Day 13 Santander to Mogro

After yesterday’s 20 miler plus today feels like a rest day, I arrived at my idyllic accommodation in Mogra at 2.30pm. An interesting walk through industrial Santander and then into the Cantabria countryside brought me to Boo de Piélagos train station where I hopped on to a train for two minutes to reach Mogra. There used to be a pilgrim ferry across the river, this is long since gone and has been replaced by a very narrow railway bridge which is forbidden to walkers, and strictly enforced by the local police.

I had intended to spend the afternoon sitting in the garden with the chickens but my host pointed out there is a wonderful beach just a couple of kilometres away so I went to explore. I didn’t quite follow her instructions and ended up at the estuary where along with several other people I had the most fabulous swim in safe but deep water. Almost as good as swimming in the sound of Erraid , warmer though.

I walked earlier a few kilometres with a young Danish chap, the first pilgrim I’ve met that is walking like me from Irún to Santiago de Compostela. He described it as being like a bird where long distances are just what you do and often feel effortless, and that thing about being present which so many crave and here on the Camino it’s all there is. He’s walking a bit faster than me so I’m not sure if I’ll see him again.

And then at the train station I met the first British pilgrims, two women from Bristol who are gradually completing it section by section each summer.

The extra is the swimming spot earlier this afternoon, the Ría de Mogro.
I’m now returning to the railway station café for something to eat.

16k, 540m descent, 5 pilgrims, 2 conversations.