That photo ^^ feels an age ago! In reality it was at 7:32 this morning (and I am writing at 16:37)
I had intended to get up early to be up at the iron cross by sunrise, but all was quiet in the dormitory and I didn’t wake until 6:30. Sunrise was at 6:50 so I knew I wouldn’t make it, but I jumped out of bed, gathered all my stuff and stealthily left the dorm, disturbing no one. Fastest pack ever and I stepped outside to a winking moon:
It promised to be a spectacular sunrise.
Climbing…
Pop, the moment you felt the light behind you change:
7:15 I made it to the Cruz de Ferro
Tradition is that you bring a stone from home and leave it here, symbolising some burden you want to be freed from. I didn’t bring a stone, and didn’t intend to participate in this ritual, but yesterday I spotted a stone that I picked up and will carry home. As I snapped a pic I realised I wanted to leave the doubt about whether love really can conquer.
The next nine and a half kilometres included a little bit more of a climb and then it was all downhill to El Acebo. Downhill, easy right? Wrong!
I only saw one cyclist braving this path. All the rest – and a good number of walkers too – took the road
Every so often it was worth stopping to look up
And finally you see the village you are going to – it is not very far away but it IS very far down, which means the path is about to get really steep…
It’s always a pleasure to turn up in a place that is having a festival…
I left the procession with its drum, wooden pipe and castanets parading up through the village while the bell ringer kept banging the bells and I headed down out of the village.
On reflection, I might have done well to sit down and watch the festivities for an hour or so to give my knees a break. But I had forgotten just how much of a downhill was still to come! I really felt for the French man who was climbing up the hill! He had walked from France to Santiago and was now on his way back home.
I hobbled into Riego de Ambrós, dumped my pack in what must be the tightest room yet….
…and went in search of food. I have become so relaxed I forgot about it being Sunday, but I didn’t need to worry. While there wasn’t a shop, there was one bar and it was both open and full of locals.
I sat under the grapevines, which didn’t offer much shade and got a burnt nose!
I probably should have gone straight back to the albergue and put my aching Achilles up for the afternoon, but I took a little wander first.
On the way back to the albergue I met this fellow on the road. He didn’t talk as much as the four Spanish men I met this morning having a “relaxing Camino”
When they caught up to me taking pictures of the path, they were concerned something was wrong. I explained my husband is doing the Camino with a friend in September on bicycles and I want to show him the path. They urged me to make it look as bad as possible! Actually, that wasn’t hard to do today.
SoloWalk2024 