Day 39

I left Casa Susi feeling really recharged, great friends, wonderful food and a really good nights sleep. I have a big climb to do today!

There are more chestnut forests to walk through and pretty mountain villages.

When I get to Herrerias I know the climbing is about to start. You can take a horse ride up to the top for €50, but I am doing it on foot.

The Way is so steep the only way I can do it is in short sections, ‘get to that bit of shade, ok now get to that big rock, ok now get to those yellow flowers’ and on and on and up and up. I make it to La Faba, recharge with a Lemonada and push on.

The next section is the same, steep hard and it’s actually hot. I am so red I must be glowing, all I can do is say to myself “get to the top” about 300m from the top all I can do is say “Top” literally that is what is coming out of my mouth as I breathe, then on my left appears a ‘Camino Angel’ all she did was acknowledge how hard it was and that I had my full backpack. Then she just walked next to me as I trudged to the top taking deep breaths and pushing hard into the ground with my poles.

I feel hot wet tears rolling down my cheeks but I have to check in and secure my bed. My Camino Angel is next to me at the desk, in her best Spanish I think she is trying to tell the owner that I need a bottom bunk because I am exhausted. The owner carries my backpack to the dorm, I quickly ring Ron at home as it’s late in Australia and of course burst into tears, after that exertion I am shaken to the core. A quick chat then shower and laundry and suddenly I feel human again.

That night I have dinner with my Camino Angel she is Japanese via google translate we share our stories, there are more tears and laughter.

Distance walked 10.2km

Elevation 1150m

---

Day 40

Amazingly I wake the next morning feeling good, I am a bit stiff but nothing more than normal, a quick breakfast and a chat with Ron at home and I am on my Way!

There are more hills and a lot of downhill today so I have arranged to have my backpack transported it costs €6.00 and worth every cent I am concerned after how hard it was yesterday and I don’t want to risk injury at this stage.

I make my way to O Cebreirio which is the peak at 1300m. On the walk up there are stunning views back through the valley. When I reach O Cebreirio it is a magical village there is a bus load of school kids, some a singing in the church yard it adds to the wonderland feeling of the place.

The thing about going up a mountain is you need to come down at some point, the rest of the day we are heading down hill, it takes me till after 4pm to get there, every muscle, tendon and toe is on fire by the time I arrive. The Way is lovely with narrow tracks lined with stone walls beautiful views and small mountain villages to walk through. We have now passed into Galicia the final region we will walk through.

I am exhausted by the time I check in to the Alburgue, showered and changed I start to feel better, a lemon beer and I feel amazing.

I have dinner with a lady from Wollongong a German guy and an Italian guy. While we are eating the skies open and it buckets down we are so lucky we didn’t have to contend with the down hill in the rain!

Distance walked 23.6km

Elevation 1300m