We slept as well as anyone can when they are in a tent, in a foreign country, illigally on a farm while convinced someone is walking around outside.

The alarm at 6 was unpleasant but also nice to hear because, well, I was alive enough to hear it. Jenny the limp had had a rough night too so that made me feel a bit better.

After a quick bout of weird stretches we head off into the darkness and were immediately confronted with a bloody great big hill. I thought the mountainous parts were over but it turned out that today would be the big push. A nice 350m twin peak climb certainly blew out the cobwebs.

The first part of the track was a muddy nightmare. They were doing some forestry work and the tractor had done it’s best to make the route much more difficult. Fortunately, once past the squelchy tyre trenched section, it turned into a rather lovely walk. Difficult and exhausting but rather lovely.

I didn’t take too many photos but the ones I took were pretty good. It was hard graft today. Micheal was with us with his 10kg backpack so he was like a racing snake. He made up for our slowness by taking photos every 10 minutes. I do not blame him either. It’s a hard landscape to not want to capture.

Peg leg Jenny was having a bit of a hard time so Micheal took her backpack to ease the walk down. I felt bad because A: I didn’t offer to help her and B: I was annoyed Micheal wasn’t carrying my backpack!

We finally made it past the ups and downs and found ourselves approaching our destination. We were an hour early for the Albergue so we sat in the town square and I had a beer. The other two are not drinking. Something to do with the Camino or some other nonsense so I made sure I had a couple to make up for them.

We checked in and had a MUCH needed shower and sit down. Literally everywhere is closed in Spain apart from bars and cafes so a nice dinner out was on the cards tonight.

It absolutely hammered it down while we were eating. There was something lovely about the weather being so horrendous 4 foot away through the open window. It felt cosy and warm. I had good company, good food and good beer. I was a very content Jack.

Oh, Jenny stacked it on the way home so we will see if she has knackered her other knee tomorrow. I don’t think I’ve got it in me to carry a Bronson and a Jenny to Santiago.

Anyway, as always

BUEN CAMINO