear skies signalled to us that we were good to go, the hospitales route it was. The Hospitales route is the original primitivo route named as such because of the ancient remains of three pilgrim hospitals from the 15th century.

The morning started out perfect but as we climbed a fog appeared which thickened as we ascended making it difficult to see more than 50m ahead in parts. I was glad we were in a large staggered group as it was reassuring to have company navigating the path in the fog.

At the top of the mountain ridgeline with wind and cold driving fog it seemed like a good time to put my jacket on. It was then I discovered that I had left my jacket in the alburgue. For the second day in a row I was at the mercy of the kind camino taxi to retrieve my lost belongings.

We were very fortunate to have the fog clear before we left the mountain ridge. The fog lifted leaving way to stunning scenery.

The way down the mountain was steep and had to been taken slowly in parts but was also really beautiful.

We passed through montefurado which seemed to have just one family living there.

The final stretch to Berducedo was along trails as the day heated up it was great to arrive at our alburgue for a nice cold beer.

Day 23: Salas to Campiello

The trail from Salas to Campiello was beautiful much of it through some great forest trails.

The way was quite muddy at times despite it being July and I was glad to have my boots. I was only an hour in and could not shake the feeling I had forgotten something…The first big hill reminded me quickly…I had left my hiking poles at the alburgue!! After a couple of phone calls the alburgue very kindly agreed to send them on to Tineo which was the next town I would be in by lunchtime. It was super efficient and such a kind group of people.

Feeling stronger today I decided to do a longer route to set up the next few days better. In saying that Tineo, the little town in the hills I stopped in for lunch was really great with some beautiful views.

Campiello was 12km from Tineo and the next nearest village with accommodation. The walk there was beautiful and my home for the night was Casa Ricardo a beautiful family run alburgue where we were given s great welcome and well fed for the night.