• Distance – 10.44km (703.62km total)
• Walking time – 2 hours 30 minutes

Our included breakfast was better than expected – juice, toast with tomatoes and coffee. Although the coffee was from an urn it was good and we had a second cup talking to some Americans who had started from Sarria. It was a very easy (and short) walk to Portomarín through beautiful countryside.

We passed the iconic signpost that shows that we only have 100km left until Santiago.

Portomarín is a modern town, dating mostly from the middle of the 20th century.

In the 1950s, Franco decided he wanted to build a hydro-electric dam 40 kilometres down-river. When the Embalse de Belesar Dam was completed in 1962, the valley was flooded and the original town was submerged below the River Miño. However during the construction period, major monuments (including the churches of San Nicolás and San Pedro) were moved block by numbered block to their new location in the centre of town.

We arrived before noon and therefore our room at Casa do Maestro wasn’t ready. We dropped our rucksacks and explored the pretty town. We enjoyed a vermouth at Perigrinatio Art Bar before visiting the church of San Nicolás. The church was built in the 12th/13th centuries and was designed to be both a church and a fortress, with architectural characteristics of both. It controlled the bridge that crossed the River Miño and looked after the pilgrims’ hospital in Portomarín.

After visiting the church we were able to check in and have a shower before a late lunch (a good menu del día at Pousada do Camiño). We had an upgraded room with a balcony so we spent the rest of the afternoon watching the arriving pilgrims; Ken managed a sleep (probably the effects of vermouth and wine!). We attended Mass in the church of San Nicolás and returned to our balcony to watch the world go by. Another excellent day on the Camino and now we only have four days until we reach Santiago. Our amazing adventure is rapidly coming to an end.