Another great day on the Camino. This morning we had to catch a train to go 500m. The only bridge is a rail bridge, the only other way is to walk 10km up the valley or illegally walk the rail bridge. The trains on Sundays only run every hour so we caught the 7.57 train.
We being Fredric, Elizabeth and myself. At the next station web got off and started walking the Camino, it was still dark. As I walk fast I arranged to meet them in Santilina del Mar and pushed on ahead.
The terrain was mainly rolling farmland with glimpses of the sea.
This town is a very popular town for Spanish tourists and it was very busy, the place I stopped for coffee popular but it was interesting to see how they cooked the meet.
I decided to walk on to Caborrendondo to the Izzarra Hostel. It was a climb out from Santalina but once over the mountain I dropped into this valley which just looked so perfect. Perfect as in idyllic and perfect because I could see the Auberge I was staying in tonight, so the end was in sight. (see yellow arrow below )
Both knees were really starting to hurt by this stage even though there was no big climbs today.
I arrived at the Auberge at 2.30pm but it didn't open till 3. There was a German, Andreas, sitting waiting at the door on a stool so I joined him on then next stool. He had his headpones in but I still chatted with him and asked him where had he started the day as I expected to be the first from Poo de Pielago. He said he was in the blunk bed above me in the same Auberge. 🤣
After chatting for a while the land lady opened the door and asked us to be quite and wait around the back on the patio as they were having a siesta.
We headed round the back and a large spanish man was there who turned out to be just a neighbour. We got chatting and then he offered us coffee and biscuits which I accepted. Rude not to!
Fredric eventually joined us but he wanted a beer and not coffee.😀.
Giulia the landlady came out at 3 pm and introduced herself. She was genuinely excited that I was Irish as she had spent 3 years in Waterford. She was Italian a doctor and had bought the hostel because she wanted to do something different. I showered, then hike 10 minutes with Andres to the petrol station to get beers for us all. Nothing quite like a beer after a long hike. The hostel provide a communal clothes washing service so instead of us washing our clothes in a sink and ringing the out and hoping they will dry sometime, Guilia took our clothes and stuck them in a washing machine them tumble dryer. It doesn't seem much but it was fantastic.
We sat for an hour or so drinking the beers and chatting.
From the left is Fredric, from Britany in France, Elizabeth from Northern France near Belgium, and Andres from Berlin.
Gulia, for dinner, had made vegetable pasta bake, salads and homemade Apple Doughnuts all washed down with local VinonTinto. Excellent dinner and very good company.
Today: 26.51km
Total: 244.52
