O’Cebreiro to Portomarin

Wagga at the start in OCebreira

As we wake the clouds have not lifted so this is going to be a grim start. We’re 1350 metres up, it’s raining, as it does inside clouds, and it’s cold, down to 3 degrees.

The lads begin the first part of the descent to Triacestalla. They stick together and head down…

I arrive in one piece without getting lost. As the lads come in they are soaked through and frozen stiff. Into the van for a change of clothes and a warming session in the cab.

After a warming breakfast they press on to the next meet at Sarria. This is a short hop for the lads down the more direct Camino path and they beat me to the bar for lunch. It’s here we try to confirm exactly where the next hotel is.

On my printout of Wagga’s spreadsheet we have the location as Pena nr Portella. We find a Pena on the Camino route and I head straight there. I get there to find 3 houses, a man with a funny hat who has a donkey and four goats in tow. He tries to help but the one sided conversation is going nowhere.

As the lads arrive, Howard shouts ‘We’re here!’ ‘Great!’ I say…’ but the ****** hotel isn’t!.

Where to go from here?

Luckily a couple of Pilgrims come along who know the area and they point us in the direction of Portamarin. When we all get there we find from a Taxi driver that the out of town Hotel is actually closer to Arzua, some 40 miles further along the route!

Here we go again… Howard and Steve D decide to stay in Portamarin overnight and we can leave all the bikes with them. The rest of the lads pile in the back of the van again and we head off to the hotel.

It’s a fabulous place in a stunning loacation and we have a great evening. Back in Portamarin, Howard and Steve also have a great time exploring the picturesque town.