Ruthie has somehow convinced me that we haven’t walked enough on this trip and that we would be walking 113 kilometres of the Spanish Camino trail over 7 days. There are various Camino routes in Spain and we will be walking the Camino Inglés from Ferrol to Santiago de Compostela. This is the English way named after the medieval pilgrims from England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and Scandinavia who travelled to Spain by sea. Ruthie tells me it’s a pilgrimage and that I may be affected either spiritually, culturally or physically through earth energies. This could be interesting.

Day 1 Ferrol to Puentedeume – 16 kilometres 

It all began with a sense of excitement. Our suitcases have been onforwaded. All our day possessions were in our small backpacks and we had our Camino passports that we needed to have stamped along the way. The walk out of the hubbub of Ferrol led to a scenic walking path that was rainforest like, occasionally meeting fellow pilgrims along the way. I was enjoying the serenity as light rain began to fall.

We were prepared for that and put our wet weather gear on. Eventually, when no one else was around, we tested our singing voices surprising each other with never before heard talent. The rain was now heavier and the sound from our feet on the path had changed from a crunch to a squelch. When you take into account the weather conditions and the undulating countryside, it wasn’t just a walk in the park. The last 500 metres to our hotel felt like 10kms but we did it! At the hotel after hearing that Dolly Parton had passed away, I fortunately found a guitar and played Jolene as a tribute. The crowd of 1 was very appreciative.

Spiritually, I think I encountered the rain spirit today.

Day 2 Puentedeume to Miño 14kms

Apparently, yesterday was the coldest and wettest day for a while. This weather is considered quite unseasonal.

Even though today’s distance didn’t seem as far, it started with a 1.2km walk up a hill and then some slippery ups and downs due to yesterday’s rain. Some would say it was a hard leg day at the gym. I have read that this stage is challenging for even the most seasoned walkers.

One moment we were viewing panoramic vistas, the next we were in amongst an enchanted forest of gum trees and then maple trees which served as an avenue of honour. We walked through a golf course and some small villages. Apart from other pilgrims it was very quiet. My thoughts are that Spaniards are either on Siesta or Fiesta, no in between.

Finally, we found an enterprising Spaniard who had set up a remote coffee and snack stop. We couldn’t find one of these yesterday so it was nice to stop to take the weight off. There was a Dutch film crew there making a documentary on the walk we were doing and judging by the amount of equipment they had with them, it was a big deal.

Even though there weren’t many services along the way, Ruthie couldn’t resist buying at a souvenir stall in the middle of the forest using the honesty system.

An enjoyable walk and the rain stayed away. We had reached our hotel right near the ocean. The weather was mild but as our walk tomorrow would start to take us away from the water, we decided to have a recovery swim. It was certainly invigorating and we felt very refreshed. 

Spiritually Magic!

Day 3 – Miño to Betanzos 14kms

Today, I could have pulled the doonah back over my head. The wind was up and the rain was sheeting.

Our problem is that Ruthie needed to book our accommodation in advance (as advised) so taking a lay day would muck up our schedule. Yes, we could catch an Uber to the next hotel. Not walking wasn’t an option.

Together with the inclines, today’s walk was challenging. Just the same, still enjoyable. Part of the walk took us along the river and then some beautiful lush countryside passing through small villages. The villages ranged from medieval buildings to grand Spanish Villas.

Our overnight is in the town of Betanzos. All these smaller towns are amazing, especially this one. So much history. Unfortunately we’re too buggered to do much exploring.

The other issue we’ve found is that cafes and restaurants close for Siesta at 4pm and don’t reopen until 8. So finding nourishing food is a problem as by 8pm we’re pretty much done. Eventually, we learnt to read the Spanish clock by how empty the plaza was. Today we did strike gold and found somewhere that at least made an amazing hamburger! 

Today we were spiritually challenged.

Day 4 Betanzos to Bruma 22kms

The test. Today is going to be our longest journey providing we don’t get lost on the remaining 3 days. If the distance doesn’t seem that far, consider that we have already walked 41kms in the last 3 days.

Leaving Betanzos we began climbing up quite a steep gradient. 

As we got into the forest there were rapid claps of thunder which echoed all around us. My immediate thoughts were to fold up our metal walking poles. You could hear the howling wind starting to rustle the leaves on the tall gum trees a distance away. I wondered what the wind was going to bring as it came closer. Luckily all that subsided. 

What didn’t subside was the climbing. Our walking took us to an elevation rise of 704 metres. I think I saw cyclists training for the Tour de France and mountain bikes in the forest training for the Olympics.

The skies looked threatening all along but apart from some nuisance rain towards the end and some headwinds, the weather ended up behaving. Again some magical vistas, enchanting forest paths, time for thinking and singing. 

Services along this route are very limited and there were no rest stops until we’d walked about 8k’s and even that was only a stone wall of a church. It wasn’t long before we were joined by many more pilgrims and here we were thinking we were the only ones out here!

But…. it wasn’t over. The last part of the walk always feels like 10kms!

We were told to stop at Bar Casa Avelina where our hotel would come and pick us up (and drop us back there to continue tomorrow.) Well we were treated as long lost family at that bar. Run by two middle aged sisters for decades they treat all the pilgrims this way. Ruthie was given a foot stool, olives and biscuits came our way without ordering. We did order Vino Blanco and two of the largest Bocadillo sandwiches I’ve ever had. Even though they didn’t speak a word of English, we found them delightful and just what we needed after 22kms. It was a difficult stage but I think we were on a natural high because of the achievement. Now for sleep aided by the spirit of endurance. 

Day 5 Bruma to Ordes – 11 kms

After yesterday, today could be considered a recovery day. It was a coolish start with the sun trying hard to break through the mountainous misty sky. The terrain was relatively flat thank goodness and again very scenic. Before long we were at our accommodation which was a very boutique Galician home made from stacked stone with exposed beams. We could be here in medieval times. 

As it happens we are here for the feast in honour of St Augustine. This involves a lot of bell ringing, a parade through the streets and exploding loud daytime fireworks launched into the sky used for their loudness rather than their colour and released when you least expect it. Apparently this signifies to surrounding villages that the Fiesta has started. Just as you relax, off it goes again. I’m not sure my heart is coping. And here we were thinking we’d join the Spanish in their Siesta time today but that’s not going to happen with all this noise. Oh well, if you cant beat them as they say. 

That night we finally got a nutritious meal at our small hotel restaurant. We had passed cornfields and vegetable crops aplenty on our walk but up to now were living on bread, cheese and ham. It was a fun evening to be able to swap stories with our Irish and Indonesian/ American fellow travellers.

A very multicultural experience today.

Day 6 Ordes to Sigüeiro- 18kms

The penultimate day. Today we started in the thick fog. With us both wearing shorts, our first 2 kilometres were at world record pace as we tried to warm up. The trail had become busier as pilgrims from other Camino walks began to merge. It was a jovial atmosphere. Lots of smiles and chatting which I think was due to being closer to the end target. 

Today’s overnight stop is Sigüeiro. This has become an increasingly popular overnight stop for Camino pilgrims. It is usually the last major stopping point before Santiago for walkers completing the Camino Inglés. 

The spiritual feeling was turning to one of relief.

Day 7 Sigüeiro to Santiago de Compostela – 18kms

This is it! The air was chilly and the roosters were still crowing when we left for this final stage. We were both feeling a bit sore, stiff and exhausted after the previous 6 days. Ruthie had a steely determined look on her face, as if a carrot was dangling in front of her. No way she wasn’t getting to that finish line. Me, on the other hand, spin me around twice and I’m lost so I had to tag along. 

We were now running into pilgrims we had seen on the previous 2 days. They were either passing us or vice versa but they were beginning to feel like family. Eventually, from a distance we could see the cathedral, the finish line.

As we got closer we put on our best Kath and Kel strut. I could see Ruthie’s eyes welling up as we approched an entry tunnel where a bagpiper was welcoming new arrivals. Ruthie had put a lot of work and planning into this and everything had worked to perfection. We had done it!!!!These 2 baby boomers had walked 113 kilometres in 7 days and were feeling very proud. 

We joined other pilgrims in the Cathedral square, some of whose faces were now familiar. We were all high on a sense of achievement, many exchanging smiles and hugs. Some were limping, some had toes covered in bandages and bloodied socks. Ruthie and I had amazingly come through unscathed.

A legendary tradition is stopping by Bar La Tita where buying a drink comes with a slice of their gooey centred  Tortilla. We fitted right in with the noisier young crowd. Dos Vino Blanco! ( Especially the Alberino dry white from the region.)

After receiving our official certificates, which stated our Latin names (except for Ruthie) as she is known as Ruth in latin too. I will forever be now known as Dominum Joannem, we took ourselves back to our hotel feeling very satisfied with our week’s work.

Somehow we managed to drag our tired bodies to the evening Pilgrim Mass. Even though it was all in Spanish, we did understand the naming of all the different nationalities of today’s arriving pilgrims including Australia. The official Pilgrim Receptions Office has 1600 pilgrims registered as arriving on 1st September. The Cathedral is a magnificent building with incredible acoustics.

I could see the cogs already turning over in Ruthie’s head, “ where to  walk next?”

I on the other hand was thinking, when I get my replacement knee, hip and shoulder, I should be right to go.