We reach Ponferrada mid afternoon. The town is built next to a river with a large imposing castle built by the knights Templar. We find a hotel where we leave our bags and walk around the city.

There is a Camino exhibition that we walk through. The art on show is amazing — the history of the Camino as a Catholic pilgrimage. It was walked as a punishment to atone for sin.

It is interesting to see the places we have already been to and I feel almost as though I get a sneak peek of the places we have not yet seen. We meet after for dinner and then sit in the square splashing our feet in the fountains. The town people come out to socialize in the evening and we watch as children play and families dine in the streets.

Day 7:
Today is a really long walk, over 30-kilometres to Villa Franca Del Bierzo. This is nearly half way and we will be resting here for two days. We walk uphill on a tar road and then turn off into a vineyard where it gets quieter and more scenic.

We walk through an old abandoned town where the water has dried up. The town is eerie and silent in the mid day heat and I feel the need to walk through at speed. We stop and pick cherries and find an old man selling drinks next to his vegetable garden that he is irrigating by hand.

We arrive in Villa Franca late in the afternoon. We go to the church at the top of the hill and survey the whole town. There is a castle in this town that is still inhabited by the original family. Most of it is in ruin, though a corner of it has been preserved. At night the street lights illuminate the castle, it seems enchanted.

Day 8:
We all meet at the rose garden in the middle of the town. We swim in the river, the water is so cold it takes my breath away. We have a picnic in the rose garden and stroll around. On inspecting the streets of Villa Franca we come across a sculptors house with scenes of lovers on the walls.

Day 9:
We wake up early and set off, in just fifteen minutes I am exhausted, we have walked uphill at a 45° angle for the past 15 minutes, my calves feel as though they are going to burst. We walk high up in the mountains. I can see the highway below, it seems like miles away.

We walk through a self-sustaining rural village. A grey donkey greets us as we walk by, we walk past vegetables patches and through a grove of fruit trees and I marvel at the simplicity of this lifestyle. We weave our way down onto the main road.

The scenery changes, we are now walking next to a crystal clear river, the trees and ferns all round seem to breath in the crisp air. The yellow Camino arrows that we have been following steer us off the busy road. We walk into Las Herreras, a sleepy little village where we spend the night.

Day 10:
As we leave the village the mist is starting to lift off the fields. We walk for a few more hours. I turn to see how far up we have walked, it is breathtaking — layers upon layer of mountains unfolding into the distance.

We pass by the post that indicates we are now entering Galicia. We walk on upwards to El Cebreiro. This is the highest point of our Camino. The village is as small and ancient. We walk into a cosy stone inn where we sit and have omelettes.

We are the first of many travellers and we are lucky enough to book the best rooms above the restaurant. I climb the staircase to my loft room under the thatch. I feel on top of the world. I walk up the hill to the wooden cross above the village.

A storm is coming in and I wait and watch the lightning and clouds roll in for as long as I safely can. I can hear Celtic music as I walk down through the streets and become quickly absorbed into the festivity.

Day 11:
Today I decide to catch a taxi, I am emotionally spent and I feel I need a day of rest. It takes us 20 minutes to get to the next town as opposed to hours of walking. It is small and very non-descript, we find a decent refugio though and we settle into our rooms.

We walk to the local store — the only shop open, as it is Sunday. We buy vegetables and bread as we have decided to make supper for the group. I decide to go for a walk by the river and as I walk down I look behind me and see a beautiful white horse standing on an embankment.

I go and talk to her and then call some of the others who come and see her. Her serenity soothes me, as I am still feeling tired and emotional. Supper is a huge success, we buy some red wine to wash it down and then go to a little restaurant where we order dessert and then trundle off to bed.

Day 12:
Today we walk through charming countryside, along wooded paths and through meadows that have a decidedly English feel. The walk is long, but beautiful — the longest day so far. I am walking by myself at the end of the day and I get lost, I overshoot our destination by about two kilometres.

I ask two Italians in broken Spanish where I am and get sent back along the same path. I eventually arrive at Casa de Carmen, the home of Carmen and Pedro. We stay in their old farmhouse that is beautifully decorated with antiques and old furniture.

I rest my feet in the water trough outside only to get shooed away by Carmen who wants to wash the cabbage for dinner. I laugh to myself as the old grandmother herds the cows home wielding her large stick with great authority.

The rules for survival are different here. Pedro asks us what we want for dinner and seemingly effortlessly whips up four different dishes for us to choose from. We sleep on the enclosed verandah that looks over the farmland. I feel just like part of the family.