Villafranca del Bierzo to O Cebreiro 33km

I didn’t get a good night’s sleep. I seemed to be awake a lot, and trouble getting my left leg comfortable and at the same time trying to stay on my front to minimise any snoring potential. That said, in a room of eight there was a very high proportion of snoring. I can now see the benefit of a set checkout time. This Albergue didn’t have one, so some people are creeping out at 6:30 while others are not moving. I started to move at 7:15, and apart from stuffing my sleeping bag I did it pretty quietly.

I was walking through town by 7:30. It was absolutely freezing, I would have used the gloves again had I not forgotten them. As a thought, the headtorch would be useful in the albergue, and mobile phone lights are just too bright. Anyway, it was freezing and after walking through the town square, where a market was being set up and seeing what I thought was a bomb proof (ok cannon balls) church, which I think was a castle. I spotted a breakfast place. It was warm inside and had a largely English speaking clientele. Good coffee, good eggs on toast, and excellent conversation. The perfect breakfast. A cyclist lady from Australia, tackling a double stage of 48km (from what I know now, I bet that hurt!), and an English (sorry even better – London) couple been walking a few days from Astorga. They knew that Burgess Hill is on the Thameslink, rather than having to say from Brighton.

Anyway, we all headed off separately. I had said the the path seems to go across country, but the consensus was it followed the river. I was walking up the road following the signs when the aussie caught me up, which made me look at the map. My route was definitely back in town and headed into the hills. I turned around. Its worth saying, all my effort had been into the Camino Invierno, I’d only brought the (a) Camino Francés GPX route as a backup. The signs said it was the mountain alternative route.

It was a stiff climb up, but was an amazing route. It contoured around the hillside, with the town getting smaller behind, and getting great height over the motorway below. The scenery was great, with birds flitting from the bushes. There was nobody on this route, I passed a couple at the start, and yo-yoed with a girl as each of us stopped. I think everyone else was walking up the road.

Of course, what goes up, has to come down. In this case it was down steep, quiet roads. My leg is pretty good going up hill, but I have to take descents and also flat roads a bit slower. So this descent was a pain.

I rejoined the road, with a steady stream of walkers who had probably walked around 7km on the road. I was tired, but pleased to have gone on the more rural route.

I stopped for a sandwich at the motorway services! Not really, but I could have. This part of the route was following underneath the motorway viaducts, which came to our level for the services. The elevated roads were quiet amazing, you could see them at all different levels going up the valley. The London couple came past, they had stayed on the road, but were aware they’d missed the high path. They weren’t too concerned as she had painful blisters (was it seven? I thought you said 17!!!). I sorted out some blister plasters, but found another thing I’d forgotten is…. I had a Compeed blister plaster box jammed with plasters of all sizes, where is it (I’m guessing at home on my desk). Anyway, I still had some in my firstaid kit, which I hope will help. They were heading to a town with a pharmacy further up the Camino.

The route from the motorway, started on quiet roads going through sleepy hamlets and just got better and better. I stopped to eat the second half of a massive ham roll (loaf) by a shady water tap. Soon after I headed off I realised that my watch was low on power, so i stopped again to buy an ice cream while it charged up. I’m a reformed character, and all my Camino Rage is behind me. That said, the chap did overtake me today, with the characteristic tapping of his sticks. His mug was covered in a down jacket to dampen the noise. We (I) laughed as he passed.

The route just got better and better, and harder and harder. Where the path turned off the road, a cyclist decided to push his loaded tourer on the path, rather than up the road (where the signs pointed). The path was so steep and long, it would definitely kill the cyclist. It was the so steep, that even after an hour of pushing, you might as well turn around and find the correct road way.

I really couldn’t believe how hard or long the climb was. Essentially the day was a climb from 500m to 1,300m. However, the last 5-10km went from 700m to 1,300m with no respite. Include the optional 400m in the morning and it’s quite a day out. The village of O Cebreiro was right at the top of the climb. We are now in Galicia, and we can leave all Leon and Castilla power struggles behind us.

At the beginning of the day I had this idea to push on for a few kms to help reduce my plans for tomorrow. No chance. I checked into the most modern Municipal Albergue yet. A modern building perched on the top of the hill. The dorm has 60 beds, but by using partitions it might be better than the others. Really good value for €10, including the disposable sheet, but no blankets! Lucky I have my sleeping bag.

There’s not much going on in O Cebreiro, on one side it is really windy, on the other really sunny. Managed to find the only bar in town for a beer and WiFi. Then to the restaurant for a pilgrims menu, and ready for bed by 9:30. I can get used to this, and everyone needs to be out by 8:00 in the morning. I’m going to try to be last!