Camino de Santiago – Day 10 – Portomarin to Palas de Rei

We made it! I am so tired, this is going to be a short post.

We left our albergue in Portomarin at 7:12am. The second photo below is the big hill we climbed after leaving Portomarin. In 2014, our group didn’t stay in Portomarin, but just walked through it. We went to a supermarcado and bought all the fixings for a picnic. We had an excellent picnic of meats and cheeses and crackers and treats at the top of that hill just outside of Portomarín. It was pure perfection! Thanks to our fearless leader, Sue Kenney!

Here we are at the picnic at the top of the hill in May, 2014.

As the sunrise happened this morning, we realized it might just be an iffy day, weather-wise. It would look really nice one minute, and close to rain the next. The mist was everywhere and the sun was not burning it off. The heat of the sun was just not there today.

Before the rain came, though, I was able to visit the incredible ruins at Castromaior. They really take your breath away. They were developed in the Iron Age, and it was inhabited between the 4th century BC and 1AD. Absolutely amazing! The first photo, we took at the top of the hill in Castromaior. Once we crested the hill, there’s a milemarker. If you follow the little path through the brush from that marker, you will find the ruins about 100 feet in.

The milemarker after the hill. You can go straight back from this marker to the ruins. Just up over a little hill. Two minutes away from this marker…not far at all, and well worth it!

Soon after leaving the ruins, we hit our first period of rain. Out came the rain ponchos.

Then the sun came out and our ponchos dried up… right before the second downpour. The last 5kms or so was all rain. The ponchos kept us mostly dry, though. We are now in our hostel, Pensión Santirso. It’s about three minutes from the centre of town… not that bad. We went into town for a nice Pilgrim meal. Now, we are ready for bed!!