I was up early and on the trail by 07:30. I had been lucky enough to have a dormitory with me as the only occupant, so I did not have to worry about disturbing anyone. Also, the deal on the Albergue did not include breakfast, so I did not delay. In the cool of morning, I was going well, and I was in Nueva by 08:00. It was a good place to stop for breakfast.
From Nueva, I followed the road out of town. I missed a turn that should have brought me to Pineres de Pria, and while staying on the main road gave me a great view of the mountains, it meant that I had to do some quick navigation, following very basic country lanes to get back on the right track. I managed that, and was back on the trail proper in time to reach the Iglesia de San Pedro.
Photos
Unfortunately, the Iglesia was closed, but it did provide a welcome water point. With the day warming up, I was glad of that refreshment. I remain puzzled as to why so many churches are closed and locked. A little further on, in a tiny village that is not even named in the guide, the church was open. I can only surmise that the churches with valuable objects have chosen to close, while those with little or nothing are less fearful of theft and vandalism, and so remain open.
I came across a wall of decorated stones and could only marvel at the dedication of whoever did the work. I presume they were decorated in situ, since to move so many, and put them back again would be an almost impossible task.
I went through the little village of Cuerres, quickly, because nothing was open. And then I was out into open countryside, following the trail under blue skies with not a cloud in sight. It continued like that for quite a bit until I came to the town of Ribadella.
The route takes a short detour through Ribadella to visit the town’s main church. And it was open! The decoration is actually most impressive on the side altars, and the main altar is relatively plain.
I had planned to stop for lunch in Ribadella, but I didn’t see anywhere I liked very much, so I went on through the town. Leaving the town, I wasn’t sure if that was the right decision, but the die was cast at that stage. I came across a water point in the village of San Pedro, which was a lifesaver. Hiking under the hot sun is tiring, but I kept going.
In the middle of a wood, I came across a large mural, saying “TODOS LOS CAMINOS SON EL CAMINOS”. It means all paths are the path. There are shades of Lewis Carroll’s Cheshire cat in that statement.
Once Vega came into view, I knew this would have to be the lunch stop. I know I should avoid touristic beach locations, because they are automatically more pricey, but at this stage I was extremely hungry. And while the lunch might have been considered expensive by Spanish standards, it was cheap compared to Swiss prices.
After Vega, it was a straight run along the coast to La Isla, and that is where I spent the night. The albergue seemed to have almost everyone I had met along the way in the last few days, and we sat around the table laughing and joking with each other. The world of Geoffrey Chaucer’s pilgrims still lives on.
My step count for the day was 51,355. It was a long day!
Walkingman 