Morning clouds below my feet, houses on chicken legs, and an unexpected foot massage that ended too soon. Day 26 – Galicia keeps delivering.
📊 Stage Quick Facts:
- Distance: ~21 km
- Time: ~5.5 hours
- Difficulty: Moderate (mostly a long, sweeping downhill descent out of the mountains)
- Terrain: Mountain paths enveloped in morning mist, transitioning into gravel trails and rural Galician roads.
Walking on the Clouds
The next morning greeted me with a perfectly clear blue sky above, but the deep valleys below were completely drowned in a thick, magical blanket of low morning mist. In Galicia, this rolling fog is known as brétema. Standing high on the mountain ridge and looking down at the white sea of clouds, it truly felt like I was walking on top of the world.
As I began my descent, the Camino brought me to the iconic bronze Pilgrim Monument at Alto de San Roque – a massive statue of a medieval pilgrim fiercely battling the mountain gales, one hand gripping his staff, the other desperately saving his hat. Me, on day 26 of my Camino – I quietly nodded my respect and kept moving.
After a short, bracing hike, I stopped at a cozy cafe on the Alto do Poio pass for a slice of classic Spanish tortilla and a hot coffee. There, I ran into a group of Americans who were just starting their Camino journey directly from O Cebreiro. They were so fresh, vibrant, and overflowing with energy that they looked exactly like hyperactive Duracell bunnies compared to us seasoned, dusty road veterans! Hearing their excitement was a lovely, bright start to the morning.
Houses on Chicken Legs
After a lovely, rolling hike along the ridges, I stopped in the tiny village of Fonfría for a proper lunch at the wonderful Casa de Lucas. It was the perfect opportunity to try the famous local soup, Caldo Gallego (a comforting, rustic broth made with potatoes, beans, and greens), alongside a savory slice of traditional Galician pie (Empanada Gallega). I sat there happily eating, enjoying the authentic rural hospitality, and watching the lively crowds of pilgrims streaming past.
Refueled, I continued my long descent down the mountain. The Camino soon guides you through the rural hamlet of Fillobal, where you should definitely stop to admire the fascinating horreos-traditional Galician granaries raised high on stone pillars that look hilariously like little houses on chicken legs.
These structures are brilliant pieces of ancient engineering. If you look closely, you will see flat, circular stones (tornarratos) placed right on top of the pillars before the wooden house starts. Mice and rats could easily climb up the legs, but they couldn’t get past these smooth, overhanging stones-a clever way to protect the grain!
The Greatest Invention on the Camino
My final destination for the day was the peaceful valley town of Triacastela. Interestingly, the name translates to “Three Castles”, though unfortunately, not a single one survives today. In medieval times, pilgrims used to pick up limestone rocks from the quarries here and carry them in their backpacks all the way to the kilns in Castaneda to help create the mortar for building the great Cathedral in Santiago.
Thankfully, I didn’t have to carry any extra rocks. Instead, I checked into Complexo Xacobeo, and oh my goodness, I discovered the absolute greatest amenity known to mankind in their lobby: an automatic electric feet massager!
The concept is pure bliss: you just slip on a pair of light, hygienic disposable socks, slide your feet into the machine, and let it completely melt away all the built-up mountain soreness. It was absolutely heavenly. The massage was stopped only because I ran out of 2 Euro coins and the massager, unfortunately, did not accept cards.
In the evening, I caught up with my wonderful Canadian pilgrim friends for a hearty dinner and a night full of good laughs. We shared stories of our mountain adventures, gossips (one guy was trying to beat record on speed for completing Camino Frances, another met the love of his life (presumably)), compared notes about our descents, and enjoyed the cozy valley atmosphere. And just like that, another beautiful day on the trail was done.
Next stop: Sarria – and the final countdown to Santiago was about to begin.
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