The final day of walking the Costa Brava

My thoughts this morning ranged from relief to regret.
It was tough walking to start our week and I wondered how we would cope if it got more challenging.It is always hard to tell from the notes provided just what to expect but thankfully the days have become easier and more interesting.

Today was to be another long day walking,five hours in the notes but we have found them to underestimate the time.I think they use Google maps to work out the time on distance but that does not account for terrain and we have had some pretty hazardous climbing to do.
We set off after a very nice breakfast sitting outside admiring the view over the bay and packing for the last time.

We left about 9.30am on a warm,calm morning about 21 degrees so lovely walking weather.We climbed around a headland to start with and up and down little stony beaches.One even had a cafe tucked into the bank.

The trail  was mostly along the bays and beaches between Tamariu and Palamos but we did have a mountain pass to get across about halfway through the walk but it was easy stuff today.We are well conditioned to this level of climbing.

Some of the bays were old fishing villages so had quite a different feel to them than the wealthy holiday places in the popular beaches.One village was in the S' Alger Cove and is considered a place of National Cultural interest.It dates back to the 15th Century and provided shelter and refuge for fishermen and their gear.

The walk also had more walkers doing what we were doing so met a group from Norway who we had a chat too.They were in search of the sun they said.

The sandy beaches would be great for a swim but we had to keep moving or we would be very late to Palamos.

We passed some interesting relics of a different era. There was an archeological site dating back to Iberian settlement  in the 6th Century BC to the 2nd Century BC at Castell up on a headland called sa Cobertera.There is an old church now converted to a restaurant here with amazing views along the coastal pathway. We also passed the ruins of old castles, one of which is called the Castle of Sant Esteve de Mar. In its heyday it would have been part of the original settlement of this region.which were now derelict and stand as a reminder that this was a place of fiefdom and royal conquest.

In Capella de Parafugall  we had a coffee in a cafe overlooking the bay.It was a welcome break after some hours walking over the headland.
Lunch was on the top of the pass and afternoon tea at the hotel.
A very nice hotel it is too.The best place to stay here according to the BBC travel writer.Our room is not overlooking the beach but we are comfortably housed.
A hot bath, bags unpacked,washing done and a cuppa ,we are ready to explore the town before dinner.Restaurants open for meals at 8.30 pm so a bit of time to go yet.We found a local cafe with character and ate well for thirteen euros each.
Next excitement is the wedding,only a few days to go and we will all be getting together to celebrate Nick and Els's nuptials.It will be a change to wear nice clothes again.