We all love mountains! Everyone that completed the 26.7km today has said it – even, Sue who has developed tendinitis probably because of the steep decent…loved it. After the Pyrenees, I agree that this was one of the best days of the Camino – for many reasons. Leaving Rabanal we started the slow climb up and in fact the climb was really quite straight forward (I can hear Lori saying – not in her books!!!). We were heading to the highest peak on the Camino which is marked with a Crucifix. All Peregrinos are asked to bring something to leave at the site – most bring a small pebble from their home country or town. After leaving your memento, photos are taken (somehow I became the resident photographer and got told off by an Irish lady for missing out the crucifix …“I’m not the important one you know!” will ring in my ears for a while) and then we headed to what we thought would be the beginning of the down.
Interestingly the BEST views followed – the mountains and the path today were amazing – none of us really wanted to come down. The clouds throw the most amazing moving shadows over the mountains, and there is wild heather everywhere. It was 30 degrees at the base of the mountains, but of course with a gentle breeze at the heights, it was a perfect day for walking. We stopped at a pop up coffee van up on the heights and stayed for two coffees enjoying the view and chatting to folks who we have met along the way.
We headed into villages on the way down which we think work as Camino villages during summer and alpine villages for skiing during winter. They are all slowly being repaired and amazing old buildings are being restored. Martin Sheen’s movie has a lot to answer for!! We chatted with other Aussies and agree that walking in our bush is not the same as what we are experiencing here because, apart from the obvious, almost the entire route here in Spain you can hear water in streams and creeks and rivers alongside many of the paths we have walked.
We made it to our stop for the night -Molinaseca, an amazing little subalpine village that was once used by the Spanish Queen as a summer retreat to get away from the heat. The town, again, appears to be geared for pilgrims on the Camino or for city folk who seem to have their summer homes up here to escape the heat. Friday night – lots of dressed up folk and lots of cheering from bars as Spain takes on Portugal in the World Cup!
An AMAZING day – one that we will never forget and one that has motivated everyone to look at walks in mountain regions in the future. Tomorrow we are in for one of our longer hauls – 30 km when we are heading to Villafranca Del Bierzo – vineyard country.
Well you seem to be handling the mountainous terrain with alacrity – you both must have developed calves and thighs like tour de france cyclists – the scenery is beautiful.
I imagine that one advantage over a walk in the Australian bush ( well, South Coast NSW bush) there is no ticks or leeches!!!
Just catching up on your last week of travelling you have certainly journeyed through such amazing country. And you both appear to be in great spirits!!!! I love how you catch up with fellow travellers in the evening and share stories it gives such richness to your storyline. I had put thoughts of a Camino behind me but….. maybe a short one in the future….. need to think more about it. Keep enjoying the experience.
Check Macadventures – there is an Irish one and a Swiss one – all of them leading to the Camino de Santiago….
The mountains are beautiful and I imagine the air is so fresh!
I can see now why some of my German rellies were very keen alpine walkers in the summer…shame I didn’t join them…and of course the amazing Tante Leni was both a walker and skiier!!! Bless!
I am so inspired by your blog…it’s a stunning view of the most amazing part of the world.
I am looking for a walking partner…
YOU HAVE ONE AND MAYBE TWO!!!