Lestedo - Melide Day Twelve (19kms)

Day Twelve

Date:     10 April  2013

Place:    Lestedo - Melide

Weather:   Grey, misty in the morning.  Afternoon:  truly dreadful!

Accommodation:  Pension Berengela

Our accommodation at Rectoral de Lestedo was very comfortable and we enjoyed the ambience of the restored house.  We were on the road at 9.20am and the weather was clear.  We had high hopes!

This picture should be titled:  "If only we had known...we would have stayed and sipped hot chocolate all day and enjoyed the view!"

 

Just up the road from our accommodation there was a tiny church and transept which we photographed before heading up the hill to the village of Brea.  After an hour we reached Palas de Rei which is a largish town that we walked through but not before a coffee stop (and toilet).

As we left Palas de Rei at 11am we posed for photographs with the statue of the two pilgrims pointing the way.   Soon afterwards we were putting on our ponchos as the rain drizzled down.

Being silly outside Palas de Rei.

 

From here to our lunch break we followed tree-lined paths, granaries and fields with cows.  Everything was bright green.  As we walked between San Xulian do Camino and Casanova we had to negotiate very wet paths (the guide book said ‘marshy’) which really resembled large ponds.  Rocks beside the path helped but the recent on-going rain made it very slippery.

Negotiating a way.

 

The village of San Xulian do Camino is very old with a lot of character.  Old granaries line the cobble stoned street and we approached a transept before the church.  There was an eatery however it wasn’t open.

Ominous clouds in the distance as we enter San Xulian de Camino

Old raised granaries along the way are quite a picture and still in use (St Xulian)

 

 

Just beyond this delightful village as we walked between open glossy green fields the sun shone for the first time in the day (and the last!) and I quickly gathered the pilgrims for a photo shoot before it disappeared.  We walked for about a kilometre enjoying this rarity and we had to remove our ponchos and a layer of clothing as it became very warm.  This part of the walk though boggy in parts was very pretty.

Sun, glorious sun!

 

Lunch was beckoning and we counted down the kilometres to Coto where we arrived at 1.30pm.  So far we had walked 12kms and we were feeling confident with only 7kms to go.  There was only one café open and we opted for tuna and bread, an empanada (tuna sandwiched between pastry), hot tea and for me a sweet.

Tuna enpelada....quite yummy!

 

After the much needed break where Cameron, Desley and I removed our shoes and Desley had her feet replastered we set off at 2.15……as I said feeling very confident!

Only a little way down the road as we walked along a lovely path the rain came again and once again the ponchos were the order of the day.  From now until the end of the day there was no relenting and the ‘mere’ 7kms became a real drudge. 

One of the interesting diversions on the way was the little village of Leboreiro, one kilometre on from Coto, which is noted for its thatched roof granary in the middle of the town.  Ten minutes on from here and David noticed the marker reading 56kms which meant we had passed the half way mark of our camino!

Don't let her fool you....that is not a real smile!

 

The walk for a lot of the way after this provided very little interest passing between factories and various work areas as well as following a road.  The markers seemed to get further apart and it was one foot after another to Melide!

We crossed two medieval bridges one on the outskirts of Furelos “Ponte Velha” which means four arches.

This became too much for this poor pilgrim who wanted to throw herself off the bridge (moi!).  The medieval bridge of Furelos.

Found this rather strange couple in Furelos.....quite lost and delusional!

 

San Roque in Melide

 

After Furelos we walked steadily to the centre of Melide to find our accommodation.  It didn’t come soon enough and after some language difficulties we had a warm room and hot shower.  Heaven!