Camino de Santiago, Day 40 & 41: Triacastela to Sarria

Camino marker says just 117 kilometers to go!

After 39 days of walking, Jamie’s right hip has decided to revolt.  It’s causing him pain to walk, especially when he starts in the morning.  Despite this, we set out today for Sarria.  The walk was up and down, up and down, over and down small hills.  We arrived in Sarria at 2 pm and found a hotel in the old part of town.  We had walked 24.7 kilometers (about 15 miles).  We are so close now – just 114 kilometers to go till we reach Santiago de Compostela.  Rather than risk more serious injury, we are staying in Sarria one more day and hoping the rest will do some good.

Sarria has the distinction of being the place where many pilgrims begin the Camino.  In order to get your certificate of completion in Santiago (called a compostelana), one must walk at least 100 kilometers.  Sarria is a large city 114 kilometers from Santiago.  We have been told that from here on, we will be struggling to find beds as we are competing with a whole crop of fresh-faced pilgrims starting in Sarria, bus-igrinos on pre-planned Camino adventure vacations, and all those who have been walking with us for the past 39 days.  Like everything on this Camino, if it is a problem it will be dealt with but until then, I’m going to try and not be distracted or pressured by this information.

If all goes well, tomorrow we will be in the double digits for kilometers left to go.  Starting from nearly 800 kilometers, this is very exciting!

Photos of the Walk from Triacastela to Sarria: