And it rained and rained and rained. The first 10 minutes were ok and we were hopeful that it may just threaten like yesterday.

But no, it bucketed down. Some people donned ponchos and raincoats that covered their packs so they looked like strange camels of the Camino.

While the fields turned to mud the track was mercifully quite easy to walk, although the pungent smell of wet cow dung was a constant challenge.

Only 20km to go, and then the next marker, less than 20 km to go!

It was a relief to find a bar and warm up with tomato toast and D2’s favourite, Cola Cao.

Miraculously when we emerged from the bar the rain was gone and there were patches of blue sky. An unspoken thought we had both had this morning that we may push on to Santiago today was washed away by the rain and we decided to walk to about the 12 or 13 km mark and look for somewhere to stay.
The walk was gorgeous. Tomorrow we will be heading into Santiago and I am not expecting too much countryside, so I enjoyed a long walk through the small villages and the fields and flowers for the last time.

Wild mint

I love the places they find for their vegetable gardens

 

We found a hotel at the 14km mark where we had spaghetti and finished drying off

It was very pleasant in the sun and we were very tempted to stay. But D2 had found out there was a hotel 5 or 6 km ahead, and lulled by the flat terrain of this morning, and the thought of an 8 km stroll into Santiago tomorrow, we were persuaded to move on.
And what did the Camino throw at us? Hills, long steep hills. D2 went on to look for the accommodation and I trudged up , cursing the Camino for tricking us into leaving the sunny comfort of the previous hotel.

A solitary walk through a forest of moss covered trees and ferns restored my spirits, not a soul around, just the birds for company.

Eventually the track emerged from the bush and there were the outskirts of Santiago

I was just heading back onto a woodland path when I received a phone call from D2. The hotel was full! My heart sank at the thought of walking too much further today. However, the good news was that they could get a car to take us to a hotel 15 km away, then bring us back tomorrow to finish our journey. Done deal! We had a  very pleasant stay at the Pazo de Adrán which was quite posh and more than we intended to pay for that night’s accommodation. But the meal was delicious and the white robes made us feel so luxurious and pampered. An early celebration!!

10 kms to go! Hopefully we will make it to the 12:00 Pilgrims Mass at the Cathedral.