Day 23 - Rabanal del Camino to Ponferrada

The lovely town of Molinaseca

Today’s route took me over the highest summit on the whole Camino – Puerta Irago at 1505m. The problem for me, was that heavy rain was forecast.

About 5 in the morning, I was lying awake in my bed and trying to work out if it was wind I could hear, or if it was heavy rain. In fact, it was the rain come early, but my weather app still forecast heavy rain much later, at 7am. So I lay in my bed, thinking I would be leaving a lot later. Then at 7am the lights in the dorm came on and I checked the app again. Now it forecast only light rain, so I could leave now!

After about 15 minutes I was washed and packed and headed out the door. The owner looked surprised and said ‘it is raining!’ I walked up the street. It wasn’t raining much but I thought it was sensible to put my poncho on before it rained hard. My previous experience with the poncho, still etched in my memory.

It was very dark, with the storm only just passed over, and I could still see lighting in the sky. It was very windy too and I wondered at the wisdom of walking out in weather like this. Perhaps I should have waited until it was light?

I pressed on, pulling the poncho tight to stop it flapping in the wind. My head torch picking up the rough stone path, enabling me to walk without tripping over. Gradually the darkness turned to a pale light and then as it improved further, I could turn off the head torch.

As I entered the small village of Foncebadon, two guys had just come out of their albergue and started taking photos in my direction. I just thought they must be looking at the view behind me – a bit odd though, with me in their photos! Then when I reached them, they said they were amazed at me walking with shorts on. It was quite cold, wet and windy but I had never given it a second thought. My legs didn’t feel cold and if they got wet it would be better than trousers getting wet.

I then realised that we had met about two weeks ago over a communal dinner in an albergue at Tosantos. The were both German and very friendly.

I made it to the summit of Puerta Irago, which was just a spot beside the road where peregrinos leave the stone (or burden) they have brought from St Jean Pied de Port (or where ever they stared). 

I didn’t have a stone, so I had a photo taken Sarah from Tuscany  and I retuned the favour. 

I then set off on my route, hoping to get out of the low cloud as soon as I could. The footpaths were very rugged and it was difficult to maintain a decent speed. I then moved onto the road, which was often adjacent to the footpath. I was making good progress now but if felt a little dangerous on the mountain roads.

Eventually, I made it out of the clouds and into the small villages of El Acebo and Riego de Ambros. These were very old villages, some of which had been abandoned but now brought back to life by the Camino.

I spotted a difference in the house over this side of the mountain. Up until now, all the roofs in Spain have been of terracotta tiles and now they are all slate. I wonder if it has something to do the region of Galicia that we are about to enter, or are we in it already?

It was a long walk today over the mountain, 32km, and I was very tired when I reached the Albergue in Ponferrda. Too tired to do any sightseeing and we have a communal meal tonight which will be something to look forward to.

Do we have any native Spanish speakers reading this? If so, could you explain what the sign says in Spanish, because the English version didn’t make much sense to me?