Camino 2015: May 27th - Betanzos to Casa Julia

Only 6 other pilgrims at breakfast in the Garelos today at 7.30. We set off at 8.10, uphill with no cooling wind. This was to be the hottest day so far and we were carrying extra water, which put our packs overweight for comfort for a time.

We passed the 'pilgrim' on the hilltop, pointing the way and had a mix of road and track during the morning. At Cos we met 3 Spanish peregrinas, who we saw again several times during the day. We reached the new cafe-bar at Presedo (Meson-museo Xente no Camino)at 12.30 and had drinks (having drunk most of our water). Then we had a good menu del día, plus more water and topped up our bottles before carrying on through Leiro and to Casa Julia. The road walking was hot but there was some shaded track and at one point a stream below us, with the yellow arrow on a tree. We reached Casa Julia, which was open, at 15.30.

By then we had drunk more than another litre of our water each and had more drinks in the bar while waiting for Antonio to collect us. Passing the 3 peregrinas, who were heading for Meson Novo, Antonio gave them some bottled water. He was concerned that they had enough water for the next 5kms so went up to the main road and a bar, then took more water back to them before taking us to Meson Novo. Such thoughtfulness is what makes this place so special.

Siesta was followed by more drinks; talking to English speaking and the Spanish pilgrims while our washing dried on the line (without actually blowing away) and then a good supper. We had been so long on the road without speaking English that we were nearly speaking Spanish to one another and in some ways found it easier talking to the Spanish pilgrims than the English speaking ones we met, which felt a little odd. There were 10 other pilgrims at Meson Novo, the most we have seen apart from the big group in Betanzos.