Shower The People

CAMINO PORTUGUÉS – Day 10: Thursday 4 June 2026 – CESANTES to PONTEVEDRA (17 [+7] kilometres)

Over the last few days of occasional rain I have both cannily and unwittingly managed to avoid getting wet, or even so much as having to don my waterproofs. Last night the rain arrived, initially briefly after I had checked into my Cesantes digs, then pausing whilst I popped out for dinner, before returning heavier and more prolonged overnight. My luck held during my first climb of today, up to the Alto da Lomba, but on the descent into the small seaside town of Arcade the heavens opened! Thereupon the procession of pilgrims scuttled under canopies and into shop doorways to deploy a rainbow of ponchos and waterproofs that at least served to add colour to the otherwise monochrome townscape. The forest canopy that covered the path up to the day’s second peak, the Alto da Canicouva, provided a little shelter from the subsequent intermittent drizzle and downpours, before the midday sun at last decided to impose itself. So we all arrived at our destination of Pontevedra invigorated, and mainly dry, after a very fine ramble over the two hills, and then gently downhill to join the fine woodland path alongside the Rio Tomeza.

I am now around the three-quarter point in my northward pilgrimage . . .

. . . having completed today’s short section in something under five hours, into the city of Pontevedra

Here are some snaps of my day on the trail, taken around the watery interludes.

We have seen a lot of granite over these last two days – last night the sky followed suit, and was little changed first thing this morning

. . . up to the top of Alto da Lomba (153 metes of elevation), with views of the Ria de Vigo gulf, and the seaside village of Arcade . . .

. . . and with views back to Vigo’s iconic bridge, under increasingly leaden skies

No time to linger at the Fonte de Lavandeira . . .

. . . as we bolted for cover from the downpour

A brief respite, whilst we skirted the estuary . . .

. . . and crossed Arcade’s historic bridge

Climbing up and out of the village . . .

. . . and into the forest again, on our ascent of Alto da Canicouva

. . . and a welcome breakfast stop . . .

. . . where we waited in line for sustenance, and for our Pilgrim Passport stamps

. . . to the tree-clad top of Canicouva, (at 145 metres) – with Rodrigo and Felipe from Uruguay, sharing their maté (a caffeine-rich infused herbal tea that ‘helps to get you up mountains’)

Gently down, through fields and forest . . .

. . . to the small Chapel of Santa Maria

. . . and under the Pontevedra city bypass

. . . time for a lunch-stop on the bustling streets . . .

. . . where I met Sarah (and husband Gary)

There is much to see in the bustling city of Pontevedra . . .

. . . but time restricted me to a whistle-stop tour . . .

. . . and of course the city’s cathedral, the Basilica de Santa Maria for another passport stamp

These most recent three sections of the Camino Portugués have been relatively short walking days, especially compared to a couple of the stages that I completed in the heat of last week through northern Portugal. The distances are dictated in part by the spacing of the towns and the availability of accommodation and, whilst it is possible to accelerate the trek by finding places to stay ‘mid-stage’, I have decided to stick with the recommendations of my Brierley guidebook in order to enjoy the sights along the way – and this has the added advantage of keeping in sync with my various walking buddies and a host of other familiar faces that I have met and seen along the way. Add to this some stunning scenery and the cooler temperatures of the last couple of days (in the early 20s centigrade), and it all makes for a joyous final approach to Santiago, now just three days’ walk away.

My Blog heading today ‘Shower the People’ is borrowed from the gentle song of that title by US singer-songwriter James Taylor, that was released as the opening track from Taylor’s 1976 album ‘In The Pocket’ (and featuring his then wife Carly Simon on backing vocals). The lyrics are more about sharing love to all around than it is about the weather, but either way it seems to work as my Blog heading for today. Perfect for my Camino playlist!

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