Camino Day 32
Today was tough.
It started cold but pleasant with the Sun rising behind us. As we walked upwards from the village the sunlight slowly marched down the hillside towards us.
But very quickly we ascended into the clouds and that was the last we saw of the Sun for the next three hours. From that point we were walking upwards in the clouds and with a cold blustery wind. After an hour we came to a welcome inn and took a break – walking back out was not easy.
Eventually we came to the highest point on the trail and started slowly downwards. Through the mist came the sound of music, getting louder until we turned a corner and had one of those lovely Camino moments when we were presented with a food truck with, wonders of wonders, a little fire beside it.
Not long afterwards everything changed when the Sun finally burned through the clouds. Suddenly everyone was shedding clothes and we were walking through heather and gorse and looking down on forests and, in the distance, the plain we were to descend to.
The walk from there was beautiful but treacherous. The path was incredibly steep and eroded and full of pebbles to slip on.
Thanks to the cold, then the dangerous walking, today was not a day to be keeping to someone else’s pace – so, for the first time, Jennifer and I spent much of the day walking apart, meeting up for breaks nd lunch.
We eventually staggered into Molinesca after completing some 26km – with a height gain of over 400m and a descent of over 1000m.
Wondering if walking with two sticks is useful – or just on some occasions….??
Sticks are a bit like a religious argument for serious walkers – people have different opinions and can’t be shaken from their view. Used properly two sticks make all the difference to a walk because they remove a huge amount of pressure from your legs and each step is upper-body-assisted. They also provide stability. Many people don’t use them properly though and that’s where the problem arises. One stick is about 20% of the use of two.