Monday, 20 May 2024
Ponte Ulla to Santiago de Compostela
21.5 kilometers

Today was our final day of the pilgrimage walk to Santiago de Compostela. And we made it! The Camino de Santiago had a few challenges for us on our last day, particularly two long and fairly steep uphill sections in the last few kilometers. The last day was a beautiful day with sun much of the way. A beautiful day. Here is a photo of me and Dan ahead of Ron in one of the last walks through the forest.

The map shows us on our final northwest route. The elevation profile shows that much of the first part of the walk was uphill, but that part seemed more gradual. Those last two steep uphill climbs into Santiago de Compostela were a challenge, and we were walking slowly when we finally entered the historic old city of Santiago de Compostela.

Here we are at the start, rested and ready for the last day of walking with a heavy backpack.

In the background, the high-speed train bridge was in the fog over the river, so it seemed worthy of a photo of its own.

Here is Ron at the first Camino waymarker we saw as we started our walk to Santiago de Compostela, 20.388 kilometers to go to the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela.

Almost the whole way from Zamora we have walked along or even walked on the shoulder of Highway N525. As we are closer to Santiago, that highway seems busier, so after walking alongside the N525 for a short distance, the Camino path veered off the highway and into the forest with farms. We have seen vineyards occasionally, and today was no exception. We passed a fairly large vineyard before entering the forest again.

After a walk in the forest, we came to one of many tunnels under a highway or railroad. Ron took a photo of me and Dan about to go under the railroad.

As I said, it was a beautiful day along farms, forests, and flowers. Here is a field of flowers just before we entered the forest again.

Back into the forest, almost no mud today. After all the recent rainy days, there was just a little mud to remind us of how much we love negotiating our way around the deepest mud.

Then we were back on well-drained natural paths in the forest. I love walking through the forest – quiet, peaceful, and meditative.

We saw a Camino waymarker that reminded me of the Boeing 787, an aircraft on which I have been – 11.787 kilometers to go.

We came to yet another railroad bridge. Dan and Ron are about to go under the bridge and I got their photo.

Getting closer and closer to Santiago, we saw another Camino waymarker with an interesting number, 8.080, making us think of the Intel 8080 microprocessor.

Ron got a photo of Dan and me in one of the last forest sections of the walk today.

And then just to keep the walk interesting, we crossed over the non-electric railroad line. We’ll see this line again later as we approach even closer to Santiago.

We are now definitely in the outskirts of Santiago. Many houses on large plots of land. Most are of older styles and we were a little surprised to see a very modern house with a very well-mown lawn right beside the Camino route.

We crossed a bridge over both the non-electric and high-speed rail lines. The photo is poor because of the fencing, and this was the only place from which to get a reasonable photo. I like the train and train lines. That is why there are so many photos of railroad tracks in my blog.

After climbing yet another uphill section of the Camino path, we saw our first view of the towers of the Santiago Cathedral. Now we really feel like we are getting close to the end.

We still had some distance to cover, those towers are fairly far away. Then there was an old bridge to cross reminding us that within many newer buildings around us are the roots of a very old city.

We came to a Camino marker indicating 1.313 kilometers to go to reach the cathedral. This reassured us that we were still on the correct path – we had not gotten lost in the city along the way.

We went under the N525 highway and the high-speed train line (not an interesting photo opportunity) and were confronted by yet another long, steep uphill climb to get to the old historic center of Santiago where both the Cathedral and our hotel are located. The photo does not convey just how steep, long, difficult, and demoralizing this hill was. My legs feel tired just thinking about that final hill. We kept going anyway albeit slowly.

After the hill, we were in the old historic city of Santiago de Compostela. There were many people: locals, tourists, pilgrims. After almost three weeks of seeing very few people all day, this was a little overwhelming. We made it to the entrance of the Cathedral and got a few photos.

Dan and Ron were not happy with me when I told them we needed to go around the Cathedral to the Plaza del Obradoiro, the main square of the old town, and the traditional ending for pilgrims coming from all Camino de Santiago routes. We walked around to the Plaza del Obradoiro and saw a few hundred people, mostly pilgrims who were happy, tired, hugging, and taking photographs.

After a couple of photographs, we checked in at our hotel. Dan and I took our laundry to a nearby laundromat I had used before, then Dan returned to the hotel to take something for his dry throat. I met and talked with a young lady from Florida, a former U.S. Marine. With the laundry done, I got lost returning to the hotel, finally found my way (I was looking on the wrong side of the street) and we went out for dinner.

Tuesday morning we had breakfast in the hotel, then went to the Pilgrims’ Office to see about getting our Compostela, a certificate of completion. On the way back we stopped for more photos in the Plaza del Orbradoiro with far fewer people around. Here I am holding a small mailing tube with my Compostela and Certificate of Distance in front of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela.

We saw a Canadian man we had seen before on the walk. He finished his sixth Camino walk. He took a photo of the three of us in front of the Cathedral.

We are happy, tired, and a little sore. My Keen Logan hiking shoes made it through the warm days, the sand, the dirt, the rain, the mud, and it is now time to retire them after about 750 miles of walking.

Today we also explored the vast array of souvenir shops and did our part to help the economy of Santiago de Compostela. We even had gelato at a chocolate shop, mmmm…..

I have completed the 1040-kilometer walk I started last year, the Via de la Plata and Camino Sanabres. When I had to stop after developing tendonitis in my left leg, I was frustrated and disappointed that I was not able to finish. A year later and having finished, I am very happy. Walking with Ron and Dan kept the mood light, even when it rained and we had no negotiate mud and then more mud, and long, steep uphill sections. Ron’s ability to speak Spanish helped all too often. For their company on this adventure, I am very grateful.

When I was paying for my distance certificate and the mailing tube, I told the lady that this was my third Compostela. She replied, “So we will see you next year.” Right now, I’m not sure, but I would not say no.

Next: Traveling home and reflections on completing the Via de la Plata/Camino Sanabres.