CAMINO DE SANTIAGO - PART 20 - O'CEBREIRO TO SAMOS

We started walking the next morning in the snow. Seriously. The second snowfall in my “spring” walk across Spain. 

The snow covered statue of Don Elias Valiña Sampedro, who was the parish priest at the Inglesia de Santa Maria Real and did a lot to ensure the integrity of the Camino Frances, including marking the route yellow arrows.  

---

I was slightly less shocked by the snow this time around and although it was very cold walking (my SA gear proved slightly below average in terms of handling snow), the snow covered landscape was just breathtaking. Every section of the Camino Frances is beautiful in its own way but Galicia is special. It is simply magnificent. 

As I mentioned previously, my parents walked the Camino a few years back. They were very gracious in letting me walk my own Way and not giving me to much input about where to stop etc. The one recommendation they had made was to spend a night in Samos. To stay there meant a slight detour and leaving Philipp again. His tendonitis was still a problem and he didn’t want to add any extra milage on to the journey. Although I paid for the extra distance over the next few days, the walk into Samos was incredible. I only saw one person from the time I left Triacastela until I reached the monastery at Samos, a distance of about 12km. The scenery was just beautiful and I loved the remoteness of the route.

The Benedictine Abbey of Samos, which is still a monastery is one of the three monasteries that are still inhabited by monks in Galicia . The abbey was founded by Saint Martiño de Dumio in the 6th century, right in the midst of the Visigothic period. Being in Samos was yet another significant highlight of the Camino for me. I got there just in time to do the last tour of the monastery.I met up with Caz, from Australia, and we had a great dinner with Craig and Laura and a few others. Caz had kept me a spot on the private albergue which was so much appreciated. It was really cold and after a long day of walking, the thought of sleeping in a 6th century, rather draughty dormitory was a bit much to handle.

This “selfie” proves that I was still smiling just before I arrived in Samos, after an 11 hour day where it either snowed or rained almost the entire way. It was a truly magnificent and  inspirational day of walking.

---