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Author: Judy

Via Podiensis Encore with Friends – 2026

Via Podiensis Encore with Friends – 2026

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Dave and I have been passionate Camino walkers since autumn 2015. The Via Podiensis in southern France is one of our favourite Caminos. We walked most of this beautiful route in 2023 and fell in love with its stunning countryside, charming villages, fascinating history, and the wonderful people we met along the way. Now, three years later, I’m heading back, while Dave stays home and holds down the fort. This time I’ll be walking with three friends: Janine, Murielle, and…

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October 9-11: Muxia to Santiago

October 9-11: Muxia to Santiago

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We made it from Muxia to Cape Finisterre yesterday. The cape is about ninety kilometres from Santiago – the place where land ends and the ocean stretches out as far as the eye can see. The origins of the pilgrimage to Finisterre are mysterious, possibly dating back to pre-Christian times, when people would come to witness the “last sun of the day.” Cape Finisterre was the end of the earth. Those sailers who ventured out on ships 500 years ago,…

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October 6-8: Santiago to Muxia

October 6-8: Santiago to Muxia

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We’ve got some catching up to do! Things started out well when we left Santiago for Finisterre two days ago. For the first 12 kilometres, we had only light rain on and off and beautiful countryside to walk through. “On the Road Again” kept playing in my head! Then things took a turn. Rain and a steep climb of 210 metres in just two kilometres are a bad combination. It felt like 100% humidity from the rain and 100% humidity…

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Day 16: Ventin to Santiago de Compostela

Day 16: Ventin to Santiago de Compostela

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The weather today reminded me of our first arrival in Santiago back in 2015. It was raining and wind was whipping the autumn leaves around then, just as it was today. I thought about what I wrote then, words that still resonate: “The rainy weather we got while walking into Santiago was consistent with my feelings of sadness that this amazing experience of walking the Camino de Santiago was coming to an end. It was the journey of a lifetime….

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Day 15: Padrón to Ventin

Day 15: Padrón to Ventin

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Today felt like a prelude to tomorrow, when we’ll finally reach Santiago de Compostela. The official distance we walked today was 16 km, but it was 22 km according to Dave’s smart watch. We have just 8.8 km to go! Today’s highlight revolved around the sheer number of pilgrims on the trail. It’s funny how every time we stopped—whether for a quick photo or to adjust something—we’d find ourselves merging into a completely new group of walkers. It was as…

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Day 14: Vilanova de Arousa to Padrón

Day 14: Vilanova de Arousa to Padrón

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Dave and I were awake long before dawn today, needing to be at La Barca del Peregrino (The Pilgrim’s Boat) by 7:15 AM. We were taking the Traslatio Route from Vilanova de Arousa to Padrón, a 28-kilometre journey. According to legend, this is the very route Saint James’ disciples followed to bring his remains back to Spain after he was martyred. The story begins in Jerusalem, where Saint James was beheaded in the year 44AD by King Herod Agrippa. His…

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Day 13: Puente Arnelas to Vilanova de Arousa

Day 13: Puente Arnelas to Vilanova de Arousa

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We woke up to heavy rain again and the possibility of flooding. We dawdled for awhile in hopes that the rain would let up. On our way out we met Sandy, a pilgrim with an interesting story to tell. Four months ago, she had a recurring dream about the Camino, which was no ordinary dream. She would close her eyes, and the dream would continue. So, she took it as a sign and booked a flight to Lisbon to walk…

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Day 12: Combarro to Puente Arnelas

Day 12: Combarro to Puente Arnelas

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Today the pouring rain and the 420 metre elevation gain over seven kilometres from Combarro to Armenteira tested our resolve. It’s the steepest hill on the Camino Portuguese and we didn’t want to hike it in the pouring rain. The hotel receptionist called a taxi for us and within ten minutes we were being whisked up to the top of the hill. On the way, the taxi driver pointed out what is normally a stunning viewpoint, although no view was…

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Day 11: Pontevedra to Combarro

Day 11: Pontevedra to Combarro

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Today was one of those days that kept getting better and better! 😃 It started with us cocooned in our rain gear as a steady drizzle followed us from Pontevedra. We soon reached the crossroads where an important decision had to be made: to continue along the central route to Santiago or branch off to the Variante Espiritual. The pilgrims around us carried on straight to Santiago, but we turned left, having already chosen to walk the Variante Espiritual. Coming…

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Day 10: Cesantes to Pontevedra

Day 10: Cesantes to Pontevedra

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We couldn’t leave O Refugio de la Jerezana in Cesantes without being featured on their Instagram page and taking family photos of our hosts and family, too. After that bit of morning fun, Dave and I hit the trail toward Pontevedra. Dogs were barking their goodbyes, roosters were crowing, and songbirds were in full concert mode. At 13°C, it was another perfect walking day. Before long we came to a beautiful view of the sun shining on Arcade down below….

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