We started in good spirits for another long day today - 22kms to Arcade. Today was not to be as easy as along shaded woodland roads but more open village roads and tracks. We also had two high points to contend with - nothing like what we had done in the Lakes district in 2014 though!
Our driver dropped us back in Porriño and we headed off, with many of the locals providing us with advice on the correct path, despite it being well-marked.
Again our walk took us past many home gardens with an incredible range of vegetables. I think we encountered a range of citrus, apples, pomegranates, grapes, lettuce, tomato, eggplant, chillies, onions and kale as well as chestnuts. The gardens were well tended and the produce prolific. We also passed a number of cornfields and became intrigued with the horreós. Most of the small farms had one of these, made either from wood or granite or a combination of both. They are built on posts with floors of broad stone slabs, narrower slab walls and usually adorned with a cross or some type of shrine. The construction is aimed at deterring rodents and allowing air circulation in order to dry out the corn. Some even provided a handy place for the bread delivery!
Refreshed, we again set out, climbing upward until we reached Parque and began our descent. This area was marked with a roman milestone - Marco Miliário - showing the military route XIX and indicating that we were on the actual route of the original pilgrims. Over the years as the countryside has changed with the introduction of roads and infrastructure, the route has changed, but every now and then we come across the old route.
We started our descent and headed through a maze of country lanes - some of them very steep until we came across a welcome sign announcing Cafe Choles and a very deserved coffee stop! Soon we were climbing again, fortunately through some wooded and forested areas, thus providing some shade from the heat of the afternoon. We came across a small park with a lovely drinking fountain of cool water. Our choice was to rinse our hands and faces and continue on the uphill - finally reaching the ruins of an old wayside Inn - Hostal da Malaposta - outside which there was a display of the signature Camino shells - some with messages, some signed and some blank. We chose not to leave ours and started the final descent for the day.
We were extremely pleased to find our accommodation close to the route and quickly settled in - admiring the views to the sea from our bedroom windows. We met the members of the Irish group - some of whom seemed to be doing so much drinking that we were sure they would not be up to the walk the following morning - and were very pleased to hear that dinner would be at the civilised hour of 8.30pm!
Our driver dropped us back in Porriño and we headed off, with many of the locals providing us with advice on the correct path, despite it being well-marked.
Again our walk took us past many home gardens with an incredible range of vegetables. I think we encountered a range of citrus, apples, pomegranates, grapes, lettuce, tomato, eggplant, chillies, onions and kale as well as chestnuts. The gardens were well tended and the produce prolific. We also passed a number of cornfields and became intrigued with the horreós. Most of the small farms had one of these, made either from wood or granite or a combination of both. They are built on posts with floors of broad stone slabs, narrower slab walls and usually adorned with a cross or some type of shrine. The construction is aimed at deterring rodents and allowing air circulation in order to dry out the corn. Some even provided a handy place for the bread delivery!
We began the steep climb up the Road of the Knights, stopping part-way for coffee at Mos, a little village where for the first time we saw a shop selling Camino souvenirs.
Refreshed, we again set out, climbing upward until we reached Parque and began our descent. This area was marked with a roman milestone - Marco Miliário - showing the military route XIX and indicating that we were on the actual route of the original pilgrims. Over the years as the countryside has changed with the introduction of roads and infrastructure, the route has changed, but every now and then we come across the old route.
We started our descent and headed through a maze of country lanes - some of them very steep until we came across a welcome sign announcing Cafe Choles and a very deserved coffee stop! Soon we were climbing again, fortunately through some wooded and forested areas, thus providing some shade from the heat of the afternoon. We came across a small park with a lovely drinking fountain of cool water. Our choice was to rinse our hands and faces and continue on the uphill - finally reaching the ruins of an old wayside Inn - Hostal da Malaposta - outside which there was a display of the signature Camino shells - some with messages, some signed and some blank. We chose not to leave ours and started the final descent for the day.
We were extremely pleased to find our accommodation close to the route and quickly settled in - admiring the views to the sea from our bedroom windows. We met the members of the Irish group - some of whom seemed to be doing so much drinking that we were sure they would not be up to the walk the following morning - and were very pleased to hear that dinner would be at the civilised hour of 8.30pm!
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