Palas de Rei – Arzua 26km

Well today I was dreading, my feet were aching and I had to do 26km. Yesterday I used my old Hokas for the last 10km and felt great in them with my old blisters all healed up. So I took a chance and put them on to see if I could get 10km done in them at least. WHAT A STUPID TWAT OF A MISTAKE!!

I was flying outa the blocks and feeling good. I’ve made a habit out of walking for two hours in the morning before I stop and get breakfast. I done this but could feel something nagging me just about 500m before I stopped. When I got to the cafe and had a coffee and a chocolate brioche, I pulled off the shoe and sock to investigate. Yep another medium sized blister poking out at me right on the back of the heel. Out with the compeeds and a bit of moleskin tape on top just for that little bit of cushioning. It faired me well to Arzua (with a few beer and another paracetamol- my record is going downhill fast).

Stupidity aside, I enjoyed todays walk. Lots of forest paths and seeing the regular faces passing each other frequently.

Just after I had patched my foot up, I passed a little chapel and went inside for a look. A very simple little chapel but it had a nice feeling about it. I said a little prayer to God to help me on my travels today, took some pictures, and got my second sello on my credencial for today. I think the little prayer helped as I soon met up with Bengt and we entertained each other for the last 15km. Jonathan also met up with us at one point but I can’t remember where he disappeared to at the end.

Along the way I seen a little pink car that I thought was class looking. I think it was one of the first versions of a mini. Bengt and Jonathan admitted they both had modern minis. Bengt had a convertible 🤣🤣 – He’s such a cool ol dude. I said I’ve always wanted a mini and may look about getting one when I go home. Why not. We only got one life and we have to make the most of it.

As we walked on, there were some more amazing sites apart from the usual picturesque forest paths.

Got to my albergue for the night- Albergue Los Tres Abetos (the three fir trees). Woohoo I’m staying in the fir trees!! Its run by a husband and wife who are very friendly and helpful. At least after a good load of drink 😐 (No not me- I was sober at this stage).

I just went to dinner on my own tonight as the heavens had opened with a lot of thunder. Not many pilgrims were venturing out tonight. From what I seen of Arzua, there wasn’t a lot to do anyway.

So in my silk liner now in bed writing this whilst a 6’4” blonde Dutch woman is snottering and sneezing and coughing all over the place. Shes just laid her head down absolutely ponging of eucalyptus. Coincidentally, we passed a region of the forest today on the way that had eucalyptus plants in it and the smell was just amazing. Pictures of the camino are amazing but they say nothing without the smells and sounds that surround them. Perhaps our big dutch friend got the cold from a Koala in the uppermost parts of a tree?? (Another Plandemic??)

Anyhoo, I have decided that the Hoka’s are being left behind tomorrow. I lightened the load yesterday by getting rid of a raggedy looking pair of trousers I’ve had for about 10 years, a sleeping bag that will not be used again- it stunk anyway, the walking sticks that were an absolute calamity waiting to happen as I never used them either, and a few bottles of suncream, rub and soap that I never used either. The bag was much lighter and will be lighter again tomorrow.

Only two days left of this adventure and the party is gonna be epic in the Cathedral square in Santiago. Nearly everyone I’ve met is targeting this Saturday or Sunday. It will be fab to meet up with everyone again before I go home. Night nite!

Portomarin – Palais De Rei 25km

Got up early and got out of town about 7:15am. I liked Portomarin. A nice little town with lots of restaurants and albergues. But the mission is on to finish in Santiago on the tenth of June.

It was pouring outside for the first two hours of walking. I had a long-sleeve travel shirt on with a poncho over. It was so hot also and by the time I got to my first stop of the day for breakfast, my shirt was soaked through with sweat and rain. I had to change this to a technical shirt for the rest of the day.

My breakfast was a bit strange to say the least. It was a fry on the menu but I got two fried eggs, five frankfurters and a half plate of chips- at 9:30 in the morning?? My good ol friend Mr Cholesterol will be grinding things to a halt. But it was delicious and set me in the right mood to plough on at this miserable day.

I met up with Bengt after about 13km and walked with him to Palais de Rei. We stopped for a large freshly squeezed orange juice at a cafe and took the shoes off to let our feet breathe. Everyones feet at this stage are constantly hurting. I had applaused myself for only taking two paracetamol this whole journey so far, but I had to take some today as I wasn’t sure if I could manage the walk today. Well, the paracetamol may well have been magic mushrooms as they done squat all for the pain in my feet. I guess I’ll just have to get through this little pain tunnel for the next few days. Despite massaging my feet every night and applying muscle rub when they got extra sore, I guess there is only so many miles you can walk before you have to mentally block out the pain. This Camino challenge does hurt in many ways and you gotta take the rough with the smooth. Luckily the smooth outweighs the rough by far.

Arrived at my albergue Zendoira and got my bunk for the night. My bed support was creaking away so I waited til closing time to ask for another bed and got one.

Got my washing done in the laundrette and had a beer in the bar next door while the machine was spinning.

Then I met up with Bengt and Jonathan again for dinner. I decided to try the Galician delicacy Pulpo (Octopus). I had bits of octopus before in a paella but never had the dish on its own. It was really nice. Delivered in slices on a spicy olive oil and with freshly made bread. We had a couple more pints and called it a night. Tomorrow’s walk to Arzua is 2km longer than todays, so gotta get up early again to get the km done in a decent time.

Thats all for tonight I’m afraid. Wish me a pain free journey tomorrow 🙏🏻

Sarria – Portomarín 23km

Didn’t get much sleep last night due to some lanky American dude getting up at 5am to do 2 hours of yoga and grunting like a tortured pig. You got 23km to walk today brutha take it fuckin’ easy!!

Got started the walk and had a bit of a climb in the first part of the day. It was very noticeable that there were quite a few Spanish groups starting the last 100km of the camino.

Lots of young girls in tight lycra speeding ahead with all the excitement in the world. Manys a man may have had a heart-attack if he were on this trail. I, on the other hand, just overtook them all casually as I was on a mission to get finished up early today. 😐

After about 13km I passed the iconic 100km mark. It was great to see this as it pales in significance to the distance I have already travelled. The newcomers where easy to spot as all their gear was very clean and didn’t stink. I felt good to be able to leave them all eating dust as I deployed terminator mode and pushed past them all. Hasta luego bitches!

Some beautiful sights along this trail that reminds me so much of the trails at home.

To get to Portomarín you have to cross a very long bridge with quite a drop to the river. The bridge must be about 200m long.

I crossed it a bit nervously. I was nervous only because I didn’t want to drop my phone in the river whilst taking photos of the views from the bridge.

When over the bridge there is about 50 steps to climb followed by a very steep cobbled surface. Luckily my albergue was right at the top of this.

Got settled in, washed and up for a couple of pints when a group of Irish teenagers gathered at the albergue. I got talking to one of them and they explained they were doing the last 100km for children in respite. What a great idea.

Later I met up with Jonathan and Bengt for a few pints. These guys are great company and we have many laughs together. Bengt’s wife keeps calling him and talking for ages until he just hangs up on her! 🤣🤣 Bengt is a very relaxed man but there is only so much a relaxed guy can take. 😆

We had a good ol night despite having to remind Bengt that there was four more days to Santiago. Not two!! All of us just want to keep walking on this Camino forever but equally miss our families. In my opinion the Camino has changed me a lot, and this experience will only make me a better person in ‘real life’. Hasta mañana!

Triacastela – Sarria 19km

After last nights little session, I was a little tired in the morning. My accommodation last night was so cosy. Like a little cave and I didn’t want to get up out of the comfy bed. But I did, about an hour later than I usually got up. I said bye bye to my cosy little room and got on the trail.

A couple of km up the hill and first photo opportunity. I wasn’t that impressed with it but everyone was gettin selfies and a few pro photographers were taking ages setting up different lighting positions and settings on their big show off camera’s. But heres the result of another fellow Irishmans attempt at professional photography. I think Eamonn done a good job to be fair.

Rolling green countryside and beautiful pathways seen me get to Sarria and start searching for my accommodation. After half an hour walking through this small city I found the Albergue. And it was closed! At least for another hour. So off I went to the laundrette to clean a big bag of clothes. I stripped off the shirt and socks I had on and fired them in too and sat there semi-naked for 45mins while the washed and dried. Must be a done thing on the camino as no-one batted an eyelid.

The further I got into Sarria, the more disappointed I was with the place. After being spoilt in all the cities and larger towns on this Camino, this place was an absolute shithole full of rude people. I met a fella called Bill from North Carolina and we had dinner together and a couple of pints. We both ordered the same pizza and after about half an hour later one pizza came out and the waiter apologized as he said the other one had ‘burnt to the ground’! We shared the first pizza and then awaited the second. It wasn’t the best pizza either but foods food.

Went for a walk around town to see if there was anything worth looking at but no. This place is as good as Larne! They might even have their own inbreds living there too 🤔

Tomorrow I walk 24km to Portomarin. Hopefully it will be a little better than this place. I swear, even the dead western type hamlets I have passed through to date are much more pleasant than this place.

Wan more pint then bed! See ya 🍻

Laguna De Castilla – Triacastella 24km.

Today I woke up about 6:30 am and everyone in my dorm was getting ready to go. I lay there for another half hour til most of them had cleared.

Got a bite of breakfast in the cafe downstairs and set off on the 24km trek to the top of the mountain and then all downhill to Triacastela. we crossed into the province of Galicia which is a much more colourful place with lush green forests and clear blue skies.

I caught up with KH Kim who was in my dorm last night and we walked together all day discussing all sorts.

It was an easy enough climb to O Cebreiro but the downhill never ended until we got to Triacastella.

I got into Triacastela about 1pm and checked in a super little albergue called Atrio. Got cleaned up and went to get a meal at Restaurant Esther where I got a pasta salad and a steak and chips. Yummy!

Then I went looking for a couple of beer and bumped into a bunch of girls I’ve met in different places along the way. Then the Australian guy I met in the laundrette in Astorga joined us along with about 5 or 6 others. We had quite a few drinks and some folk had a wee toke on some waccy baccy 🤣 It was so funny watching them all ‘float’ back in to us with their big cheesy grins!

Finished up about 10pm and went back to my room and fell asleep while writing this!

Just 18km tomorrow down another hill to Sarria where its expected to get a whole lot busier on the Camino. 5 more days should do it! Checking out!

Villafranca Del Bierza – Laguna De Castilla 26km

Back on my feet again today and feeling much better. First 3km were hard for me but after that the motor kicked in and I was cruising along. Much of the way today was along roadside so not a lot to see, but I did catch some nice views

Walked to the edge of a town and seen some horses being walked along the street. A female peregrino got herself mounted on a horse with the help of the owner, or should I say struggle! The poor horse was silently screaming inside and did not look comfortable at all with the woman on top as well as her backpack. Needless to say it wasn’t long til I saw the woman back walking on the trail.

I stopped at a cafe where Jonathon from Taiwan was relaxing with a coffee. We had a quick chat before he moved on. I noticed he had left his water bottle behind so took it to him further up the trail. The trail suddenly got real steep. The new walking sticks were put to good use as I relentlessly marched up the mountain to the alberge La Escuela. Just below O Cebreiro. I met Bengt from Sweden along the way and later at the bar where we had a few pints together with a German called Constantine. We all watched the FA cup together on my phone.

We all went together for dinner with another South Korean and also met a couple from South Africa who told me great things about the Fisterre and Muxia trip I have planned the day after I reach Santiago.

I’m really enjoying the company I have on this last stage of the Camino. Theres too many to mention, but we keep meeting up at various points and we all like a good beer/wine or two.

There seems to be a herd of cows/bulls roaming about freely at the albergue giving the odd moo. Or that could be the albergue owners father who has been drinking since 10am this morning and is handing out tapas to everybody who comes within sight of him. 🤣🤣 I think the son is also a little tipsy as he keeps charging for beers and then forgetting to pour them 🙈. Hi boy, wheres me beer ye cunt ye!

Its bed time now and Bengt is lying like a dead man in the adjacent bed. Might give him a poke with me walking stick to see if he reacts 🤨

Tomorrow we have a wee climb to O Cebreiro then its all downhill to Triacastella. Roughly 24km. Should only take about 4-5 hours. Including breakfast time and a beer stop.

Still can’t get me head round goin to bed before 10pm. Its light as day outside and I’m wrapped up in my sleeping bag trying to write this before I fall asleep! Gute Nacht everyone! 😘

Molinaseca – Villafranca Del Bierzo 30km

Well I didn’t walk 30km today. In fact I barely walked at all. I woke up and got my gear all packed up and put my shoes on. Deep down I knew something wasn’t right. My legs were a bit jelly like and were not going to take me 5km never mind 30!! To add to that, despite putting on suncream about 5 times yesterday, I still got my face and neck sunburnt. The sweat of the mountain climb must have washed it off. Because of my kidney transplant medications I am more prone to skin diseases from the suns rays. I always wear good sun protecting clothes when out hiking, but the face is always gonna be exposed. Todays walk would have taken a minimum of 6 hours, so I called the walking off for that reason mainly.

I wanted to walk the entire camino on foot, but after cycling for two days, which I hated, I don’t mind taking this day off completely. I have to listen and protect my body.

So I got a taxi from Molinaseca to Ponferrada, mainly to see the Knights Templar Castle on the edge of town. What a site. It was not open to visitors at this time but I was still very impressed.

After this I went to a laundrette to dry the clothes I had washed last night, and who did I meet no other than the Italian dude who I shared a room with two nights ago. The fella can’t speak a word of English or Spanish so we communicate with hugs and high 5’s. We shared the dryer to save money and then set off on our own ways.

I made my way to the bus centre and was waiting in line for the ticket machine. Some assistant was helping everyone with their tickets but she was prolonging the situation. Having a conversation with everyone instead of just getting the damn tickets sorted. There were two machines and everyone just presumed that the second one was out of operation, until an older Spanish man jumped the queue to give it a go. Well he got on the machine and started pressing buttons and it looked like it was about to work for him, but then a warning came up on the screen and he couldn’t proceed any further. “Computer says Nooo!”. So he had to go to the back of our queue which had grew by a further four people. To say he was frustrated was an understatement. Yet ol blethermouth was still yapping on and holding the show up. She blethered on so much I missed the bus I wanted to get and had to wait another hour for the next one. 🙄

I eventually got my ticket and had a coke in the cafe. Then a team of Spanish ladies came in with a wee baby and the place became as noisy as a ladies night at a chippendale show! Bloody hell! Why do you have to shout so much! I drunk up my coke and got the hell outa there!

The bus came and took me to Villafranca Del Bierzo where I checked in at a Parador hotel for a day of relaxation. It wasn’t anywhere near the best hotel I’ve stayed in, even on this trip, but it was quiet and spacious with great food and wine.

I took a short walk up the town to get some essentials for the walk tomorrow and met my Swedish friend Bengt having a beer at the top of the town. I ordered a Piña Colada and joined him for a while. Turns out we are staying at the same albergue tomorrow again so we arranged to have a couple of pints there.

This town is nice but nothing spectacular. I only took a couple of photos of some of the highlights of the place.

Tomorrow I walk 26km with another steep hill climb towards O Cebreiro. I have no more aches or pains so shouldn’t take too long to get there. Good night!

Rabanal Del Camino – Molinaseca 25km

I’m writing today’s update with a full bottle of vino tinto in me. It was a hard day and my feet are still aching, despite massaging them with massage cream and a massage ball. Hopefully they will be alright by the morning for another 30km walk to Villafranca Del Bierzo.

The first 12km today was mostly uphill climbing to a height of 1515m. On the way I passed the Cruz de Ferro. I got a lovely french lady to video me walking up to place the stone on the existing pile. Jamie Lei had swapped me this stone for one I had found at the top of my local mountain Bessy Bell. Jamie Lei had painted this stone when she was younger and and wrote a message on it. “Whoever finds this stone, Well done!” I had carried this stone all the way from home to place at this special cross. By placing the stone at this cross, you are getting rid of all your life’s burdens and moving onto a new life.

On the way down through the mountain paths (an almost 900m descent over 10km) I stopped in a town called El Acebo for a cold beer. Nice wee town and the bar man told me he had been in Sligo for the last year and wanted to return.

As I got further down the hill I noticed a tree with a pair of boots hanging off it. Wonder if the person who left it there went down barefoot? Bloody sasquatch!

This trail although generally descending, also had some surprising ascents too. A bit like a rollercoaster. You have to go up higher to get a speedier, or steeper in this case, descent.

When I eventually got to Molinaseca it was all worth the fight. The town was beautiful with kids playing in the crystal clear river and a spectacular little town to walk through to my albergue at tbe end of town.

I hung about in my room for a while doing my washing and sipping on some red wine I had bought in the shop. I got a lovely warm goats cheese salad for dinner and then went back to my room for some sleep.

Tomorrow will be a long day with 30km in store. I have booked myself into a luxury parador in Villafranca Del Bierzo. So lets see what that place is like, if I ever make it!! Nighty!

Astorga – Rabanal Del Camino 21km

Step by step, town by town, crushing the km down and down. Roughly 237km to Santiago. 💪🏻

An early 7am start today again to get the km done before the sun starts melting me. Quite a walk out of Astorga but not as bad as Pamplona or Logroño. This is the last day of La Meseta. We start to climb the mountain out of the desert area and get back to nice twisty paths among forests and wooded areas.

I actually enjoyed the Meseta, it give me a little time to think about this journey and the people I’ve met along the way. Whilst I have made some great friends and had plenty of laughs, I’ve realised that when it comes down to the bare bones, everyone has their own plan for life, and everyone (including myself), although not always intentional, will do whatever it takes to try to make that plan work. I have met some people that I really enjoyed being with, but due to my plans or theirs, we have had to separate on this journey. Some we meet again for a short period, but on this journey, most are just passing strangers helping each other when we can. I don’t want this Camino to end as I love it soo much but equally it would be nice to get back home to family and friends and try to implement the things in life that I have learned here.

O.K. – about today’s trail, pretty much long straight roads for the majority of the distance stopping in a few villages for food and rest breaks. Most notable was a few teepees in view on way through El Ganso. – This is actually an albergue where each teepee holds 10 beds. Its called The Indian. Further on into this village there is the Cowboy House/Bar, with a church and an overgrown football field. Maybe the Cowboys once played the Indians in a penalties at dawn kinda shootout!

The pathway went on in the scorching sun for miles. I didn’t meet too many people I knew today. Which was ok as I wanted to walk at my own pace breaking in the new shoes.

The closer I got to Rabanal, the more the pathway changed again to trails in the woods which I love. Passing a few horny bulls again, I eventually got to my albergue La Senda. Checked in, cleaned up and went down to the bar for a beer and a big steakburger. I met a Swedish guy called Bengt who I shared a dorm with last night and we had a few beers together. We were then joined by a 57yr old Florida lady, Tonya, who I thought was a bit crazy but it turned out she had been very emotional at one stage yesterday and begged Bengt for a hug randomly. I would say he was more than happy to give her a hug. 🤨

I went up to the town for a walk to get a big bottle of water and found a small chapel run by monks. I took a wee dander inside, and found it to be a real comforting little place. Nothing fancy, just the basics and kept tidy. I see more and more of this every day on this Camino. Everyone outside the major cities seem to survive within their means and do not care for appearance or status, and most are content.

Going for a walk to the supermarket now again to get some grub for tomorrows climb up to Cruz de Fero, where I place a stone (That Jamie Lei kindly prepared for me), at the cross. This signifies a release of burdens and the start of a new life.

I will stop for the night at Molinaseca before going to Villafranca Del Bierzo on Friday.

Buenas Noches! 🥱💤

Hospital De Órbigo – Astorga 18km

I got up and got out the door at 7am this morning to get into Astorga early – well before the Spanish all went for their siesta. I wanted to get a new pair of walking shoes for the rest of this journey.

No breakfast available at that time so I just tucked into my reserves of mixed nuts and an apple. After about 10km we came across a wee hut offering all kinds of foods for a donation. The guy that runs this is an absolute star. Chopping up pineapple and watermelon for all passers by as well as having a good selection of cereals and yoghurts. I reached into my money pouch and give him all the change I had- about £6 worth and helped myself to some delicious fruit and a bit of cake.

With carbs onboard this helped me plough on over the rest of the road to Astorga. Crossing an absoloute monstrous pedestrian bridge over a railway, and a river called River Twirto! (I wonder if the streams that lead into this river are called little twirtos or wee twirtos?? 🤔)

I got into Astorga shortly after 11am and headed straight for the pilgrims trekking shop in town. I loved the look of the backpack sitting outside. It would just about hold everything I had wanted to bring on this journey.

Anyway, I got a new pair of hiking shoes and because I had to get ol Barney chopped in three to take home, I got a cheap set of walking sticks for the big climbs ahead in Galicia. The shoes are a brand I have not really heard of but from walking around town in them, they will ace the job in hand.

I was the first to check in at my albergue for tonight, Albergue San Javier. An old building with a few floors and has all that is needed. Great shower, wee snooze, some stretches and sorting the feet out, I headed into town to get grub for tomo. Of course I had to have my daily beer in the scorching sun, then went to Rio’s ‘Irish’ bar for dinner. Whilst the food and the Guinness were excellent, I found something a little out of place in a traditional foreign ‘Irish bar’ – see if you can spot it 🤣

Back to the albergue to relax for a while, then I headed to tour the local Cathedral. Another jaw dropping cathedral which I’ll share a few photographs.

One of Gaudi’s works nearby, and every bit as amazing as La Sagrada in Barcelona is the Palacio de Gaudi Astorga. I didn’t get inside this but took a moment to admire this masterpiece. It’s like something from a Disney film.

I’m lying on my bed now looking out the balcony window at the torrential rain and listening to the roaring thunder that appears in Spain every so often. Might just hit the hay early tonight again and get an early start tomorrow. Another 20km to Rabanal Del Camino. When I get there tomorrow I will be down to 236km to go. Bang on schedule for second week of June finish. 🙏🏻 Nitey Nite!