Day 32: Cacabelos to Vega de Valcarce

Mileage: 16.75 miles
Altitude gain: 1,309 feet
Altitude loss: 889 feet
Weather: lovely but quite warm in the afternoon
Total mileage: 383 miles

Sundays are always a little quieter, and today was no exception. Lots of up and down in the first six miles, and then a gradual but steady ascent the rest of the day as I head into the mountains. Those early hills plus (as of today) three 16-mile days mean that my legs are tired! Looking forward to a good sleep tonight.

The early part of the day took me through miles of vineyards, on dirt roads. The rest of the day was alongside a river - Río Valcarce- and a highway on asphalt. The river is also next to my hotel, so it will sing me to sleep.

I had lunch and dinner with two women from Finland today. Their English is impeccable, of course, so we had nice chats. They’re walking ahead of me tomorrow so I won’t see them after tomorrow, which is often the way of the Camino. I was glad to have their company today.

Tomorrow will be short(er) but intense - 8 miles up a mountain! Wish me luck.

1. and 2. I took an embarrassing number of pics of the vineyards this morning, so be glad I managed to control myself here!
3. One of the towers of the Castillo-Palacio de los Marqueses de Villafranca
4. This is a hostal, apparently! San Nicolas el Real in Villafranca del Bierzo
5. Colegiata de Santa Maria de Cluni; not the only church in town! I had a really nice conversation with an older woman headed to mass at one of the others after this. She promised to pray for me.
6. Looking back over Villafranca
7. The Río Valcarce kept me company today.
8. A nice divergence from the highway took me up this road.
9. Paella for lunch! I was very grateful for an open restaurant on a Sunday and happy to eat the carbs. Delicious!
10. Yes, another one of these. I can’t stop! Maybe Neal can photoshop out the power lines. There were a lot of those today, ruining my shots! This is in La Portela de Valcarce.Read more