Day 30 Rubbernecking in Finisterre.

Woke up at 0800 and left the lads fast asleep, for the last three days we have all been sharing a room which helps keep the costs down, I had breakfast and finished yesterdays blog.

It felt strange not walking, having said that I was pleased we were not as my Achilles is very swollen on my left foot and my right knee feels as is something is grating. I think the end of the walk came just in time for me.

The lads came down for breakfast at 0930, sadly today is very overcast so I think we will not be seeing the sunset over the lighthouse.

Not a lot to report really for today, there was a market going on in town selling the usual rubbish.

I think I prefer the one on the left.

DOB

We had lunch on the water front and talked about the last months adventures.

We waved at walkers we recognised, as they walked by our table.

Two bottles of red later and a pizza we decided to go back to our hotel for a siesta.

After our siesta we decided to walk up to the lighthouse and watch the sun go down, the cloud was clearing, we were in for a real treat.

Matt bought some beers and food to take with us.

That he most definitely was.

We walked up the hill to the lighthouse, at a slower pace than we did yesterday.

This the last Camino marker on the Camino, notice the distance counter ends here.

We made our way down the rocks and got as near to the sea as we could, this was the moment we had come for; it was stunning.

We listened to music on my phone, drank beer and ate. It was one of those special moments that money just cannot buy.

The sun slowly began to set.

We put Chants d'Auvergne on and toasted Mark, then we toasted all the members of our families that are no longer with us.

What a fitting way to end our Camino.

It dawned on me today that I have walked over a 1000 miles on various Caminos, I wonder if I will make the 2000 miles.

Yotty has walked 407 miles

Matt had walked 207 miles

Tomorrow we will be judging the finest dog on a blog as well as showing our three favourite photos.

We leave for Santiago tomorrow and fly home on Thursday.

I know you will all have missed his beaming face, here is Oscar arriving in Santiago.

Day 29 Olveiroa to Finisterre

We were ready to leave by 0600, we knew we had a long day ahead of us and it was due to be very hot according to the weather forecast.

Peregrino evolution, how far they have come!!!!

We climbed out of Oliveiroa and we could see the wind turbines above the mist on the other side of the valley.

It really was an incredible sight. The sun was rising and it was already getting hot.

We stopped at a cafe after 3 miles as this would be our last watering hole for 8 miles, as we would be walking across the isolated high moors.

Time for one last shadow photo.

We soon turned off the road onto the moors.

This was turning into a beautiful walk. After we had walked for 5 miles I realised that I had gone through the 400 mile mark, we shook hands and Yotty placed a stone.

On we went, I could not wait for the lads to see the marvellous view of the sea in 5 miles. We came across a chap selling drinks and Yotty made a new friend.

The views were stunning.

We came around a corner and there it was, the most wonderful view of the sea and Finisterre in the distance, the end of our walk was in sight, what a great moment.

The above photo is the lighthouse at Finisterre some 10 miles away, that was our goal.

We dropped down into Cee and walked along the shoreline.

We had another break as it was getting so hot.

We had a very steep climb which put my Achilles to the test.

We couldn't find a Portuguese tart but we spotted a Spanish one.

I had promised Yotty that if we made it to Finisterre I would take him to a wonderful restaurant on the beach that I knew served wonderful garlic prawns and I was delighted to oblige.

I have such wonderful memories of this restaurant and I knew the food would be good and I was not let down.

Sadly it was over all too soon and we had to carry on walking in the blistering heat.

The heat was becoming unbearable but it did not deter us.

As we entered Finisterre I was feeling drained.

DOB 

Time for a beer .

Then onto the lighthouse to burn our clothes which is an age old tradition, and believe you me my clothes needed burning!!

This 4 miles would add onto an already testing walk, but it was worth it when the lighthouse came into sight.

Our journey was over; we had done it!!! We shook hands, burnt our clothes and just savoured the moment.

I placed my stone that I had bought with me from England and had my own private thoughts.

We felt like kings.

I would never have had the courage to take on a Camino if it had not been for Jeremy, so at Worlds End this one is for you and heart felt. Buen Camino, Jeremy.

By now the heat was becoming unbearable.

We  needed to get into the shade so we headed back into Finisterre to find our hotel.

We had hoped to walk for another day into Muxia, but after today it would have been an anti climax, this was always going to be where are long journey was going to end.

Tomorrow is going to be a rest day, I think we will go up to the lighthouse and watch the sunset.

It is hard to believe it is all over, we have come so far and seen so much.

We would like to thank all the people who walked with us: Barney, Martin, Louly, Christabell, Matt, James , Carmen, Phil, Heather and Steve.

I am pleased to say I heard from Oscar, he made it to Santiago, not that there was any doubt that he would.

I would like to end todays blog by congratulating Yotty, I had always planned to walk the first part of the Camino on my own, it was only 3 weeks before I was due to leave that he made the monumental decision to join me. The walk ceased to be about me and all that mattered to me was getting Yotty over the finishing line. 

Well he did it and I am so proud of him, he has never once complained about the constant pain he has been in, he has showed to me he has got real guts and a sense of determination which I suspect he did not know he possessed. I hope this journey will stand him in good stead for the rest of his life and as they say "When the Camino ends the Camino begins". A walking legend in my eyes and it was a joy to spend a month with my nephew / friend.

Stats for today

Walked 24 miles

Distance coved 419 miles