The one with bell-ringing chaos, a blister explosion & the granny café that stole our hearts
📍 Location: Betanzos to Hospital de Bruma 🥾 Distance: 16 miles 🌦️ Weather: Warm and cloudy with just a sprinkle of rain – aka perfect pilgrim weather
Summary:
Today was a proper Camino slog – 16 miles, rolling hills, blisters galore, and unexpected laughter around every bend. From getting told off by an angry abuela for ringing church bells to catching up with Canadian politics over chicken shed fumes, we powered through with determination, snacks, and a solid sense of humour. And yes – we met Granny.
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7:00 am – We’re up early today, 16 miles on the cards, so fuel was needed. Breakfast brought back school dinner nostalgia with little dishes of tinned mixed fruit, DIY toast, and good, strong coffee. Not fancy, but it did the job – and the hotel is a keeper for September’s crew.
8:00 am – I paused to play Camino Physio and do shin splint maintenance for two pilgrims while four eager beavers powered ahead. I left with the second wave twenty minutes later. Today is a rolling walkathon through Galicia’s finest lung-busting hills. Speaking of which…
We hit our first climb straight away, and I glanced behind me, braced for Mona Lisa’s usual “Oh for heaven’s sake” groan, but she was happily humming a little tune instead. A good omen… or denial? Either way, uphill we went.
9:51 am – Just when we needed a boost, a tiny church appeared like magic. Lisa made a beeline for the bell rope which was attached to the outside of the church and gave it an enthusiastic yank – not once, but four glorious chimes. Caroline and Sue had a go too, and then, as an afterthought, we talked about how annoying this must be for the locals.
…Right on cue, an angry Spanish Abuela appeared, storming down the hill like a scene from Murder, She Wrote: Camino Edition. She scolded us furiously, gesturing wildly. I tried my best, “Lo siento, lo siento!” but apparently, I wasn’t sorry enough. Lesson learned: ringing church bells = a cultural faux pas.
10:00 am – I’d been looking forward to a cheeky coffee liqueur at the legendary Pepsi Café… but it’s closed on Mondays. Rude. We trudged on in search of caffeine elsewhere.
11:00 am – Eight miles in, we reached our first café. Music playing, familiar pilgrim faces, and the air smelled of grilled bread. I ordered a bocadillo and tended to Phyllis’s blistered feet, which had blossomed from two to seven little volcanoes. Moral of the story? Do not wear waterproof shoes in warm weather. We drained, dressed, and aired her toes like it was a spa day. Phyllis is now on strict orders: every café stop = sock-off moment.
Caroline was giggling as she showed me her hand. She had a pilgrim’s stamp on her palm. I laughed, but didn’t quite get why she would stamp her hand?
11:35 am – Back on the trail, and I spotted Caroline bending over Sue’s calves. No, it wasn’t a secret massage – it was KT tape application. I gave a quick demo on proper taping technique while Sue showed off her new pink racing stripes like a true Camino warrior.
12:05 pm – Another church, another rope… but this one had no nearby houses so we were safe! Caroline and Sue gave it a go while I filmed their efforts, only to be met with complete silence. We laughed like naughty schoolkids as we realised that the bells were disabled. No angry abuela this time, though!
13:05 – A new café popped up, complete with swimming pool and holiday homes. It looked brand new, so Stephanie declared, “Let’s support it!” – and in we went. I ordered a non-alcoholic beer, and we enjoyed a blissful 10-minute break. Another stamp on our passports.
13:38 – Back on the trail… and now the real hills kicked in. Long, hot, and smelly (hello, chicken sheds). I walked solo for a while, head down, legs heavy. Then I caught up with Josh from Canada, who lifted the mood with some good ol’ political chat (Trump, Charles, and Canadian healthcare). By the time we’d put the world to rights, the hills had disappeared behind us.
14:35 – We made it to Velinas Café – or as I affectionately call it, Granny’s Café. She and her sister were there, bossing pilgrims around with love. “Put your feet up!” she ordered. Free biscuits appeared, drinks were served, and fridge magnets were bought. She’s a legend – and this is always a Camino highlight.
Caroline turned to me “I’ve done it again!” She shows me another stamp on her hand. I’m totally confused. I turned and said, “You do know that the stamps are for your passport and not your hand?”. She laughed and explained that she accidentally held the stamp in her hand, upside down. So when she pressed it into her passport, she had stamped her hand instead.
15:20 – At last, we arrived at Hospital de Bruma (not a hospital, despite the name – it once was a medieval pilgrim hospice!). I phoned our hotel, and a shuttle bus appeared like magic. Hayley and Emma decided to walk the extra mile – quite literally – to avoid missing a single step of the trail. Hardcore.
Back at the hotel, Annette and I handed over our laundry, and somehow my clean clothes arrived at my door a few hours later like Camino sorcery. Dinner was simple but perfect: salad, chicken & chips, and cheesecake. I may never walk again, but at least I’ll be full.
The bed is calling—another long, beautiful, ridiculous day on the Camino.
