Camino Ingles Day 3 - Miño to Presedo 10/10/2023

October 11, 2023

22.4 km 10 hours of which 5:6 actual walking, the rest including a shortish stop in the morning, lots of stops to check my tracker, sightseeing in Betanzos, a long sit in a bar in the middle of the town, and a good long siesta in beautiful solid(?) shade under a series of chestnut trees.

Out just before 8 am and it was still quite dark. However since my hotel was in the middle of the town I had quite a long walk in lit streets until I ran out of street lights and found myself having to go down stairs to the path in complete darkness. No real problem because I had my headlamp ready in my hand. I just find it hard to avoid potholes and stumbling over bits sticking out from the surface of the path. So I will avoid now leaving into the dark.

The morning was fresh and I advanced nicely. Had one shortish pause, not because I needed one, but because I thought it prudent.

Walkabout in the centre of Betanzos. A lovely town with a very old town centre, two churches sitting one behind the other. The beautiful quite big San Francisco had the “notables” of the town entombed(?) in fancy tombs in niches all along the walls. And when I commented to my guide that there was one niche withound a tomb but with a harmonium, was that reserved for him? He confirmed, laughing. Leaving, in the porch somebody had set himself up with a box of the typical biscuits of the town and offered me one, a present, and the conversation about the niche without a tomb continued, my guide gracefully accepting that he would share his niche with the biscuit guy.

Walked about a bit more until I came across a bar which was frequented by the locals, always a good sign, and it had Wifi too. So I had quite a long pause during which I tried to post photos to my blog - I thought it worked, but checking now I see it still does not.

Later I met the only other Pilgrim I have come across walking: as I was checking which way to go he arrived. So we walked together for a short while. He thought he detected a Swedish accent in my English - he was Swedish. As the road went up again I stayed behind - have no intention of killing myself trying to keep up with people the age of my children.

So continued on my way, lots more strenuous ups and strenuous downs. And a lot on roads - the tarmac absorbs the heat and throws it back at you, also under my wonderful sunshade umbrella. And no wind at all!

I had forgotten to buy provisions for my evening meal - in the guide books they say do make sure you have enough food and drink because there is nowhere to buy anything on this stage. I was getting quite worried, but there was a bar just before Presedo - another stop, and then laden with food (and a bottle of red wine!) I finally arrived at this albergue just before 7 pm. And there were quite a few people and all the lower beds were taken. On previous (rare) occasions someone, noticing my age, offered to give up their lower bed for me. Nothing like that this time. When I timidly asked would anybody do so there was no reaction at all. So I clambered up and made myself at home, had a fit of giggles when I imagined how they would feel if they had let their Granny struggle into an upper bed. However I survived.

Voilà, my day!