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Links: to Spain, by way of Windsor: 02 Rally Finish Onto Spain: 05 onto Leon 06 Astorga 08 to El Acebo 12 O'Cebreiro
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Cacabelos. 15 May, Monday - 15km Today's walk was a delight.. the easiest day so far. The forecast rain had rained itself out by breakfast time, so it was under cloudy skies that we left the biggish city of Ponferrado well before 9am. A bit of a late start, but since it was only a 15km, it wasn't going to take too long. As the guide book says, no challenges... A sometimes chill head wind reminded us that the weather might not always be kind, but that didn't matter today. On the previous more rugged days, at least the wind was behind us - I don't think I would have coped at all on the day crossing the mountains from Rabal to El Acebo if the weather had been against us. Apart from today, the Camino been much tougher for me than the corresponding days last year, when we did the final section to Santiago, in the company of sister Liz and her husband, another Dave . I think this is partly because when I was walking in company with Liz, we chattered away as sisters are wont to do, and the kilometres slipped away beneath my feet.. This year, I have been concentrating too much on how hard the track is - a little bit of meditation, as the pilgrimage calls for, wouldn't go astray. However, today was a day to walk through old villages, a look in on a church being restored, watching families of storks nesting on church steeples, a stop for a bite and a glass of red at a winery cellar door, where we met up with a woman from Norway doing the pilgrimage on her own. Meeting other peregrinos by chance along the way can lead to hearing some interesting stories, of what brought people here to this historic track from France all the way to Santiago de Compestela in north western Spain. This Norwegian lady is one such person. She'd been recently widowed, and the Camino was something she wanted to do for a long time, but her husband's illness had prevented it. He'd suffered from dementia, and was unable to adapt to being cared for in a nursing home in Norway, and so, following up suggestions she'd been given, she contacted a doctor, formerly from Medicins San Frontieres, who was running a small community of such patients in of all places, Thailand. He set up the commune to care for his ageing mother, who also had the disease. So, they went there to live for seven years, at Chang Mai, and by her account, it was the best option for them. After the wine and a bite to eat, it was time for a wander through vineyards, and finally, to rest ourselves at a hotel that has been been caring for weary travellers since the 13h century. I think we've been given the best room in the house! I must tell the agents of Walks in Spain, who organised our acommodation, that the inn, the Moncloa San Lazara in Cacebelos, is wonderful, even though I'm sure they know that already. When we arrived, we were welcomed with a glass of local wine and some tapas, and fell into conversation with a couple of congenial Irishmen (right), with whom we later had dinner. Very pleasant interlude. They are part of a power energy business back in Eire, and for four years now, have taken time out, a week here, a fortnight there, to walk parts of the Camino. This time, they aim not only to reach Santiago, but to go on to Cape Finisterre on the Atlantic Coast, just to finish it off completely. The rain came in force, late this afternoon, as we were warm and comfy, tucked up in our lovely room here. I hope it clears soon, but I fear the forecast is for more rain, for the rest of the week. We've decided we are here for a holiday, for pleasure, not am endurance test, so if it's raining when we are due to leave, it will be taxi time. Or maybe not. Our plan is to have a rest day here tomorrow, get our laundry done, put our feet up before lacing our boots back on for the next stage... |
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Our hotel, the Moncloa San Lazara |
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Still in Cacebelos- 20 May, Tuesday As we promised ourselves, a restful day. Just a walk around the town while our laundry was being done. Conditions were chilly - I'm sure the maximum temperature didn't reach double figures. We weren't really dressed for it - all our jeans were in the wash! The houses here seem to be in one of three conditions...1., Repaired or renovated, 2., looking like they're about to fall down - or 3, have fallen down. The final category is distressingly common Times must be tough here. Back home, buildings in such a state of disrepair would be the target of demolition orders by local councils. One of the restoration projects has been the main church in the town. While obviously of very ancient vintage, it has had much reconstruction work done including some striking stained glass windows.. On the pleasant side is the town's situation, on the banks of a river now fed with the waters of melting snows from the mountains which surround us. Tomorrow is scheduled to be a long-ish day - 22 km to Ambastasmestas, but it looks like it is at much the same altitude as here, so steep climbs probably won't feature. |
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| Next: Rain calls off walk to Ambasmestas: | ||||||||
