14.6 Now only 53k to go!

Had a very pleasant night in a real gem of a country hotel, right in the middle of nowhere! Great dinner and a terrific breakfast buffet, only spoiled by the usual people who think a coffee machine needs the same degree of skill as defusing a bomb!

Dawn was just up, a very special time as you set out on the road. A slight chill in the air but welcome as there was a monster hill to climb first thing. Still, tracks were good and the Galician countryside as soft and green as always. We all feel that the kilometres are running out quickly and it's hard to believe we will be entering Santiago on Monday.

Today, we reached Melide which is on the French Way so the last 53k will be on well trodden paths with many more pilgrims. Peace is about to be shattered.

Two remarkable pilgrims to mention: lady called Olivia from Italy. We met her in a cafe, just after witnessing a small town in fiesta mode. Note the band outside the church, full with the priest's words transmitted by loud speaker. Olivia seems to be another committed Camino follower. She doesn't like her albergues either because the men smell!!

Then there was a group of young people who we thought were a church outing. Turns out they are there to support one of their number, Henry Daubeney who is walking from London to Santiago to raise money in his Grandmothers name. She died of ovarian cancer like my darling Siobhan so I had to donate. Please do the same, he has a Gofundme account.