Camino Inglés – Day 6
The one with a bagpiper, a pebble goodbye & a powerful final mile
🥾 Distance: 11 miles
🌥️ Weather: Overcast but warm – the Camino gods delivered perfect walking weather
Summary:
The final stretch into Santiago was filled with quiet reflection, belly laughs, and a thousand small moments that made our six-day pilgrimage unforgettable. From misty forests and Galician music to stones placed with purpose and the first glimpse of the cathedral spires, this was a day of both endings and new beginnings.
⏰ 7:00 am – The morning began with my cuboid bone taped and the first aid kit out. I declared JD Surgery officially open: reapplying KT tape to Sue’s leg and dressing blisters for Phyllis and Alison. The group was patched up, prepped, and ready to walk their final miles.
☕ 8:00 am – Breakfast was a help-yourself affair – toast, croissants, and the rich, bold Spanish coffee I’ll genuinely miss. Spirits were calm and reflective. The drizzle couldn’t dampen our mood as we gathered for our penultimate group photo. Seeing everyone proudly wearing their Camino T-shirts made me feel so proud. These wonderful souls have bonded in such an authentic, effortless way. Today, I step back. This day belongs to them.
🪨 8:40 am – I trailed at the back for a while, hand in pocket, feeling the weight of a small stone I’d been carrying. When we reached a milestone marker next to a bin, I knew what to do. I gently placed the stone down, tapped the bin, and let go of something I’d been carrying emotionally. Bittersweet. But lighter. That’s the Camino way.
👻 9:24 am – A collection of random, slightly creepy scarecrows appeared by the trail. No context. Just… scarecrows. Naturally, Caroline posed for a photo.
🌲 10:01 am – The trail led us into a glistening forest, damp from the rain, rich with earthy smells and birdsong. Wet leaves underfoot, wild irises blooming, and everyone walking in quiet reflection. I adore this stretch – it feels like the Camino’s gentle way of saying goodbye.
🎶 10:10 am – Then… the familiar sound of Galician music. We reached the café with the bagpipes (or so we thought). Emma, caffeine-deprived, gave me the look – she’d been asking about coffee for the past two miles. Inside, we found strong café con leche, slices of Santiago cake, and familiar pilgrim faces: Scottish George and his daughter, Shane from the US, and our lovely Canadian friend. George kindly explained the instrument we were hearing wasn’t bagpipes, but a gaita gallega. Different sound, same emotional tug.
✨ 10:52 am – We entered the Enchanted Forest. Twisting trees, moss-covered stones, wildflowers everywhere. A little stream ran alongside us. The air felt magical – the kind of magic that doesn’t shout, but hums quietly in your chest. I didn’t want it to end.
🪙 11:12 am – At the 5km marker, I stopped. I’d picked up a 1p coin at the airport on Day One and carried it the whole way. I placed it gently on the milestone, tapped it, and whispered, “Good luck for the future, mate.” Another piece of emotional baggage, left behind on sacred ground. My Camino message this year? Let go of what you can’t change.
⚰️ 11:29 am – We passed the “posh graveyard” with its beach hut-style tombs – family vaults stacked like Lego, each etched with names and the years they died. Oddly beautiful, and a powerful reminder: life is short. Walk your Camino.
🕊️ 12:10 pm – And then… the spires. Our first glimpse of Santiago Cathedral, cutting through the skyline like a promise fulfilled. The sky turned blue. I was so distracted I had my first ‘squiggle moment’ of the day.
We passed Ronald McDonald’s Gym (a soft play centre, oddly named), then paused at a small church to collect our final stamp. Everyone took a pew. Some prayed, some simply breathed. It was beautiful.
🎉 12:45 pm – We made it. We walked under the stone arch into Praza do Obradoiro, greeted by the haunting sound of the gaita. The square was buzzing – pilgrims, tourists, musicians, laughter, and tears. Lisa dropped her bag, sat down, and said simply: “I’m home.”
We stood there, soaking it all in – the cathedral, the people, the sense of completion. There were hugs, slow-motion jumps for the camera, and tears of joy. For some, this was their first Camino. For others, another chapter. But for all of us, it was unforgettable.
📜 Our final act: a short walk to the Pilgrim Office, where we received our well-earned Compostelas – proof on paper of what our hearts already knew.
Tomorrow, some of us return home. But something tells me… a part of us will always remain on this trail.
Buen Camino, always.
Julia x