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| Autumn crocuses frequently covered the Camino |
Today was the day
we feared most as estimates of the distance varied from 27km to 30km and we
were to climb to the highest point of the Via de la Plata. We weren't sure that
we were up to it and thought perhaps we could get a taxi to take us part of the
way or to collect us for the final six or seven kilometres. We believed we had
found the perfect insurance policy two nights ago when we were told that one of
the albergues here in San Pedro would come and collect us if the final
kilometres were too much for us. We made a careful note of the telephone
number.
Last night our plans fell apart when we
learned that the albergue providing the service had closed for painting – we
took that to mean that it was being fumigated for bed bugs. That was a set back
and in the end we decided to go for it. The fall back would be to thumb a lift
as we were going to be on or near a road for the final 10km and more.
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| Mary on Pico de la Dueña |
The day started very well as we were
travelling on a fine path which was easy on the feet and we had no hills to
climb. We managed more than eight kilometres in the first two hours. After that
we started to climb, not too severely at first but it got very steep for the
last couple of kilometres before we reached Pico de la Dueña, at a height of
almost 1,200 metres. We were only about halfway at that stage. After a sharp
descent we continued mostly downhill until we reached a stream just under eight
kilometres from our destination. After the stream we had some more climbing to
do which made for very slow progress at that end of the day. The question of
thumbing a lift was discussed but we decided that, as we got that far, it would
be a pity not to finish it. In any case we wouldn’t have found it easy getting
a lift as there were very few cars on the road.
Today we were wrecked when arrived at our
albergue but in a way we were lucky as, for much of the last eight kilometres,
the sun stayed behind clouds in what would otherwise have been the hottest part
of the day. We weren't too long in our albergue when we had a major thunderstorm
with torrential rain. It's still raining as I go to bed. There are only the
three of us staying here tonight.
438km
completed, 494km to go
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| We have come a long way |
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| Church in San Pedro de Rozadas |
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| Church door in San Pedro de Rozadas |
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| Our Albergue |
Next: Stage 25 - San Pedro de Rozadas to Salamanca
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