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Day30 - O Cobreiro to Triacastela

Writer's picture: Robin RudwickRobin Rudwick

21/06/22 Tuesday

Today was going to be a downhill day. All the books say downhill is worse than uphill. Going uphill affects your legs and cardiovascular system. Going downhill doesn't affect your CVS so much as work your lower legs in an eccentric action - you're bending your foot away from your shin. And your knees and shins don't like it. Not to mention your toes as they get jammed into the front of your boots with every step.

We were leaving at about 0600. Mind you, if you've ever tried to sleep in a dormitory of 50 people you'll know what I'm talking about. There is constant rustling and movement somewhere in the room all night. Not to mention the constant snoring in different rhythms and tones. I call it the Snore Chorus. And the unintelligible mumbling, burping and farthing. And people getting up all night to go to the loo. Also the heating was on too high and the guy in the top bunk kept rolling over and rocking the bunks.

There were too few toilets and washbasins or showers to go around and not even a kettle. You may be getting the idea that I didn't enjoy it much and you'd be right.

People started packing and leaving the dorm before 0500. I'd already packed up my sleeping bag and was ready to get washed and repack my bag. We were ready to go by 0540.

I'll show a few sunrise shots as the light and scenery are amazing at that time.

As you can see from the first picture, it was very dark when we set out. We were following the road down. In fact, much of the journey this day was made on road or hard track. And it was very much downhill. We passed through tiny villages, little more than a couple of farms. Finally we came upon an open bar with a very inquisitive puppy that stole a plastic bag from a side pocket of my pack. While I was getting coffee and tortilla, Ruth rescued the bag from the puppy, which then proceeded to attack the umbrella base.

The third picture is just another amazing sunrise shot. Each of the tiny villages had a small church or Chapel. The local authorities have spent money improving these villages, resurfacing the track, building walls and providing decent signage.




This is Cobreiro cheese. It a soft cheese, quite sharp, that you eat with honey. It is delicious. It is a cheese local to this region and Ruth loves it. We managed to get some at the next coffee stop. If you get the chance, try it.



These are grain stores, I think. The stone toadstools supporting the building are designed to stop rats and mice from getting into the store. A very similar design was used in the UK. The round thing in front of the building is, we think a wooden wagon wheel with an iron rim.


The round building in a field near to Triacastello is, in fact a dovecote. They have a similar one in Triacastello. On the way into town is this fabulous old tree. And Ruth is standing next to a rather robust fence, built of felled tree trunks. It looks strong enough to stop a tank.

The church in Triacastello is the first one we've seen where the church is surrounded by the grave yard. In every Spanish Town we've passed through, the church is in the centre of town and the graveyard is a walled off area sites away from the houses.


I decided to try a bocadillo today. That's half a large baguette, filled with sliced salchichón. It's not for the faint hearted, but is really rathe good. Interestingly, things like tomato or lettuce are regarded as extras. This is really a meat feast, although they might offer a vegetarian option as an afterthought. They don't really do vegetables with meat.


We decided to go to the Pilgrims Mass at the church. This is a photo taken at 17.55 and the service was to start at 1800. They left it for 15 minutes and the place was rammed. It seems there was a school party visiting. The school priest helped out with the service. Roman Catholics from multiple countries seemed to know the service order (International standard?). Although not religious, I spent some time thinking about what this journey means to me. We also bumped into Jurgen at the service and met Marian e and Inez in town.


Dinner was Menu del Día, which in my case was tripe and chickpea soup (very nice) and hake and chips (very average). Ruth went for a noodle soup (OK) and chorizo sausage, eggs and chips, which was great.

And then off to bed.

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