We were greeted at 7:30 am by the host at our rural hotel where we were the only guests. He got up and had breakfast ready for us, including breads, coffee, cold cuts and yoghurt. We enjoyed the treat but did not eat all that he expected from previous pilgrims. Alice gave him information to understand a Chinese tapestry hanging at the entryway and we took off.
Today would be straightforward with all of the route clearly marked and corresponding with out electronic map. We left the little town, exiting the traffic curcle and then following the highway down to and crossing the river, before heading up a steep pathway into the woods.
The first two hours were enjoyable mildly rolling hills, rivers and hamlets. At two hours we came to a little town of El Pito where we saw an attractive little bar and pilgrims outside. We decided to stop for second coffee, orange juice and a little chat. The rest of the town seemed to be dominated by a rich family named Selgas that had built a school for the impoverished and illiterate populace in 1915 and also had their own mansion and.
Leaving the town of El Pito, we continued up and down the hills, sometimes winding around near or under the mammoth supports for the A-8 autopista ( freeway) that rises hundreds of fee into the sky to go from one mountain top to the other without winding around each hill.
Each crossing of the A-8 means going down about 150 metes and then climbing back up the rocky path on the other side. Finally, we were at the 16 km mark, and ready for our final break before arriving at our destination. We found a rise in the bank alongside the dirt path and sat there, getting in an orange and granola bar to power our last 4 km into town. An hour later we were almost galloping down the steep hillside. I say galloping because Alice has perfected her trekking pole tecnique to reach out far ahead and allow herself an extra large step forward and down the hill. I joke that she is like a mountain goat now.
We arrived in the scenic town of Soto de Luiña at 2 pm having completed the 20 km. I had called ahead and the kitchen to this restaurant was in fact open and had a menu of the day. We were thrilled to sit down at an elegant table and be served a three course meal for $15. And then our favorite store, Dia, was also open for groceries. We love that it does not close down for the Spanish siesta and we are able to get the next day’s groceries. Tomorrow’s stage is completely in the mountains, so we need to carry everything we will need.
That meal must have been delicious.
Everything seems more delicious after a long day of hiking and generating a lot of hunger.