There we go!
It was inevitable and it had to happen.
Yep. Camino Steve shared a double bed with me last night.
It was what we had booked.
Luckily it was a king size bed.
I think we had both erected an imaginary ‘Maginot line’ down the middle.
(The Maginot Line was a defensive fortification built by France along its eastern border with Germany in the years following World War I.)
It was an inevitability on this extended trip.
We probably would both have chosen our own sleeping space, but sometimes in life you have to adapt to what you get and not what you want.
No big deal, despite the length of this introduction! 😜
With the words of Gandalf ringing in my ears, I remember closing my eyes and thinking:
“You shall not pass!”
Anyway, the night before the ‘Camino provided’ me with this thing of beauty.
A whole double bed: king size actually and all to myself!
So as we all know, sometimes in life we win and sometimes we lose.
We found we had a bed each in that hostel.
Camino Steve was given the first choice.
(Always respect your elders was foundational in my upbringing).
He stoically, even heroically, chose the single bed upstairs in a mezzanine room, meaning that I luxuriated ‘all night long’ in my super king size.
Bliss!
Before I actually report the walking and scenery from yesterday I need to give an answer to my extra quiz question from yesterday.
Yes I ‘skipped,’ (ie skinny dipped) this morning.
Camino Steve declined that offer.
That water was so cold, it caused an instant shrivelling.
When I got out after 3 mighty lengths of that 8 metre pool, the endorphins kicked in.
It was so, so uplifting.
As I wrapped my towel around me, the hostel manager shouted a cheery ‘Hola!’
I guess my dipping was not as private as I thought!
In fairness that was a great hostel, situated in the middle of nowhere.
We set off later: a deliberate decision as we expected our walk to be shorter at around 27 km.
Our hostel was ”fine” according to Steve’s grading.
A bit dated and our bunk bed creaked like crazy.
But we were comfortable and it was central to restaurants and cafes for dinner and breakfast.
No pilgrim chooses to walk more, when they’ve finished their walk of the day.
So having food options literally on the door stop was fantastic.
So, we rewarded ourselves with a leisurely get up on Friday morning and a scrambled egg breakfast in the cafe that was 10 metres across the street from our hostel.
That scrambled egg was delicious.
I now realise I am Gollum – like.
Not in appearance I hope, but certainly in diet!
“Eggggssssss , my precious!”
I can’t get enough of them, so far we’ve had very few.
It no yoke! 🍳 😜 I love them!
After a leisurely flat walk along a quiet country lane, we chose to take a graduated path up towards the cliffs.
15 minutes later we got a wonder view.
On a craggy headland we looked across the confluence of the Odeieixe river and the sea to the shall village in the hillside.
Stunning!
And that became the order of our day.
So be prepared for some serious scenery shots.
I hope they don’t bore you, or more likely arouse a fit of pique and make you exit the group!
Jealousy is a real thing you know.
“Thou shalt not cover thy neighbour’s …… scenery!’
Beautiful flora.
Isolated beaches.
And craggy cliffs.
The whole section of the trail felt remote.
We saw plenty of walkers: all heading south. Not one northerner.
I don’t think we smell! Why? What?
Both of us are managing our feet well.
It helps when you find waterfalls and streams where you can foot bath.
Snake waterfall was beautiful.
We both soaked our feet for 20 minutes. It was so nice.
Steve pointed our northerly direction from one viewpoint.
One day soon you might actually meet the man behind the legend.
“But not this day.” (LOTR)
At the moment he is playing it cool.
He is a Coy Boy!
We have played our water tactics perfectly so far. You drink a lot when it is so warm.
We top up at every opportunity.
Have I mentioned ‘tactical’ before?🤔
The afternoon progressed and the path took a turn through some low eucalyptus trees.
We turned another corner and found ourselves 10 metres ……,,
From an ostrich!
That’s right: a massive, bird that walks on 2 legs.
Though this one was actually enjoying a dust bath.
Our path took us round a private zoo, right in the middle of nowhere.
Gazelle and zebra nonchalantly grazed as we walked by.
This journey is filled with so many surprises.
The unsurprising bit is that I am not at all bored of that coast.
Our walk is easily 85% coastal.
Jaw dropping views round every corner.
Wild mesembryanthemum cascade over the cliff edges. The yellows were out at the beginning of the week.
Now, it is ‘Here come the pinks!’
Our final 4.5km was a tarmac trudge again along a road that was quite busy.
We had no trail alternative. So we road walked.
I rang my sister Sarah and son Jake.
They did well: they got me over the line.
Not before I saw a large snake though.
Thankfully/sadly (take your pick!) this one was squashed.
Our accommodation was lovely, but apart from the bed share it had one other fault.
It was in the middle of nowhere and the nearest eatery was 6 km away.
Fat chance of us walking extras.
Luckily, we had been strategic.
Dinner was tasty bread, Spanish meats, tomatoes and onions and washed down with a well earned beer!
All bought from a supermarket 8km from our lodgings.
That cold beer was👌
Or so it should have been!
There was no beer!
A schoolboy error.
As we registered for our accommodation we had noticed a beer fridge in the office.
We presumed we could go back for a couple of bottles later.
When we did, it was locked! The hombre had hit home.
Bread and water for Camino Steve and not so Smart Mart!
We walked another 16 miles on Friday.
That was the only thing that went wrong on what was otherwise, ‘ a perfect day!’ 🎵
Thanks for the read.
Buen Camino.
Martin x
Apologies: I’m too whacked tonight for a quiz. I’ll resume tomorrow.
My sponsorship total now stands at £1898.
Amazing!
Thank you so much.
If you wish to support my sister Lizzie and her family , with the work of Hannah’s charity, please click the link below.
Thank you
Martin Moorman is a 61 year old retired Headteacher who lives with his wife Nicky, daughter and her family in North Yorkshire, UK.
Happily married for 36 years, Martin and Nicky have 3 grown up children, all happily married too. In his spare time Martin loves walking, photography, football, renovating cooking and talking rubbish to anyone who will listen!
Martin Moorman 