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 littoral path along the road. And while I'm still painfully slow compared to the others, I am noticing my recovery time after climbing hills is getting better. Small wins.
We stopped for lunch in Baiona before making our way out to the point where the hotel was. Even the driveway felt like a hike. The parador was beautiful—but all any of us wanted was a hot shower and a long rest.
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 littoral path along the road. And while I'm still painfully slow compared to the others, I am noticing my recovery time after climbing hills is getting better. Small wins.
We stopped for lunch in Baiona before making our way out to the point where the hotel was. Even the driveway felt like a hike. The parador was beautiful—but all any of us wanted was a hot shower and a long rest.
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