Travels Past & Future

Friday, May 7th, 2026 Another 22km day ahead of us. We set out from the Parador under cloudy skies—heaven help us when we have to go back to a Best Western motel. Crossing the Lérez River called for the mandatory selfie, and dare I say, I’m finally getting the hang of it. Today brought a few hills, but with the railway line never far away, I kept humming (okay,  singing to myself) what are the new lyrics: “I’m a-walkin’ along the railroad…” We took a break on some perfectly placed rocks, finishing the cakes we’d stashed from breakfast. Julie sighed, “I told Paul I’d come back thinner—but that’s not happening if we keep eating cake.” At our next stop for tea and yet more pastries, rain threatened overhead. Then someone nearby ordered French fries (I say French Fries because they don't know what chips are) and the smell broke us completely. We ordered some too. The rain finally arrived, so we ducked under cover, finished lunch, and pulled on our ponchos. Shortly after, Kim decid...

7/5/2026 Alison  We are leaving behind Redondela and hiking to Pontevedra. Our travel is lighter today. Not in kilometres or in elevation just in numbers. Julie’s blisters are all over her feet, walking would burst them all and that would not be fun. Kim on the other hand has the flu and the hills would be unbearable. She has a good reason to get better before we get back. Kim said,”We will stay and rest until 10am then off to the Paradores.” I think Kim just likes the Luxury of the Paradores’.  So off Louise and I went from our accommodation last night which was an old manour house originally built by the Franciscan monks. They were forced to leave the country in the early 20th century and the house and land went into disrepair. It has now been fully restored to its original condition and looks fantastic. Off we went down the driveway (400 metres) around the corner under the train line past the petrol station, across the highway through the heavy machinery yard and back on...

Tuesday 5th May Julie  We ate early and reluctantly left the comforts of the Paradores. It was a 750 metre walk just to get out onto the road to join the Camino. We began our walk around the bay in the rain with our ponchos on. The walk was flat with stones, dirt and some boardwalks. We stopped for morning tea at about 10.30 and the Paradores was so huge that we could still see it. We passed through villages, had an ice-cream at a skate cafe, detoured onto the beach at one point and tackled some steep stairs and hills. Lunch was in the shade in a secluded bay and by that stage the rain had stopped again and the ponchos were off. Then… walking again for a couple of hours.🤨We caught a cafe just before it closed for siesta for a quick cup of tea. Sometimes that’s enough to keep you going for another hour. We reached the outskirts of Vigo and decided to eat as we knew that if we didn’t then we would probably not go out again. We had walked 22 km by this stage and Kim was exhausted. Sh...

Monday, 4th May 2026 – Rest Day We kicked off the day with a late breakfast and a stunning view from our window. The Parador overlooked the water, which glittered in the morning sun—just gorgeous. But by the time we were ready to head into town, the rain had started. So instead, we explored the Parador itself. Honestly, it felt like wandering through a museum—every corner filled with art, tapestries, and ornately carved tables. There were little lounge areas everywhere, perfect for sitting, reading, or just doing nothing. After a while, we checked the weather again and set off along the walkway around the old fort wall. Naturally, we got a little sidetracked along the way. The fortress is preserved in spectacular condition. A full three kilometers of defensive walls encircle the peninsula, and you can walk along most of them . We followed the Paseo de Monte Boi—a looped walk that offers breathtaking 360-degree views of the bay, the Cíes Islands, and the wild Atlantic beyond . Also, on...

Sunday, 3rd May 2026 – Rain and the Coastal Climb We were down for breakfast by 7.30am and ready to head out the door at 8.30am. That's when the rain started. So—ponchos on. Kim and Allison had briefly considered putting on their gaiters before we left, but the rain only got heavier as we walked along the coast. Soon enough, they were wishing they'd worn them. As for me, I was testing out a different pair of hiking pants than last time. Bad idea. These ones soaked through immediately. My old ones never did that. Before long, the fabric was sticking to my legs, and rain had run straight into my socks. Every step came with a squelch. Around the 8.5km mark, we stopped for morning tea. Kim was wet, cold, and feeling her cold getting worse—especially with those soggy feet. She made the wise call to ring a taxi. Off to the Parador. Who wants to walk when you can sit in luxury. Alison, Julie, and I pressed on. We decided to take the coastal route over the mountain instead of the li...

02/05/2026 Saturday Today we walked from A Guardia to Oia. We started out around the port on a beautiful sunny day.  We mainly walked along the coast on dirt tracks with some walking on the pavement next to the road.  In Galicia the government has embraced the Camino and on the well trodden paths they have dedicated walking tracks so pilgrims don't need to walk on the road. We had a relatively short day of 14km and arrived at the hotel in time for a late lunch just 2 doors down and we even bought take away dessert to take back for dinner later that night. After lunch we made use of the laundry and washed our clothes, even the ones that didn't quite dry from the previous days. I left my poles at reception while our hostess Carmen was showing us around her beautifully renovated bed and breakfast with lots of antiques scattered around, including cast iron irons, tea cups, tea pots, plates and water jugs. The tour even  included their secret garden which looked over the ...

01/05/2026 Friday Today we walked from Vila Praia de Âncora, Portugal, to A Guarda, Spain. We started along the coast, passing donkeys and goats, plus a peloton of cyclists up on the highway—we could hear them coming long before they arrived. A celebration race for May Day, a public holiday. When we reached Caminha, we found a water taxi and crossed the Minho River into Galicia, Spain. We ordered tea and a cold drink at a café, though Kim and Alison only got half a small cup of tea. Then we ate our bread rolls in a park and decided our routes. Kim and Julie took the long, flat coastal path, while Alison and I tackled the hills to see the Celtic village ruins. When we finally reached the first house, I told Alison to look around while I waited. She took two steps up and said, "You have to see this." She was right—it was amazing. The village houses were built of stone in circular shapes, packed so closely together that you couldn't walk between some of them. Was the climb w...