It was misty, but dry when I left the albergue. I headed out on the trail, and there were already people there before me. From the start, the route is heading uphill, gradually, but steadily. Some of it is open country, and some is woodland. It takes several kilometres to reach the first high point of the day at the Hospital de Montouto.
Unlike the ruins on the hospitals section a few days ago, this one was kept open for pilgrims until the early twentieth century, and with the revival of the Camino, it has remained intact, though now closed.
It was an easy descent from there to the village of Paradavella. There is supposed to be a bar there, but it was closed, and the closure looks permanent. After Paradavella, the route goes upwards again, and unfortunately, for me, this coincided with the arrival of rain. At times, the ascent seemed to go on forever, though in reality it is only 5km to the village of A Lastra. The rain stopped as I reached A Lastra, and I was glad to get rid of the raingear once again.
But A Lastra is only the halfway point on the ascent, and immediately after leaving the village, the route goes back into the woods for the rest of the way up to Fontaneira. I stopped there for a beer. Then it was downhill again to the village of Cadavo Baleira, passing farmland on the way.
I didn’t stop in Cadavo Baleira, but went straight on through the village. There was still one more hill to go. The rain came again shortly after Cadavo Baleira, but it did not last long, and I only needed the raingear for about ten minutes. On reaching the ridge, the guidebook presents a choice, either take to the forest racks or follow the road. I chose the forest tracks. It is longer, and not especially interesting. The guidebook pays particular attention to a church in the village of Vilabade, but it was closed.
So it was that I came into Castroverde without stopping. The trail does not go into the centre of the village, but skirts around its southern edge. By now, it was late in the lunch period, and I stopped at the first bar that I came to. The lady at the bar gave me free edible refreshments with my beer, which was welcome.
Thus fortified, I went on. It is a pleasant route through fields and woodlands after Castroverde. Once again, for most people, Castroverde is the day’s stopping point, but I was going on a few kilometres further to Vilar de Cas. I passed those fields and woods and wayside churches, and came to my destination later in the afternoon.
And the step count for the day was 52,723.
Walkingman 