You leave O Cádavo behind while the village is still half asleep. The path winds between pastures and small woods, and the first few hours go smoothly. Even so, it’s a long day: almost nine hours on the road. You have a few steep climbs, but even more descents, and you’ll feel those in your knees later on.
The last stretch into Lugo is mostly a matter of gritting your teeth. Then the ancient Roman city wall rises up ahead, still standing all the way around the old town. You walk straight through it, heading for the cathedral. Take one more look back: there lies the green countryside, with its low stone walls and cows grazing peacefully on.