Day 25 Fonfria to Sarria

'We had a lovely meal at the Albergue last night joined by all the other guests,we all sat round a huge table  ate drank and were merry it was a a great evening .

I got to bed at 2100,I was exhausted but sadly woke at 0200 and did not really get back to sleep

When I did my morning check on all my limbs I noticed a nasty pain in my right ankle which was not there when I went to sleep,it was not the pain I had three days ago,it was on the front of my ankle not to the side,I took some painkillers and hoped for the best,but if I am honest I was worried.

We all met at 0600 and were soon on the road again.

It was a beautiful sunrise and we were looking down on the clouds in the valleys.

We were following all the yellow signs but managed to get lost for the first time,which ended up putting  two miles on our journey which hurt us  as we knew we had a long walk ahead of us.I just loved being up in the mountains,the air was so pure and everything was so still.

We stopped for breakfast eventually.

Then on we moved again.

We arrived at Triacastela and stopped for half an hour,when we set off again my ankle was really playing up,I took some Ibuprofen and I really thought the game was up,I pushed on praying  the pain would ease and thankfully the pills kicked in and I felt in less pain,

We were heading towards Furela, we had decided to take the country Camino route today,as on some  legs there are alternative routes you can take.

This was real farming country and Northern Spain at its best and most simple.

Yet again this was magnificent walking albeit a bit demanding underfoot.

By 1100 it was getting too hot in fact it was becoming unbearable.We were soon coming upon the 400 mile point of our incredible journey and it was time to place a stone in memory of my father.When the gps showed we had travelled the 10 miles to take us to the  400 mile point I stopped put on John Willaims playing Concierto De Aranjuez which was a piece of music I associated with dad.

I placed my stone and thought how dad had shaped my life and how much I had learnt and owed him,I thought of my dear stepmother and how much she had gone through in the last two years with the lose of both her husband and son.The views were stunning and I hoped dad would have approved,I wondered what he might have thought about me doing this walk and coming so far.Aunt D you are always in my thoughts. 

That was to be the last stone I was to place,I placed them in no particular order but each one of them meant so much to me and I will never forget the places that I paid my respects to my dear departed family and friend.We continued to descend and it got hotter and hotter.

It is hard to put into words the beauty of this country.I think I am slowly falling in love with the place.

We came across a lovely bar right off the beaten track at Pintin.

We had now been walking for four hours  the sun was beginning to really drain us and just to make things worse my ankle was really throbbing.

Please note Martins ridiculous  bright yellow top,there was no way we were going  to get shot of him.Time for dog on a blog.

Plus cat on  a blog.

By now we were all completely drained .

At last we arrived at Sarria ,we were all exhausted and sweltering from the heat,it was boots off and time for a beer.

My ankle is swollen and painful I am hoping a combination of painkillers and ibuprofen will ease it tomorrow.I have not come this far to not go down without a fight.

Stats for today.

Walked 18.9 miles

Walking time  6.39

Average speed 2.8 mph.

71 miles to go!!!