El Camino de Santiago, Spain : Week 4
Articles I have written for TheTrek.co about my Camino Frances pilgrimage hike:
May 5: Astorga to Foncebadon : 16.9 miles
First day that I stopped for breakfast and had my first café con leche in Spain. Light rain for a short time which cleared before the ascent to Foncebadon. So nice to be off roads and going up a mountain. Spent the rest of the day chatting with new friends by a fire.
May 6: Foncebadon to Ponferrada : 17.4 miles
My favorite day thus far with great mountain views walking ridge lines covered with purple scrub brush. Passed the tallest point on the trail and walked with a new friend, Anna from Germany. Kept going past the recommended stop for the day to stay in a bigger town. Had a great and pricey dinner with Anna, Maddy, and Julie (ladies I have spent the past two days with) and Fabian. Had sangria for the first time since being in Spain and it was great!
Anna and me at Cruz de Ferro
The best sangria!
May 7: Ponferrada to Villafranca del Bierzo : 15.3 miles
Another nice day spent mostly walking with Anna. Stopping for café con leche is becoming a daily thing now. I arrived at the albergue where the others reserved beds but I didn't and was pleasantly relieved to get a bed in the attic which turned out to be great and basically a private room. Had more sangria in town and spent the evening with the same group again.
Ponferrada in the morning
Roses by vineyards
Sangria todos los dias!
May 8: Villafranca del Bierzo to O'Cebreiro : 17.15 miles
Fun day playing leap frog with my new friends and passing through several small towns where I stopped for café con leche then later a croissant sandwich and beer before the big ascent into the Galicia region (a Celtic region) and to O'Cebreiro. Hot day for a long climb so I cooled off by sticking my head under a couple of water fountains that I passed. Stayed at a crowded albergue for the night and tried a Galician speciality of octopus (pulpo)-I didn't like it. Fun dinner with Anna and Maddy.
The ascent into Galicia
Galicia border
Anna and Maddy in O'Cebreiro
New friends!
Octopus, a Galician speciality
May 9: O'Cebreiro to A Balsa : 14.25 miles
Quiet morning solo hiking until I caught up with Maddy and Anna and we walked together the rest of the day in Shire-like countryside. Stopped for a break and sangria before getting to our quiet and secluded albergue. No town so I just hung out at the albergue and lounged in a hammock while listening to a podcast. Shared a nice vegetarian dinner with the rest of the pilgrims from Denmark, Poland, Netherlands, Germany, France, Spain, and U.S. It stormed throughout the evening.
Pilgrim statue
Beautiful Galicia
Anna and Maddy on the trail
Notice the shell and arrow
At the albergue
May 10: A Balsa to Leda : ~16.28 miles
Threat of rain all day but we arrived at the albergue just as it started to rain. Nice walking today, reminiscent of Ireland and Scotland. Steep eroded descents leading to Sarria, a popular town where many people start a shorter 100km pilgrimage to Santiago. Stopped for lunch in town and enjoyed walking with friends and stopping at cafes along the way. The albergue is an old mill and there is no town.
Shell water fountain
Walking with the French man playing the flute
May 11: Leda to Castromaior : ~15.66 miles
Rainy day all day, off and on. Nice trail walking with stone-wall lined path in the shade of lush green trees by fields. Passed through small villages, not really towns just a few buildings. I find that when passing through the small villages the cow smell is very strong and the trail is splattered with dung. Passed the 100km to go mark. Stopped for lunch in Portomarín and continued on to a small albergue for the night.
100 kilometers to go!
Rainy day
The trail is lined with beautiful stone walls like this
Next: Week 5-last week
