Day 28 - Tricastela to Sarria

The atmosphere in Tricastela last night was completely different. It is a small condensed town and all the bars and restaurants concentrated in a small narrow street. The pilgrims we have met over the last 670km are all now buzzing with the anticipation of Santiago. Every one is chatting and mixing with each other in the knowledge that our next destination is Sarria, a large modern town which will be the starting point for many hundreds more pilgrims. This is 112km from Santiago and the last point to start from to enable you to receive your Compostela (certificate of authenticity ), as the rules say you must walk at least the last 100km to gain this. We all know we will get there now but it's going to get crowded on the Camino. We all need to be mindful that new arrivals may be nervous and apprehensive and the last thing a person needs is aloofness built on a false sense of superiority. I am looking forward to meeting the new pilgrims.

The Camino out to Opcion is very pleasant. We have started this morning in the rain and mist, but the Oak and Chestnut woods create a tranquil path. There is wild mint, sage and many varieties of wild orchids growing in the hedge rows, the quiet is only broken by the numerous constant bird songs.
Our gear again is to prove invaluable, excellent waterproofs including a ruck sack cover that protects all our worldly goods from the rain.

The agriculture has changed considerably. It is now made up of small dairy farms who's herds are generally only 20 strong. They are Angus Jersey cross breeds and carry a bell around there necks. This years calfs are nurtured by their proud mothers. It's difficult to see how they make a living in this remote and isolated mountainous region.

We arrive in the busy modern town of Sarria. It is strange to be confronted by so many cars and people after such a long time away from normal every day life in the city.

We arrive at our hostel for tonight only to find that, by mistake, our reserved rooms have been let. Antonio the proprietor was extremely apologetic and took us in his car to possibly the best hotel in town and secured us a room with two separate internal rooms. It is also said to have the best restaurant in town (that's not an Afro hair do, but a tree growing behind his head). He even offered to pay the difference in the original price we would have paid. What a nice guy.

Sarria with its Celtic origins, was a major medieval centre for pilgrims with several churches, monasteries and 7 pilgrim hospitals. The addition of the railway in the 19th Century pulled the town centre eastwards leaving the ancient Camino largely intact. It is now a bustling town of 13,000 inhabitants.

Tomorrow we are off to Portomarin, a walk of 23km and an ascent of only 700ft, but a steep decline of 1000ft for the last 5km, very tough on the knees.