18/06/07
WEEK 6
I took down my washing, two of my new shirts were dry enough to wear but the rest were still soaking wet. I took the liberty of rolling them in toilet roll and would try to dry them later today. We had breakfast at seven as arranged and we chatted with Celia the dueña, put a few words in her book and paid the bills as we left.
Today was puffy clouds but fine and I took some good photos of the green valley to our right and in the direction we were going and could see we were to be leaving this beautiful high country. I looked forward to walking in some of the sunlight that now seemed to be mostly lighting up the lower slopes. We walked down 600 meters in altitude, passing the big old chestnut tree in Pasantes to reach Trascastela.
Here, as we left this busy little town, we had a choice of ways. Francesca said she would take the shortest route while I wanted to take the prettiest way but the longer so we agreed to split company. I really thought we were sure to meet up again before Santiago but sadly it was not to be.
The weather looked better so there was no reason she could not cope on her own now if she wanted to. I wish now I had made sure I had her email address but I hadn't.
We waved to each other and I turned right and she left. I had to start looking for the arrows and found them soon enough as the road followed the valley and river. I knew I would miss her company but the camino is like that, you leave a friend and make another soon after normally. I'd lost touch with Yollanda, Roser and others and now found the solitude a little too quiet for my liking.
For a small road it was quite busy with traffic and I was glad when it left and followed the country paths.
Soon I was walking shady country paths between chestnut trees, this is a beautiful walk although the weather clouded over again. In 9 kilometres my map book said I would reach Somos, but I felt sure I had done a lot more as I rounded a bend and saw the monastery in the bottom of the valley looking just beautiful.
I took photos from here and never realised you could stay there. It was only later that I realised it had an albergue. I came down into the town and crossed the bridge, where the geese and cows came to see me making a real medieval setting so I took a few more photos.
I was wondering where I had stopped before. My old records only said we had stopped in a hostel and I could not remember it, or this town. I strolled on passing a statue, and saw the donkey and the French ladies again near the river but I went on alone and soon took a road up a hill to the left. It was marked with the yellow arrow but the few peregrinos that I had seen before the junction, never came this way because I stopped and waited a while. It didn't matter so I continued. I now passed an old tumble down farm shed and could see the pieces of one of the really old farm carts and took more photos using the flash as the rain had started again. It was pretty country that I now wondered through
My next recollection was meeting a Hungarian girl. The sun was out and quite warm. It was probable just before Ayan. On seeing her in the distance I speeded up my pace, I still had a job to catch up with her but managed in the end. She was a heavy built lass with very broad square shoulders, a big pack, shorts and strong tanned muscled legs and woollen socks protruding from tough looking boots. She was pacing along with big determined strides. I found she spoke good English and was in a hurry to find an albergue before they got full she said. I said I thought there would be enough room, as Sarria was a fairly large town.
I kept pace chatting for about four and a half kilometres and we came into the town, stopped at a hostel and asked the price. Then we saw a tourist office and now with a town map we entered the town. I was having a job to keep up and after crossing the river and finally up hill into the old town, I saw an albergue on the left and dived in to ask the price. I got in but it was very busy. I caught the man behind the desk's attention but I thought the price too expensive so quickly left again. I could see my new companion some way ahead but soon lost sight of her, I knew she was heading for the cheap municipal one anyway! On my right I saw another albergue sign so I went in.
It was an old stone building, cool and dark inside. A friendly young woman gave me a glass of water, took me to see the dorm, then when I agreed the price took my details. The dorm was as big as a small ballroom and had windows only at the far end and heavy curtains so that it was cool and dark. It had beds only down the sides and then they were placed lengthways, I took an end one near the door. There was a kitchen, so I could cook dinner tonight, a small patio to wash clothes, and a covered line area to dry them. A weak sun did the job and I was able to take them in as it started to rain later. I cooked my meal but had to use my own pots as there was only one pot to boil water in, nothing else much. I ate with an English couple I had met before a long way back, then went to bed, where I slept very well.
Biduedo to Sarria
WEEK 6I took down my washing, two of my new shirts were dry enough to wear but the rest were still soaking wet. I took the liberty of rolling them in toilet roll and would try to dry them later today. We had breakfast at seven as arranged and we chatted with Celia the dueña, put a few words in her book and paid the bills as we left.
Today was puffy clouds but fine and I took some good photos of the green valley to our right and in the direction we were going and could see we were to be leaving this beautiful high country. I looked forward to walking in some of the sunlight that now seemed to be mostly lighting up the lower slopes. We walked down 600 meters in altitude, passing the big old chestnut tree in Pasantes to reach Trascastela.
Here, as we left this busy little town, we had a choice of ways. Francesca said she would take the shortest route while I wanted to take the prettiest way but the longer so we agreed to split company. I really thought we were sure to meet up again before Santiago but sadly it was not to be.
The weather looked better so there was no reason she could not cope on her own now if she wanted to. I wish now I had made sure I had her email address but I hadn't.
We waved to each other and I turned right and she left. I had to start looking for the arrows and found them soon enough as the road followed the valley and river. I knew I would miss her company but the camino is like that, you leave a friend and make another soon after normally. I'd lost touch with Yollanda, Roser and others and now found the solitude a little too quiet for my liking.
For a small road it was quite busy with traffic and I was glad when it left and followed the country paths.
Soon I was walking shady country paths between chestnut trees, this is a beautiful walk although the weather clouded over again. In 9 kilometres my map book said I would reach Somos, but I felt sure I had done a lot more as I rounded a bend and saw the monastery in the bottom of the valley looking just beautiful.
I took photos from here and never realised you could stay there. It was only later that I realised it had an albergue. I came down into the town and crossed the bridge, where the geese and cows came to see me making a real medieval setting so I took a few more photos.
I was wondering where I had stopped before. My old records only said we had stopped in a hostel and I could not remember it, or this town. I strolled on passing a statue, and saw the donkey and the French ladies again near the river but I went on alone and soon took a road up a hill to the left. It was marked with the yellow arrow but the few peregrinos that I had seen before the junction, never came this way because I stopped and waited a while. It didn't matter so I continued. I now passed an old tumble down farm shed and could see the pieces of one of the really old farm carts and took more photos using the flash as the rain had started again. It was pretty country that I now wondered through
My next recollection was meeting a Hungarian girl. The sun was out and quite warm. It was probable just before Ayan. On seeing her in the distance I speeded up my pace, I still had a job to catch up with her but managed in the end. She was a heavy built lass with very broad square shoulders, a big pack, shorts and strong tanned muscled legs and woollen socks protruding from tough looking boots. She was pacing along with big determined strides. I found she spoke good English and was in a hurry to find an albergue before they got full she said. I said I thought there would be enough room, as Sarria was a fairly large town.
I kept pace chatting for about four and a half kilometres and we came into the town, stopped at a hostel and asked the price. Then we saw a tourist office and now with a town map we entered the town. I was having a job to keep up and after crossing the river and finally up hill into the old town, I saw an albergue on the left and dived in to ask the price. I got in but it was very busy. I caught the man behind the desk's attention but I thought the price too expensive so quickly left again. I could see my new companion some way ahead but soon lost sight of her, I knew she was heading for the cheap municipal one anyway! On my right I saw another albergue sign so I went in.
It was an old stone building, cool and dark inside. A friendly young woman gave me a glass of water, took me to see the dorm, then when I agreed the price took my details. The dorm was as big as a small ballroom and had windows only at the far end and heavy curtains so that it was cool and dark. It had beds only down the sides and then they were placed lengthways, I took an end one near the door. There was a kitchen, so I could cook dinner tonight, a small patio to wash clothes, and a covered line area to dry them. A weak sun did the job and I was able to take them in as it started to rain later. I cooked my meal but had to use my own pots as there was only one pot to boil water in, nothing else much. I ate with an English couple I had met before a long way back, then went to bed, where I slept very well.
END DAY 34 = approx. 27.9 km Sub Total = 502.1 km Total = 834.2 km
