Finding Balance and (Re)Finding our Way : Lugo to Ferreira

Our plan for today had been to get an early start, leaving around 5:30 am or so, and to walk 46 km to Melide.  However, we came home last night around 2:00 am after sitting at a restaurant enjoying the sights and sounds of a Saturday night in a Spanish city, as well as several brandies.  In addition to watching the extremely elegant and poshly dressed Spanish population out strutting their stuff and openly appreciating each other, we also found ourselves watching and learning about the final episode of EuroVision with Ben, who is a big fan and was rooting for England to win.  In the end the musician from the Ukraine was victorious, but it was certainly an interesting night.  However, as a result of our exploits we didn't get up until 6:30 am, and we didn't get under way until shortly after 7:00 am.

 

 

Perhaps our late start put us behind the majority of the other pilgrims, but as we headed out through the sleepy streets of the walled town the only people that seemed to be stirring were the sanitation crews who were sweeping the streets, and the youth who had yet to return home after last night.  The only other pilgrim we spotted was Tom, who was going in search of breakfast before beginning his walk.

 

We began the day with a brisk pace, still planning to walk to Melide.  After crossing under the Roman walls of the city through the arched Puerta de Santiago, we followed the route of the Roman Via XIX down to the Rio Minho, which we were familiar with from our hike along the Camino Portuguese in 2019. 

 

 

We crossed the wide, calm river on a beautifully restored Roman foot bridge with a somewhat cheesy statue of a Roman Senturion standing guard at one end.  On the far side we arrived in the neighborhood of San Lazaro, which at one time was a leper colony with a hospital, around which a community grew up.  One of the most noticeable remaining parts this neighborhood is the old stone Iglesia de San Lazaro.

 

 

We followed the paved road alongside the river, passing the swanky looking River Club, with its tennis and basketball courts, swimming pool, water slides, and lawn chairs.  Just beyond this was an elegant curved pedestrian bridge over the river.

 

Shortly after this point we began the long climb up and away from the river.  As we ascended we began encountering other pilgrims, none of whom we recognized.  Many of them looked extremely clean and still slightly uncoordinated, as though they weren't yet used to the rhythm and routine of walking long distances.  With some amusement we watched one of these new pilgrims divert onto the road in order to a avoid a small patch of damp on the path (it wasn't deep enough to qualify as a puddle).

 

 

For the next few kilometers we followed a hard packed crushed stone dust footpath running beside the paved road.  We passed a large concrete gate that looked like it belonged to a castle, and when we reached San Xoán do Alto we paused to admire its small stone chapel.

 

Apart from this we were mostly walking among fields and pastures under an overcast sky.  We were grateful for the cooler temperatures, but kept an eye on the fast moving clouds which looked like they could bring rain.  This stretch wasn't too difficult, and we kept a relatively fast and consistent pace, using the road to pass a relatively long line of other pilgrims who had likely ensured a shorter day for themselves by making reservations.

 

 

 

For the first 10 km or so of today's walk there were no open bars or cafés at which to find breakfast.  We had been hoping to find something in the tiny village of San Vicente do Burgo, but sadly had no luck.  There was a small peregrino stop at the beginning of town with a few vending machines and a stamp, but we held out in hopes of a bar with coffee and croissants.  We saw a sign for a bar just 150 m off the Camino, but it too was closed.  Before we knew it we had passed through the town and were out in the countryside once again ... still without breakfast.

 

 

We continued to follow the narrow, winding, paved road for another 3 km or so.  Rolling hills covered in a colourful patchwork of small fields, pastures, and woodlots divided by old stone walls and hedgerows extended out around us.  Suddenly we were diverted off the road onto a dirt track that was bordered by a low, moss-covered stone wall and overhung by huge, old, ivy covered trees that looked majestic and magical.  A lone chestnut coloured horse watched us from its pasture as we made our way along the enchanted pathway.

 

As the morning progressed we mostly walked on the paved road, passing through several tiny villages with the typical stone homes and slate roofs of Galicia.  Along the way we spotted quite a few horreos as well, which is another typical sign you're in Galicia.

 

 

 

 

Just before 11 am, around 18 km into our walk, we arrived in San Romao da Retorta.  At the edge of the tiny hamlet we passed a replica of the original Roman milestone placed in the community.  The cylindrical granite marker was dedicated to Caligula, and placed along the Roman Road XIX that linked Braga to Lugo.

 

Also of note was the Taberna San Romao, which very luckily for us was open!  We stepped inside and ordered toastada and café con leche, which we planned to enjoy on the outdoor patio.  As we were sitting there a very strong wind sprung up, tossing the trees around and causing the huge dark clouds to race across the sky.  We hurriedly moved everything indoors and waited for the worst of it to pass before heading out again.  What good timing!

 

 

After our break we continued on, passing through Castrella a few kilometers later.  There were several albergues tucked into this tiny farming village, one of which looked very colourful, with brightly coloured walls, and an un-mowed lawn filled with many tables, chairs, and hammocks.  Although it looked like the albergues here had a pretty large capacity, we didn't see anyone in the tiny town.

 

 

At this point we began another climb.  First we followed another section of dirt track which bisected another magical feeling forest of huge, old oak trees.  Next we passed through a plantation of pines which for unknown reasons had died, their long, sharp needles still attached but all dry and brown.

 

After this stretch we climbed through a stand of tall eucalyptus trees, their spicy scent strong in the cool air.  The long, thin, curved leaves that carpeted the trail looked a lot like feathers to us, and they reminded us of the forests we crossed during our last days on the Camino Frances.

 

 

Just as we reached the top of the climb the skies suddenly opened up, and without warning it absolutely poured on us.  We quickly put on our pack covers and rain jackets, but the wind was blowing the rain sideways, and our shoes and pants were soon soaking wet.  The rolling hills which we'd just been admiring around us disappeared behind a curtain of white.

 

 

We thought our luck was rotten until we bumped into a German man who was hiking with just a small day pack.  He explained that he had walked the Camino Norte before diverting onto the Primitivo, and that he usually carried his pack.  However, two days ago he was attacked by a dog and had fallen over and hurt his back while trying to fend it off.   For the first time ever today he was walking without his pack because his back was injured, and he hadn't brought rain gear with him.  He was absolutely drenched!

 

 

Luckily the shower soon passed, but the wind now felt really cold with everything soaked.  We walked and chatted with the German hiker as we descended into the colourful village of Pacio and then huffed and puffed our way back up the road on the far side of the hamlet. The countryside looked bright and refreshed after the soaking it had just received, and for the first time in a while we spotted black and white dairy cows grazing in the fields.  We also spotted several White Storks foraging in the fields.

 

 

Around 1:00 pm we arrived in Ferriera, yet another small rural village.  We stopped into the bar for a coffee to warm up, and discovered that although everything had been fully booked as of yesterday, there was a room available at the Casa da Ponte.  Tired, wet, cold, and watching the sky again growing darker by the minute, we decided to stop in Ferreira for the night.

 

 

The place we are staying is a beautiful stone house with an enclosed courtyard.  There are tables out in the sun, and others sheltered by a small roofed area, and at one end of the patio the hospitalero was roasting meat on an open wood fire.  Our room is located in a converted stable, and has a spacious kitchenette in addition to the bedroom.

 

 

We spent a quiet afternoon on the patio, catching up with the blog and petting the various cats and dogs that stopped by for a sniff.  There are two American couples staying as well who have walked since Oviedo.  We shared a lovely in the dining room of the main house, again being very grateful that the owners were willing to prepare a vegetarian meal for us which consisted of salad, an egg, and a veggie burger.   In the end were very happy with our decision to remain here instead of walking another 20 km today in the wet afternoon.

 

Accommodations: Casa da Ponte

Distance: 27.4 km