Bandeira to Santiago de Compostela (electric wheelchair style)

A clear bright morning and I'm off early, eager to complete this mammoth route.

It’s downhill all the way now following small roads towards Santiago passing vineyards and small hamlets. I’m seeing very few pilgrims which is surprising so close to the end, in reflection thats been the theme of this Camino.

My first view of the Santiago cathedral in the distance and I’m hungry so break for coffee. There’s an online form accessed through the Santiago pilgrims website that speeds up the credential process. I fill it in whilst eating croissants. I’m all but there.

Santiago de Compostela is a beautiful city and I pass uphill through cobbled streets I’ve not seen before arriving this time from the south. The keener tourists are out early. I’m here for 2 nights so look forward to being able to explore better tomorrow.

The square in front of the cathedral has the early arriving pilgrims and the first groups of tourists. I don’t see anyone I know unfortunately but it is early. I love to watch the pilgrims as they arrive with tears, smiles and hugs. 

The obligatory photo in front of the cathedral and it’s all over. From Cadiz in the south to Santiago de Compostela, over 1200km on path and road. 

At the pilgrims office I’m whisked through the queue as a wheelchair user to receive my Compostela.

Genny has been fantastic. It’s a lot to ask of a 10 year old wheelchair with 2400km on the clock but with daily checks ensureing everything is in order, my wheels behaved fantastically. My longest day was 52km which I completed with 2 bars left on the battery indicator.

It’s good to be finished - Buen Camino!

Arenteiro to Bandeira (electric wheelchair style)

A beautiful morning on my penultimate day on the Camino. Starting in the dark it was a long but gentle climb of about 8km to an altitude of nearly 900m. Distant hills rose from the fog sitting in the valleys like islands in the sea.

It’s a gently rolling open landscape but I think it changes as we descend. 

Flying downhill flew slowly the sun came out. Rising here at about 8:30, there is no heat in it and I always rejoice to feel the warmth when it finally arrives. Landscape wise I am now in more densely populated areas in the satellite towns approaching Santiago de Compostela. 

Various towns and villages later I arrive at my destination town Bandeira. The albergue is functional but not pretty. I meet a bunch of pilgrims who have been together on and off since Zamora. They filtered in slowly and being different nationalities they defaulted to speaking English.

I realise I have missed out on a lot of the social side of the Camino. Most of the people I have been hanging out with were Spanish and although I am included, my poor Spanish is isolating.

Santiago is now on the horizon for most of us. It is 32km and mostly downhill. There is a mood of excitement as people meet their goal, and what next? I have mapped out tomorrow’s route to stay a close as possible to the prescribed path. 

Santiago awaits😊

Ourense - Arenteiro (electric wheelchair style)

I was pleased to leave the business or Ourense through commuting traffic and oneway systems. 

Once again there was fog or low cloud sitting on the surrounding hills where I was heading.

The initial 5km were all uphill on ridiculously steep tarmac. To save battery I will sometimes get off a push in these conditions but I could see from the route map it was a long way.

My path took me through sheltered oak and chestnut woodland. I noticed areas of disturbance under some chestnut trees. It occurred to me later this could be foraging by wild boar but I can’t be sure.

I passed many small villages in typical Galician style. Most have worked vegetables gardens and vineyards. Many have hórreo, the small stone and wood structures built on stilts to store crops in ventilated and protected environment. 

Lovely carved stonework is found in the least expected planes. 

I breakfasted in a cranky cafe in a village called Piñor. It was a bar/cafe, junk shop and part community centre. There were a pair of dressed manakins just inside the doorway inviting visitors. The loviest waitress brought me a big mug of hot coffee and 2 croissants.

The albergue is new inline with the style of others I have mentioned. They are housed in traditional older buildings refurbished so everything is new and working. Their modernity means they are built to accommodate wheelchairs, this one also has stables attached. 

Xinzo de Limia to Ourense - (electric wheelchair style)

Today has been a low day for me on the Camino. Having slept well in a lovely hotel bed I hoped to be cruising effortlessly today in high spirits. Instead I woke to low cloud or fog that persisted for most of my 40km stage.

I am now following mainly small roads as my resources for evaluating the route for the capability of my wheels are limited. Im talking about aerial and satellite imagery, should have done more planning and research. 

There was little to photograph on my route through the fog and I was completely uninspired.  Seemed like the fog was seeping into my bones and my glasses were hard to see through. 

To add some context here I am travelling on small roads starting in the dark in the fog. I am moving much slower than normal traffic, right into the edge and although I have lights and hi-visibility clothing, I feel vulnerable. This carried on for about 3 hours but felt never ending.

Eventually I hit the suburban outskirts of Ourense and the fog lifts. Now riding on pavements my progress was slow but safer. Some pavements have ramps some don’t. Some are completely blocked by vehicles, bins, skips whatever. You have to concentrate hard and frequently need to backtrack. 

Ourense is an old town. It is blessed with many thermal springs which inspired the Romans to build here in 100 AD. It is split by the river Minho and apparently boasts 7 bridges. Some old 

Some new

The central old town sits mostly south of the river and is a maze of grey Romanesque granite buildings.

I should be checking out the thermal spas, the cathedral museum but I find myself drawn to quiet sunny corners where I can bask like a lizard. The albergue is lovely again with fantastic staff and I seem to have the disabled facilities to myself. I have a bit of a cold so I’ll sleep on my back and snore all night making the most of it. 

I notice It’s hard to maintain an upbeat mood when on Camino, especially the concluding sections. I’ve not set a return date and may continue to the coast depending on the weather but either way my journey is nearing the end.

There is a lot to process and being continually on the move can get frantic. You need to keep lots of balls in the air to make this work. There is my wheels: battery levels and keeping everything shipshape; the unpredictable weather when I only have limited warm clothing; route planning and making sure I have somewhere I can stay that accommodates my wheels.

Siesta time…

Verin to Xinzo de Limia - (electric wheelchair style)

Spotted this character in town last night. Apparently he is Cigarrón, a ritual local character of noise and controlled chaos, rooted in pre‑Christian agrarian traditions meant to expel winter and renew the season. Hope he’s looking out for me today. 

Setting off this morning there were clouds sitting on the surrounding hills. The first 10km were a steady uphill climb regaining all the altitude lost yesterday and into the clouds. This area sustained substantial damage from wildfires in resent years. Picture showing the remnants of a copse highlighted by a backdrop of clouds.  

I must have been traveling from one valley into another and past the top the clouds cleared and the sun came out for the first time in a while. 

Look who I found hiding on the hilltop. I love these landmark features, so quintessentially Spanish. 

My journey finished in the town of Xinzo de Limia. “Limia” is the small river that runs through the town before continuing down the valley into Portugal. 

Xinzo de Limia, not to be outdone, has its own chaotic mythical character Pantalla who is the guardian of the Carnival, and runs through the streets with two swollen pig bladders in his hands making a huge noise.

A Gudiña to Verin - (electric wheelchair style)

Starting the day early with an overcast grey sky and occasional light showers. My fears of heavy deluges were thankfully unfounded. Historic wildfires have left some of this area devastated a barren.    

Verin is an alternative Camino route option, avoiding higher mountain passes. It adds 30km to the overall journey but is a gentler option on my wheels. Saying that it is also less picturesque and not generally a favoured option by most pilgrims. 

The path runs generally downhill losing altitude. This is easy on my batteries and I finish the 36km stage with 6 of 8 bars showing on the charge indicator. The Portuguese border is about 10km away and one of the Portuguese Caminos joins at this point.

Verin is a bit shabby. There are many nice features, old buildings, art and even sculpture but no continuity, a patchwork of periods and styles. Many of the shops look like charity shops but aren’t.

What I do like is the hardware shops. These are generally gone in many places. If you need a new spade handle, you would easily find one in Verin. 

The municipal albergue is once again lovely. The coat of arms above the door is monumental.

I think because all the Caminos conclude in Santiago de Compostela, Galicia takes the whole Camino thing very seriously. There is obvious investment, certainly in the accommodation, but also in the routing and signage. 2025 saw over half a million people receive their compostela’s. These are not day-tripping tourists but people slowly making their way to the area spending as they go. Admittedly they are generally on a budget but collectively it must be a tremendous income for Galicia and has recognised as a resource and invested in it. 

Lubián to A Gudiña - (electric wheelchair style)

Today I left Castile Y León crossing into the autonomous community of Galicia, province of A Coruña. My journey has taken me from the very south in Andalusia through Extremadura, Castile Y León and now Galicia.

It’s been downhill most of the way loosing altitude and snaking through steep valleys. The scenery completely changed immediately after the regional border to grey granite with thin soils. There is extensive evidence of wild fires from previous summers. Fences have become dry stone walls built with large upright slabs. 

I’m in the small town of A Gudiña in a big clean municipal albergue for €10. I have an accessible room with 2 beds but so far it’s just me there.

There is a swimming pool created by a dam on the river (above) but I didn’t swim. It is one of those places where you are immediately surrounded by 100 annoying flies trying to get up your nose.

The town is old and pretty but busy with traffic on the road that divides the town in two. It has a tiny church and an ancient perfumery that has seen better days.  

Rain is on the cards and the forecast looks dubious. A cloud full of rain has just arrived completely obscuring the valley below but it will pass. 

I will see what tomorrow brings. From here I could bus it to Verin my next planned stop. Other options are the direct like to Madrid or Santiago de Compostela. For such a tiny place it is well connected. 

By the guidebook I’m 9 stages to Santiago de Compostela. Linking bits together that is more like 5 or 6 for me.

The issue is the weather. I’m not willing to travel in heavy or even moderate rain. In a wheelchair your waterproofs drain to your backside. You soon find yourself sitting in a puddle that takes days to dry out.

Puente to Puebla de Sanabria to Lubián - (electric wheelchair style)

A late start today. I have been on-trail before 8:00 every morning by habit but also in-line with most other pilgrims. Many start earlier, as early as 3:30 I’ve heard.

I guess this gives plenty of time and would offer cooler temperatures in summer. I have found the mornings cold so with today’s destination room already booked in Lubiá, I afford the luxury of a 9:30 start.

This graph shows the altitude profile for today’s section. I started 10km before Requejo on the profile which was also an incline. Climbing 400m is not insignificant and I’m cautious of the impact on my batteries. As well as the uphill bits there was also fantastic downhill that I cruised. My wheels do regenerative braking but I can’t imagine it is significant. There are poles marking road edges to guide the snowploughs. 

I am well into the hills now. Most of it seems natural or semi-natural deciduous but there are sections of planted conifers. I am still in sight of the main motorway and the high speed railway although both disappear into tunnels on occasion. 

My hotel is in a the tiny mountain village of Lubiá. I’m the room with the garden out front. There are 2 bars, a church and a tiny usupermarket in the village. Everything was closed today by 14:00 as I think there is fiesta. Will see what I can find later. 

Many of the buildings are ramshackled with chickens and cats everywhere. 

Lubiá is the last village within the Zamora province, tomorrow Galicia. Lubiá sits at about 1000m which would make it covered in snow for lots of the winter.

There are many windmills.