The Way-My Way: May 20th-Trabadelo to Fonfria

Today was a see how it goes type of day, I knew it would be fairly physical as it was mainly up hill and a lot would be steep, The goal to to climb up to O'Cebreiro at 1330m, This would be the last big climb and after it would be downhill and a straight run to Santiago, In my mind i had decided to see if i could make it to a small town called hospital, The weather could go either way, The night before it was raining and in the mountains things change every few minutes, I was up and out at 6.35am, It was dry but overcast, The route would have a slight uphill gradient until 9am, I was walking alone and stopped at 7.15 for coffee and pain au chocolate, I popped a pill for the leg which felt ok and carried on, I bumped into a Dutch guy who i had met a few days before and also shared a room with last night, We walked together through the small villages, I enjoyed the countryside and the sound the small river that ran alongside the road, At 9am the road took a steeper angle and it was a steep walk for the next 2.5 hours, I felt good, I could not have done this weeks before, Before the top we stopped at a cafe for something to eat and drink, I had not eaten the night before as i just did not have an appetite but now my tummy was rumbling, The mist had started to come down so i put my jacket on for the first time in weeks, I was just getting over a cold and did not want to push my luck, After the snack it was a quick 2.5km up to O'Cebreiro, This is one beautiful town, A little touristy but beautiful, We had now past into Galicia, The last area of Spain on the Camino that will lead to the sea, There was a church there that dates back to the 9th century, Incredibly its perfectly preserved and i popped in to have a look around, My Dutch friend has been suffering with a bad knee after a women fell next to him and twisted him around at the start of his walk so he chose to walk the road down and i walked the Camino, One thing of note was the amount of taxi's going up and down the mountain bringing up pilgrims (?) I wanted to walk as much of the Camino trail as i could so every now and then the trail would drop off from the road and would take some twists ans turns and some ups and downs, Some incredibly steep, We would laugh when i would pop up and he would be in exactly the same spot, Th road route was longer but the Camino more physical, We stopped at Hospital but decided to walk the extra 4 or so miles to a small place called Fonfria, By the time i got there i was ready to stop, I had walked 33km or 20 miles, I am still amazed at how far i can now walk and enjoy it, Certainly one of the most physical days i have done but the beautiful rolling countryside made every step worth while, Some steep down hill sections tomorrow but with some luck i may make it to Sarria, Things will then get very busy as its where a lot of people start as its the magic 100km that allows you to get you composteller,
Injury of the day and there alway seems to be one is a blister under my toe nail, I got it coming down the steep inclines yesterday, I guess i will loose the toe nail at some point, Look out for it on e bay

Pilgrim statue