Dia 36. Molinaseca to Fuentenuevas

Phantastic sleep - who could doubt it after yesterday's efforts! I have just noticed that we took hardly any photos of Molinaseca, certainly not last night.

Out not too early, looking for breakfast which our hotel didn't offer. Finally got going into a fresh morning with glorious sunshine. On a lovely path, flat without any bolders or pointy rocks sticking out. Before I had never appreciated how pleasant and easy it was to walk like this.

We arrived in Ponferrada at lunchtime and thought we had finished for the day. Until we realised that our hotel was at the outskirts of Ponferrada, the other side! A village called Fuentenuevas - another 5 km to go along a busy road or 8 km in a large roundabout way.

I have been to Ponferrada before and "done" the sightseeing, Isabelle hasn't. We were not ready to walk all the way to our hotel to leave our packs and come back here for the sights. The templar castle was going to reopen at 16h. So we had a meal and I have been left to watch over our packs - while Isabelle is visiting the castle - and am passing the time writing this.

In the Basilica de Nuestra Señora de la Encina next to this bar which we went into before establishing ourselves here I noticed an altar in a side chapel with an interesting depiction of the last judgment (see photo).

In the end after a final walkabout in Ponferrada we took a taxi to our hotel.Read more