Distance: 35.8km (699.7km), time spent: 10:46.
Weather: Rain all day with occasional breaks.
From Vilanova de Arousa, the pilgrims has the option of taking a boat instead of the usual journey by foot. The route the boat takes, is said to be the same route the disciples used to carry the body of St James towards Santiago. It is therefore legit to choose the boat ride, in terms of getting the Compostela. The route, called the Translatio route, is about 27km long and will set you off in Pontecesures, where you will join the central Camino. Tickets for the boat should be bought the day before at the albergue in Vilanova de Arousa.
Vilanova de Arousa early in the morning.
Ciaran has decided to take the boat, in fact, all of the other pilgrims at the albergue are going to take the boat. I am the only one that has opted to walk. Hence, I am early awake and up, as it is a long walk today, especially as it is going to rain. I do not know what will be worst, sitting down in the boat in the rain for a shorter time, or walk for a long time in constant rain. Both options seems cold at the moment. I eat my breakfast alone in the kitchen. When I walk out of the albergue, a few others have woken up.
The blue light. A pier and the estuary.
I leave in the dark, but today there will be no sunrise to greet me. More like a rainrise, as it does not rain when I start walking. Everything is dark and quiet, except when I come to the port, where a group of young people are trying to start a car. I quickly move on, trying not to be noticed. When the light, or the dim blue imitation of it, begins to brighten, I am walking out of Vilanova de Arousa next to the estuary. There is something quiet about the water in this moment, wrapped in a bluish hue. Stealing the words from a famous movie, it is the deep breath before the plunge. So far it has only been a light drizzle, then it starts to rain, pouring down. I seek shelter underneath an awning to put on my rain gear.
Rain over the estuary.
In the rain, I arrive at what I believe to be Vilagarcía de Arousa. Despite the rain, and despite being alone, I am in a great mood, but I desire a hot cup of coffee. It has been an atmospheric walk so far. The rain stops, I get my coffee at a small local café, when I starts walking again, the rain continues. I sometimes look out towards the estuary, wondering if I can see the boat out there, but there is no sign of it.
Parque Botánico Enrique Valdés in Vilagarcia de Arousa.
Street art in Vilagarcia de Arousa.
Suddenly the waymarks deviates from the guidebook. Deciding to follow the waymarks, I am herded into a park that looks more tempting than the guidebook road. The park is a really nice one, but the route through it is confusing. On, or off, the correct path I come down to a cloister. Where I get a friendly pat on my shoulder instead of a stamp when I enquire about it.
In Vilagarcia de Arousa, looking towards Carril, dark weather.
Then it dawns on me, I am actually in Vilagarcía de Arousa now, where I was when I had my morning coffee I do not know. One hour later than I should and had believed. I am unable to grasph how, as I thought I kept a good pace. There is still a long distance to cover, I hurry on, past seaside restaurants and fanciful street art.
Locals mending their fishingboats in Carril.
The next part is a wonderful walk next to the seaside, as Vilagarcía de Arousa gradually changes to become Carril. It is ebb tide and the water is high out with boats stranded in the muck. I see locals spending time mending their boats and fishing equipment. In the short respite from the rain there is a wonderful colorful light and hue over the scenery, especially the seabed. Carril appear slightly more charming than Vilagarcía, and the gusty rain calls for another coffee, or a café con leche.
In Carril, looking towards Vilagarcia de Arousa, dark weather.
Out in the estuary, knee deep in the seabed and muck, I see people walking. Forcing their way with their fishing equipment. It is so fascinating. From afar, they look like tiny specks moving about in the water.
A fisherman kneedeep in the water outside Carril.
Afterwards, the spiritual Camino goes on a road most the time, but the rain actually makes it more durable. The first place I try my luck at for lunch is too dark, with the locals looking sceptical at me. Shortly afterwards I come to a better place, and in good timing too, the rain intensifies just a few minutes after I have got myself a table. A good lunch too. Even the locals stands in the doorway of the tavern and looks out, shaking their heads at the weather.
The path down towards the Río Ulla.
At the start of the boardwalk going next to Río Ulla.
Slowly I get closer to the Río Ulla, the valley is closing in, the estuary becomes narrower. Then the Camino descends to the river (Ulla), adn the walk becomes even better than before. And as if on a queue, the rain stops. Few words can convey my feelings, I get a break from the rain at the very moment I need it the most. When I read about the trails that I go, there are always places that sticks to my mind and imagination, places that I really want to experience. Hopefully in good weather, of course. Sometimes, I can become a little bit downcast if I arrive at such as place in bad weather, not holding up to the promises I have made in my own mind. It does not have to be spectacular in any way either. Now, I am so grateful that it does not rain when I came to one of these places.
Skeleton of a boat.
Down by the Río Ulla, the Camino joins a boardwalk next to the estuary, taking you first by another old mossy building. Crossing around a corner, I can see in the distance the Torres de Oeste, dating from the 12th century. In some way, I do not think that it could be any better being here in good weather. The grey clouds and the residues of the rain, I think, makes every color of the scenery now standing out. A skeleton of a boat lies in the riverbed, only the outline and few remaining planks gives away that there has been a boat lying there. There is an air of forgetfulness about the place.
Torres de Oeste.
Here, a boardwalk does not let you walk out in the water like a pier in a port, or between sanddunes as before, but in the middle of barley fields. Towards the old watchtowers, I walk on a boardwalk through a sea of barley. Although the Camino does not go to them at all, veers off before. It has been a long time since the Torres de Oeste has guarded Santiago and the land surrounding the Río Ulla from the Saracens and Norman. None of the two towers are intact, but the stony Capela de Santiago appears so, albeit locked. It is so moody here. I hope that those on the boat got a good look at it too. Further back here are a couple of replicas of Viking boats.
The Capela de Santiago and one of the ruined watchtowers of Torres de Oeste.
Another boardwalk and a cobbled path through a forest leads around and back to the riverside. Still, the rain is held back. It only does justice to what I see as I am already wet. Next to the river is a cruceiro, another one is standing out in the river. In fact, the boat ride passes 17 of these stone crosses on its way.
Río Ulla boardwalk.
Forestry work is no waymarkers friend, or those following the waymarks. My mood is great, as the walk as been strangely amazing so far, but it is put to the test a bit now. As I cannot find the route where it leaves the riverside, the markings are lost. Going back and forth, I have to follow my intuition in the end. Through a woods preparing for full autumn, I eventually locates the correct way, but it takes a long time before I get a confirmatory waymark.
A cruceiro at the shores of Río Ulla.
Ciaran is now way ahead of me, he would go farther than Padrón after the boat ride, so I will not be able to catch up with him today. On the other hand, I have been communicating with June, who I have not seen since Vigo. She is heading for the monastery in Herbón today. Padrón had been my mark, but now I aim for Herbón instead. As it would be great to meet June again. Where Joan and Paige are now, I do not know.
Miniscule frog.
There is however still quite a long walk left. And the rain has began again. This time, I face long stretches of road walk empty of things around me. With the exception of the extremely tiny frogs jumping about, I have to be really careful not to step on any of them. Tiredness is also assaulting me. I persist, and eventually I arrive at a café where there are several other pilgrims. I must be back on the central Camino now. Again the waymarks are confusing, and in Pontecesures I resort to ask the locals for the direction of the Pontecesures bridge. I had arrived at a large street, from where there were no yellow arrows or scallops pointing the way further. From the bridge I would be able to find the way.
Herbón Monastery (in the rain).
From Pontecesures, the walk to the Herbón monastery is nice, but I am less able to enjoy it as I feel tired and cold. The route is waymarked with red arrows instead of yellow. If you stay at the monastery, there is a free tour of the premises, which begins at 18 o'clock. I wanted to join the tour, but I arrive later. Thankfully, they let me join the tour, in my wet clothes too. June is there, of course, it is good to see her again. The group has just finished with the church and is moving to the other parts of the monastery when I join them. One of the other pilgrims here was also at the albergue in Vilanova de Arousa. The tour is interesting and it is a nice monastery.
From the tour of the monastery in Herbón.
Finally, I can get out of my wet clothes, get a shower and change into dry clothes. Just in time for dinner. It is a communal dinner in the albergue of the monastery. Good food, red wine is served and then the priests working here are dishing up with their homemade coffee and herbal liqueur. Of course, good company too. Going here is a really good alternative to Padrón.
Hérbon cloister garden.
What I feel about the walk today is mostly about the remarkable mood, the special and a little bit unexplainable mood about it. Uttermost, the hue caused by the weather today was wonderful, especially around the Torres de Oeste. Knowing that I was the only one walking from Vilanova de Arousa today had also some impact on my experience. It all felt somewhat conclusive to the spiritual variant, it felt right in a way, that the last part should be in worse weather than before. And then again, you needed to be there to truly grasp the feeling that I had. Tomorrow, I will finish my Camino Portugués in Santiago de Compostela, that feels strange too.
Dinner at the Albergue San Antonio de Herbón.
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