Camino de Santiago Frances
INTROThe Camino de Santiago is a network of long distance pilgrimages throughout Europe, primarily Spain, leading to Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
Beautiful historic spot
I am currently on the Frances route which began in Saint Jean Pied de Port, France. This route is roughly 500 miles (800 kilometers). This is different from an other backpacking I’ve done; less wilderness, more showers/town food.
Day 23 - 25 me from Trabadelo, Spain - Gonzar, Spain.
OVERVIEWDAYS3
MILES/kilometers54.3/86.9
TOTAL ELEVATION GAINED7379 ft
TOTAL ELEVATION LOSS7397 ft
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Reaching the 100km remaining mark!
Meeting lovely new friends to continue/finish hiking with.
Beautiful vistas in Galicia.
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Rain several days in a row.
Prank that broke up our trail family.
Sarria
In Depth
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Accommodation: Albergue A Reboleira
Distance: 19.1 miles / 30.6 kilometers
Elevation Gain: 3643 ft
Elevation Loss: 1232 ft
This ended up being one of the most fun days on the Camino Frances that I had.
Kim Alex and I decided to hike the day together as it was our last true, full of hiking day before Alex‘s friends came to join the following day. It was going to be a misty and rainy day, which could make miles go by slowly hence why we stayed together.
Within the first 5km of the day, our group liked to get coffees. Alex, Kim, and I searched for a coffee place and it ended up being closer to 8km before we followed the “vibes“ down into one of the most heavenly hostels I’ve ever visited.
Had I known about this hostel in advance I would’ve stayed there instead of the night prior. It was run by a Danish man who moved Spain several years ago. He had created one of the most welcoming and warm spaces I’ve ever entered. We ended up doing a full breakfast there and stayed there for longer than we should have. The space was unique and inviting and I felt a little too comfortable there. I fear that if I spent any more than an hour there somehow it would’ve turned into five years.
We continued on and had some substantial climbs for the day that reminded us of the Pyrenees. The climbs were rewarded with good views and lots of animal interactions. There were several cattle drives that we got stuck in on the road for and got to see cattle dogs doing their work. Early afternoon wound through tiny farming towns as we made our way up the mountain.
It was going to rain heavily in the afternoon so we ducked in at the top of the mountain O Cebreiro just as the rain came. This also came just as we entered Galicia - the last region on the Camino! We had some tea and a quick snack and stayed there for a long time. We were dreading going out in the deluge and put it off. We met Felix and Jonas (German) who we would end up hiking with the rest of the way on and off to Santiago.
The three of us braved the rain and it actually ended up turning out to be a light drizzle for most of the way. It was at this time that I hit 1000 miles hike for the year. My goal is 5000 miles so this felt significant to be done with 20% of my goal.
Remaining miles were just a march to the hostel. But once we got to the hostel, it was on a mountainside with a view and was also inviting. Because there were no grocery stores around, we all opted into the dinner provided, and that was an absolute treat. Dinner was held in a huge historic building with one long table. I was fed until I could barely walk.
I also met some lovely people at dinner Kate (New Zealand). We had similar stories of how we ended up hiking a bit and it felt like I had a twin on the other side of the world. I also met Tom, 180, who was a Triple Crower. To find another long distance wilderness backpacker on the Camino with the accolade that I am striving for this year was amazing. Him and I shared some stories and I will plan to see him later in the year!
Despite the dormitory housing around 30 people snoring was at a minimum.
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Accommodation: Albergue Oasis
Distance: 16 miles / 25.6 kilometers
Elevation Gain: 1160 ft
Elevation Loss: 4021 ft
This was a big day. Arriving into Sarria meant that we were approaching the 100 km marker and this is where rumor of the Frances beginning to feel like a highway would start. So we all enjoyed our last day of perhaps… less traffic on the trail.
Kim and I were hiking a little bit slower than everyone else so after the initial descent, which we all descended together, she and I pulled back. We got some coffees and then came to a junction. Alex had texted us to go left at the junction but when we arrived, we decided to go right. These two trails would end up in the same place so Kim and I opted to go right which was 7km shorter.
This turned out to be the right choice as the day flew by. It did rain again and at some points very heavily. And because I was still dealing with the cuts in the back of my heel from previous rainy day, Kim gave me her rain pants to wear to help cover my heels which did help. This lead to an innumerable amount of giggles. We arrived at a hostel and needed space for nine people because Alex‘s friends from the states were joining.
This hostel was lovely and the none of us ended up giving a private room as it was made for 10. A few of us went out to dinner, which was harder than you would imagine in a larger city, as not much seem to be open at any reasonable hour and of course… it was raining again. After a somewhat disappointing dinner, we went back to the hostel where Alex‘s friends met us. We spent the rest of the evening getting to know how friends from “real life“ we were just as lovely as Alex was.
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Accommodation: Hosteria de Gonzar
Distance: 19.2 miles / 30.7 kilometers
Elevation Gain: 2576 ft
Elevation Loss: 2144 ft
This was the first day hiking with Alex‘s friends; Annie, Savannah, and Holly. And we have a relatively large day slated, especially for their first day on the trail. We got some of a slow start because of a disappointing breakfast. Which was a rough introduction for the new pilgrims joining us. Then it did seem like traffic on the trail really did increase for this day. There were tour buses, dropping people off, moving their luggage along, and the queues for any services along the way were long.
Alex has a history of falling on the trail and this morning was no exception. She took her worst tumble yet one could argue with quite dramatic battle wounds at the end (picture below). We had a beautiful day heading into Portomarin where we had a full large lunch. We got some snacks for that later that evening at the grocery store as Gonzar had no services near.
The rest of the day was similarly a march, this time in all of our rain gear because it rained on and off for the afternoon. I bought an umbrella – shocking – and that thing has saved me several times already.
We split in between two hostels because of our large group, but they were right next to each other so we all joined up in the evening. Including Felix and Jonas in addition to Jac, Sebastian, Dmytrii, myself Kim, Alex, Savannah, Holly, and Annie.
The rest of the evening was a strange one. There was a prank that went very wrong and it ended up splitting up our group, the remaining days finishing up the Camino Frances. Do not lie about birthdays, make people feel guilty, encourage people to buy you things, and then be surprised when it is not your birthday… that the group is upset.
It was a dramatic end of the day, but hey, we were within 100 km of our end destination.
GALLERY
