Today can best be described as foggy and wet, wet and foggy in equal measure!
We left at 07:30am engulfed in thick fog, the morning dew seeping into every pore of our rucksack, clothes and body. One hour later the soft rain came, almost like an English rain but much finer. We looked at each other and said "both weather forecasts we looked at said no rain today; it will pass".
By the time we realised this was not going to happen it was too late. We were soaked to the skin! Too late to don our ponchos so we carried on regardless. Five and a half hours later we arrived in Corcubion, looking like drowned rats! What miserable weather! One of the things we were looking forward to today was the first sight of the sea after nearly two months walking. We could not see beyond twenty metres! The sight from the top of the mountain overlooking the town of Cee is one of the most beautiful sights we saw on our last walk. Could we see it this time. No! From that vantage point one can normally see Finisterre in the far distance. No way, nothing!
It was only after negotiating a very long and very steep rocky path down to the seashore that we spied the sea, through the mist. After a brief stop at a bar for a coffee we carried on to Corcubion where we stopped for lunch. The lunch made up for the lost morning. Lovely fresh salad, pimientos de Padron, pulpo a la Gallega, Chipirones and gulas al ajillo, followed by cheesecake and coffee! And then on to the hotel for a shower and a siesta. This evening the sun has made an appearance and we are sitting out on a lovely terrace overlooking the bay, dreaming of tomorrow when we reach the end of our long Camino. Joy and sadness in equal measure at the thought of finishing.
Tomorrow we are promised sunshine. It will be a great day for us whatever happens. Another adventure almost over. To quote Ernest Hemingway "“It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.” So far this journey has been amazing. Thank you for sharing it with us. See you at the finish!
Tuesday, 7 July 2015
DIA 57 - OLVEIROA A CORCUBIÔN
La etapa de hoy fue de 23 kms. La niebla fue aumentando a medida que avanzábamos. Casi todo el tiempo caminamos por senderos entre bosques. Un sube y baja como los últimos días pero no muy empinados. A la hora mas o menos empezó a caer una llovizna muy fina que terminó por empaparnos. Una fuerte bajada por un camino empedrado nos condujo hasta la entrada de Cee.
Habíamos esperado ver el mar por primera vez desde que salimos de Alicante y también el Cabo de Finisterra en la lejanía desde la cima de la montaña pero la niebla espesa no lo permitió. Lástima! Nos acordábamos de la hermosa vista que tuvimos hace cinco años pero... no pudo ser. Así es el Camino, nunca igual...
Dos kms después de Cee, caminando por al lado de la playa, llegamos a Corcubión, nuestra última parada antes de Finisterra. Allí recién paró la llovizna.
Tanto Cee como Corcubión fueron habitados por los celtas y sus habitantes se dedicaron por siglos a la pesca de ballenas y cachalotes. En la ensenada de Caneliñas hubo una factoría ballenera desde 1924 que se mantuvo activa hasta 1995, siendo la última en España en cerrar sus puertas.
Mañana llegaremos al cabo de Finisterra, nuestro destino final! Parece mentira que ya estemos tan cerca...
Habíamos esperado ver el mar por primera vez desde que salimos de Alicante y también el Cabo de Finisterra en la lejanía desde la cima de la montaña pero la niebla espesa no lo permitió. Lástima! Nos acordábamos de la hermosa vista que tuvimos hace cinco años pero... no pudo ser. Así es el Camino, nunca igual...
Dos kms después de Cee, caminando por al lado de la playa, llegamos a Corcubión, nuestra última parada antes de Finisterra. Allí recién paró la llovizna.
Tanto Cee como Corcubión fueron habitados por los celtas y sus habitantes se dedicaron por siglos a la pesca de ballenas y cachalotes. En la ensenada de Caneliñas hubo una factoría ballenera desde 1924 que se mantuvo activa hasta 1995, siendo la última en España en cerrar sus puertas.
Mañana llegaremos al cabo de Finisterra, nuestro destino final! Parece mentira que ya estemos tan cerca...
Monday, 6 July 2015
DAY 56 - SANTA MARIÑA TO OLVEIROA - 14KMS
A very short day today - only 14 Kms! Our decision to allow an extra day to reach Finisterre is paying off. Ana Maria's foot has been swelling up again and a shorter day means more recuperation time. We have also been able to rest up a bit longer.
The walk today has been pleasant, although we have been walking mainly on narrow mountain roads. A very misty morning which meant we were unable to see the Embalse da Fervenza, normally a beautiful sight first thing in the morning. The scenery is still very reminiscent of that back home, with rolling hills full of various shades of green. Cornfields are still predominant, basking in very pleasant sunshine. Today we have a private room in an Albergue in the village of Olveiroa. There are lots of people here today as it is the place to stop for those doing a short stage, as we are, and those who have been walking some 35kms to reach here today!
Tomorrow we will see the sea for the first time since we started this walk back on the 12th of May. We remember the thrill well from our last walk through here five years ago. We will reach the coast at the town of Cee. As we will be approaching from a mountain top we have a very steep descent along a difficult track to negotiate before we can reach the coast. I will keep my knee strap handy, just in case. This time instead of stopping in Cee as we did last time, we will be continuing a few more kilometres to Corcubion. This way our last stage to Finisterre will be that little bit shorter. From the town of Finisterre to the lighthouse at Cape Finisterre is another three kilometres, and the end of the road for us! The finish is in sight (almost!).
The walk today has been pleasant, although we have been walking mainly on narrow mountain roads. A very misty morning which meant we were unable to see the Embalse da Fervenza, normally a beautiful sight first thing in the morning. The scenery is still very reminiscent of that back home, with rolling hills full of various shades of green. Cornfields are still predominant, basking in very pleasant sunshine. Today we have a private room in an Albergue in the village of Olveiroa. There are lots of people here today as it is the place to stop for those doing a short stage, as we are, and those who have been walking some 35kms to reach here today!
Tomorrow we will see the sea for the first time since we started this walk back on the 12th of May. We remember the thrill well from our last walk through here five years ago. We will reach the coast at the town of Cee. As we will be approaching from a mountain top we have a very steep descent along a difficult track to negotiate before we can reach the coast. I will keep my knee strap handy, just in case. This time instead of stopping in Cee as we did last time, we will be continuing a few more kilometres to Corcubion. This way our last stage to Finisterre will be that little bit shorter. From the town of Finisterre to the lighthouse at Cape Finisterre is another three kilometres, and the end of the road for us! The finish is in sight (almost!).
DÍA 56 - SANTA MARIÑA A OLVEIROA
La etapa de hoy era corta, de unos 14 kms hasta Olveiroa. Caminamos mayormente por asfalto pero al no hacermucho calor no tuvimos mayores problemas. Subimos por pista asfaltada la ladera del Monte Aro (la travesía original que atraviesa la montaña esta cerrada, en recuperación) y al bajar hay hermosas vistas a montañas y valles. Normalmente se ve también el embalse da Fervenza pero hoy la bruma cubrió el valle y fue imposible verlo. Cruzamos el puente sobre el río Xallas y unos kilómetros más adelante llegamos a nuestro destino, Olveiroa. El albergue privado con opción a habitaciones dobles y un restaurante al lado esta muy bien y tiene un hermoso hórreo al frente (granero de piedra típico de Galicia).
En Olveiroa se encuentran petroglifos de la edad de Bronce, dólmenes y túmulos. Lástima que están muy lejos para visitar a pié, otra vez será...
Finamente, gracias a todos por sus mensajes y palabras de aliento. Nos inspiran y animan a seguir adelante. Solo quedan dos días para llegar a Finisterra. Ultreia!!!
En Olveiroa se encuentran petroglifos de la edad de Bronce, dólmenes y túmulos. Lástima que están muy lejos para visitar a pié, otra vez será...
Finamente, gracias a todos por sus mensajes y palabras de aliento. Nos inspiran y animan a seguir adelante. Solo quedan dos días para llegar a Finisterra. Ultreia!!!
Sunday, 5 July 2015
DAY 55 - NEGREIRA TO SANTA MARIÑA - 22KMS
Today we set off at 06:30am, feeling refreshed after a restful night. We expect to have to wait three hours before we can have breakfast, but unexpectedly find a bar open almost immediately. It's funny how the most simple things can bring such joy!
From there the day just gets better and better! A nice cool breeze blows gently as the path winds mercilessly up and down the hillsides, but not as acute or punishing as on the previous day. We do not mind having to walk on the road for a bit. The countryside beckons, looking beautiful with paths through oak and eucalyptus woods. Open fields full of corn greet our every turn. Then we start to be overtaken by fellow walkers, all much younger, moving at an alarming speed heading for destinations way past the one we have chosen for today. As we have been feeling very tired lately, we decide to add one more stage to our journey to Finisterre, so that we now plan to reach our final destination on the 8th of July, instead of the 7th. This way we can take it easier today.
Along the way we meet three young American girls, two from Texas and one from Iowa, a Spaniard from Barcelona who has started his walk in Oviedo, an Englishman from Bideford, four Spanish ladies we have been meeting on and off for the last few days, a young Dutch girl who passes us very quickly, angry that she got lost and started walking in the opposite direction for three kilometres before she realised her mistake, and a number of walkers coming in the opposite direction heading back from Finisterre to Santiago. After twelve kilometres we come across the first bar since Negreira. It is full of walkers already, but we manage to find a corner to sit in.
Suitably refreshed we march on another ten kilometres and reach Santa Mariña, a small village which boasts two Albergues, a municipal one and a private one. We have booked ahead at the private one "Casa Pepa". Then follows our daily ritual: we check in, we shower, we wash our clothes, we have lunch, we sleep for an hour, we prepare our blog in English and Spanish, we pray for a good wifi signal, we post, we have a drink and a small snack and then prepare our rucksacks ready for the off tomorrow. Then sleep, hoping for good things tomorrow!
From there the day just gets better and better! A nice cool breeze blows gently as the path winds mercilessly up and down the hillsides, but not as acute or punishing as on the previous day. We do not mind having to walk on the road for a bit. The countryside beckons, looking beautiful with paths through oak and eucalyptus woods. Open fields full of corn greet our every turn. Then we start to be overtaken by fellow walkers, all much younger, moving at an alarming speed heading for destinations way past the one we have chosen for today. As we have been feeling very tired lately, we decide to add one more stage to our journey to Finisterre, so that we now plan to reach our final destination on the 8th of July, instead of the 7th. This way we can take it easier today.
Along the way we meet three young American girls, two from Texas and one from Iowa, a Spaniard from Barcelona who has started his walk in Oviedo, an Englishman from Bideford, four Spanish ladies we have been meeting on and off for the last few days, a young Dutch girl who passes us very quickly, angry that she got lost and started walking in the opposite direction for three kilometres before she realised her mistake, and a number of walkers coming in the opposite direction heading back from Finisterre to Santiago. After twelve kilometres we come across the first bar since Negreira. It is full of walkers already, but we manage to find a corner to sit in.
Suitably refreshed we march on another ten kilometres and reach Santa Mariña, a small village which boasts two Albergues, a municipal one and a private one. We have booked ahead at the private one "Casa Pepa". Then follows our daily ritual: we check in, we shower, we wash our clothes, we have lunch, we sleep for an hour, we prepare our blog in English and Spanish, we pray for a good wifi signal, we post, we have a drink and a small snack and then prepare our rucksacks ready for the off tomorrow. Then sleep, hoping for good things tomorrow!
DÍA 55 - NEGREIRA A SANTA MARIÑA
La etapa de hoy fue de 22 kms. Al salir de Negreira pasamos por un gran arco de piedra que comunica la capilla con el pazo de Cotón del siglo XVIII. Poco después se ve una estatua que recuerda a los gallegos que emigraron buscando trabajo en otros países o lugares más propicios.
La primera parte fue un sube y baja, mayormente por bosques de eucaliptos y robles bordeados por helechos. En algunas partes el sendero esta encauzado por muros de piedra, cubiertos de musgo y rodeados de vegetación diversa. Hermoso!
Luego caminamos bastante por carretera y caminos de tierra con grandes plantaciones de maíz a ambos lados. También se ven algunas cabañas de vacas. Al pasar por el puente de Maroñas tuvimos que apartarnos para dejar pasar a un grupo de vacas rumbo a un tambo que nos miraban con curiosidad...
Poco después llegamos a la aldea de Santa Mariña donde pasaremos la noche en un albergue privado, dormitorio arriba con 14 camas y literas y bar con comida en la planta baja. Los que se quedan en este lugar son los que, como nosotros, no quieren hacer la etapa larga de más de 35 kms.
Hoy vimos a muchos peregrinos de varias nacionalidades en el camino, franceses, alemanes, americanos, españoles, canadienses, holandeses, etc. Algunos volviendo a Santiago.
Mañana seguimos a Olveira.
La primera parte fue un sube y baja, mayormente por bosques de eucaliptos y robles bordeados por helechos. En algunas partes el sendero esta encauzado por muros de piedra, cubiertos de musgo y rodeados de vegetación diversa. Hermoso!
Luego caminamos bastante por carretera y caminos de tierra con grandes plantaciones de maíz a ambos lados. También se ven algunas cabañas de vacas. Al pasar por el puente de Maroñas tuvimos que apartarnos para dejar pasar a un grupo de vacas rumbo a un tambo que nos miraban con curiosidad...
Poco después llegamos a la aldea de Santa Mariña donde pasaremos la noche en un albergue privado, dormitorio arriba con 14 camas y literas y bar con comida en la planta baja. Los que se quedan en este lugar son los que, como nosotros, no quieren hacer la etapa larga de más de 35 kms.
Hoy vimos a muchos peregrinos de varias nacionalidades en el camino, franceses, alemanes, americanos, españoles, canadienses, holandeses, etc. Algunos volviendo a Santiago.
Mañana seguimos a Olveira.
Saturday, 4 July 2015
DAY 54 - SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA TO NEGREIRA - 23KMS
Another early morning start through the deserted streets of Santiago, down to the Obradoiro Square, past the Parador Nacional and down the hill, which eventually led to beautiful eucalyptus forests and leafy lanes reminiscent of Back home in Surrey.
What I hadn't bargained for were the endless climbs and descents From a height of 253m to160m, 220m,150m,200m, 150m, 175m and finally at Augapesada 58m. From there a very steep 2 km-long climb to Alto do Mar de Ovellas at 270m. I can tell you that I felt completely exhausted! I think our bodies are telling us enough is enough and that we need more rest. We have our flights booked for our return to the UK on the 11th so we don't have much leeway. We may have to take an extra day to complete the journey as we both feel very tired.
The highlight today was passing the Ponte Vella at Ponte Maceira. This is a XIV century bridge in a delightful setting. We remembered this well from our 2010 walk. A few kilometres later we arrived in Negreira, where tonight we are staying in a private Albergue with a room all to ourselves to see if we can get a bit of rest.
Let's see how we get on tomorrow!
What I hadn't bargained for were the endless climbs and descents From a height of 253m to160m, 220m,150m,200m, 150m, 175m and finally at Augapesada 58m. From there a very steep 2 km-long climb to Alto do Mar de Ovellas at 270m. I can tell you that I felt completely exhausted! I think our bodies are telling us enough is enough and that we need more rest. We have our flights booked for our return to the UK on the 11th so we don't have much leeway. We may have to take an extra day to complete the journey as we both feel very tired.
The highlight today was passing the Ponte Vella at Ponte Maceira. This is a XIV century bridge in a delightful setting. We remembered this well from our 2010 walk. A few kilometres later we arrived in Negreira, where tonight we are staying in a private Albergue with a room all to ourselves to see if we can get a bit of rest.
Let's see how we get on tomorrow!
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