The Camino

O'Cebreiro. A tiny little town with celtic origins, including traditional round huts

We began our Camino by walking from the town of Piedrafita to O'Cebreiro. People began at a range of places, with many starting 3 or 4 weeks before us and walking 800kms. As we started at such a late point, a Galician dubbed us 'touragrinos'.

The trail at this point led through verdant farmlands and ancient towns of stone houses

Part way through the first day. The Camino is marked by these, yellow arrows and scallop shells. Particularly in Galicia, it is very well marked.

Typical view on the Camino. Each town had a tiny stone church frequented by the mainly elderly people who live in the towns, some of whom we saw bailing hay by hand

Benedictine monastery at Samos

We started walking at about 7:30 most days and were finished by about 2:30 (20-30kms). We would break for cafe` y tostadas sometime in the morning. When we arrived in town we would shower and spend the afternoon eating a huge menu del dia accompanied by local wine before an early night. It was the perfect lifestyle.

Out of Sarria we walked in mist for hours and were frightened by cyclists racing out of the thick fog

In the middle of a 30km day Lavinia lays broken on a picnic table. Rest breaks were a blessing and a curse as when we started again our muscles were as stiff as wood.

Early morning. At this point of the day we were usually energetic. By 11:30am the muscle and foot soreness had set in...

The cathedral at Santiago, said to contain the remains of St James the Greater, although the story of their arrival from the Middle East is somewhat dubious. His invocation as patron of the slaughter of Muslims during the reconquistada is also disturbing

Santiago, the end of the Camino. A bustling city, but the old town remains quiet and filled with old buildings and laneways. We rested here for a couple of days.