Stage 6. Golega to Tomar - 30kms, sunny patches and warm

Mid way through the night, as predicted, the rain came. By morning it had all but passed which left the landscape looking and feeling fresh and renewed. Alas, the same could not be said for Neil's calves, which definitely look a little worse for wear.

(Warning: some viewers may find the following photograph disturbing!)

Not quite sure what is causing the rash but the swelling is surely due to walking so many kms in these past days. Like the many snails we saw on the road this morning, we are inching our way towards Santiago.

Actually, we felt sorry for these poor creatures, seeing many squashed by passing traffic. In kindness we started picking them up and throwing them into the grass on the verge. But then we came across this man, what was he collecting for his dinner we wondered? Turns out it was snails!!

It was cooler this morning and we enjoyed walking down some quiet country roads. The smells were enhanced by the overnight rain - the wild fennel was especially fragrant, and the damp earth.

We passed the old abandoned Quinta da Cardiga, which must have been really something in its time.

What a place for the Benedictus Centre we thought! Just a few minor maintenance and relocation issues ...

From there it was back into a more modern and bland village before entering a eucalyptus forest that could have been in Namadgi National park.

Again, the smells in this plantation were redolent and very evocative. Sarah's dad who was an academic forester spent six months on sabbatical leave in Portugal in 1991-2 and we wondered whether these forests were part of his research over that time. It's the anniversary of his death tomorrow, so Eric (Pa) these are for you.

The third walker in the rear is Frank from Norway. 

Sarah explaining to Ilja the some of the intricacies of eucalyptus leaves in their juvenile and adult form!

After the flat walking in blazing sun over the past few days, we moved into more undulating - indeed at times quite steep - terrain.

As we left the forest Neil found a eucalyptus branch that made a perfect staff. It seemed that today was the day the staff for this trip appeared. Bizarrely though, when we stopped at a Farmacia on the edge of Tomar to get some attention for his angry looking calves, the staff disappeared from outside the front door. 

The final section into Tomar was long and circuitous, but we are here sitting under the shadow of the amazing Templar castle and amidst signs of the history of the once great, immensely powerful and wealthy Templar Order which had its Portugese headquarters in this town.

There is a real pilgrim community developing and again we gathered to share a pilgrim menu tonight. A mediaeval table in a mediaeval town - pretty fine!

Bom caminho,

Neil and Sarah