30.10 km (644.2 km)
Monday 18th April
There were three choices for the walk today, so I was in a bit of a dilemma; I wanted to do the most remote route but common sense prevailed (and Dan 😱) so I chose to do the middle route – up into the mountains but not too remote. I would guess that out of the maybe 100 people now walking this route that 5 people went up into the mountains, the rest walked along the road. The route in the mountains was well way marked and was completely safe…it was a beautiful start to the day with a cloud inversion – good for us, but not so good for the folk who were walking along the road the clouds. That said, an important part of the Camino is that it is accessible to anyone who can put one foot in front of the other and just keep on going (walk, eat, drink, sleep…repeat), certainly not only hardened walkers. Most of the people I have met had done little or no hiking/trekking before embarking on this so it’s no surprise that most will take the route of least resistance, so to speak. The rest of the day was like a normal day in the mountains, with plenty of up and down hills – I saw many puffed out, red faced folk forcing their tired bodies up some steep slopes. I’d overheard a few folk last night saying how tortuous this day was…and it did live up to its reputation but was a great day in the mountains; perfect weather and lots of chatting with various walkers. I arrived here in O Cebreiro (another lovely little village, which is apparently a tourist trap in the summer, so if you’re coming plan a trip at this time of the year when it was still alive but not bursting at the seams) and headed to the Albergue but they had no blankets and we’re quite high up so I ended up in a lovely wee casa rural. I’ve just had dinner with a few pilgrims and I’m now off for an early night (no internet, so I can’t watch Masterchef!) …the wind and rain are beating against my bedroom window, I fear the good weather stint may have been short lived 🙁 but it couldn’t have been more perfect for the views and the tough hike today.