I left Granon as the sun was just thinking about coming up. I had a strange night in my hotel room… It felt too quiet without a dozen other pilgrims and I woke maybe 3 times in the night. But the bed was lovely and the privacy was great too.

I had breakfast with Pam and Theresa, 2 ladies from the US who’d joined us for dinner last night but who I’d met breifly before in Viana.  I was on the road in the cold grey light of early morning.  Last night at dinner we all agreed to walk to Villafranca de Montes de Oca.  That’s 27km and I have no idea why I said ok!

This morning as I walked I listened to Philip Glass violin concerto number 1 (movement 2)…find it on YouTube… This for me is one of the most beautiful pieces of music and fills me equally with joy and sadness… Hope and loss.

I walked a kilometre in 8 minutes listening to it and at the end salty tears ran down my cheeks.   I miss home… I miss Gerry and Matt.  They are my yin and my yang.   Gerry so steadfast and considered and Matt so full of life and noise and ambition.   They fill my world and home is where ever they are.

I started this walk thinking that if I had time I would walk to finisterre… Now I walk to Santiago as quickly as I can because the end brings me closer to them.

I walked 27 km today!!! Wow! I have never in my life walked that far.  I stopped for lunch in a park somewhere outside Belorado. At Espinosa del Camino I bumped into the french couple Gerry and I met on our first night at Viscarett; funny how we seem to cross paths with familiar faces as we walk.

The last 3km were the hardest with a long uphill climb… We’re heading towards Burgos and the high plains of Northern Spain; onwards and onwards towards home. And if that all sounds romantic let me assure you that I ache like… well…. A lot!

Sleeping tonight at Villefranca Monts de Oca…  More monts to climb tomorrow!