25 September 2018
14.1 miles in 5 hours 31 minutes (including breaks)
Today's walk was interesting because much of it was spent on mountain paths beneath or parallel to a new freeway. The old highway (below the new freeway) was mostly free of traffic, and we had a special cement barrier most of the way as added protection from traffic. Walking today's route was smooth and easy.
The trail at times went through tiny and ancient villages (as always) and we reached our destination village of Las Herrerías by early afternoon. We checked into the hotel, showered, did our luandry (by hand), and then rested for a few hours. It's our Camino routine that we do everyday.
Tomorrow's walk will be a torturous 20-mile ordeal over the mountains and into the region of Galicia. We will pay about $5 per pack for a company to transport our backpacks to our next hotel. Sandy has done this before, but tomorrow will be my first time. We're glad this option exists.
I bought this 6-inch leather pilgrim from a man making them along the Camino. The little guy came complete with a backpack, walking stick, and shell (just like a real pilgrim). He now gets to go on the trek with us.
Part of today's route - under the new freeway, next to the old highway, on our own paved lane with a cement protection wall - was a smooth and easy journey.
We were by the freeway during the narrowest parts of the canyon. We then traveled on country roads and through tiny villages.
Enormous 20-story bridges carried freeway traffic over some canyons. For perspective, note the three semi-trucks that are dwarfed by these super-tall bridges.
Many modern homes in these villages are made from native rocks, just like the older homes.
Many rock homes are stucco'ed and painted.
Little village shop made from rock.
Quaint little villages like this one often sit next to streams.
Most villages have their share of abadoned homes as the young people move to the big cities and the aging population that stays slowly dies off.
Most pilgrims are on their way to Santiago, but some do a round trip. This guy made it to Santiago on foot and now was returning to his home in Seville about 500 miles away. (He ran out of money between ATMs and needed a little help to get some food, so I gave him a few Euros.)
Typical small village cemetaries sit at the edge of town.
We found this untended fig tree growing outside one town with ripe fruit begging to be picked . . .
. . . so I helped myself! (Wow, I'm looking a little scruffy - more like a pilgrim every day).
Original homes here all have slate roofs. It's easy to get the slate from the hillsides, and it splits into tiles. Many modernized homes have kept the old slate roofs because they still worked to keep out the rain.
Modern buildings also use slate tiles, but the slate is processed in a factory for uniformity. Looks nice, doesn't it?
Just a few more weeks on the trail and we'll be looking like this!
Every village, no matter how tiny, has a church and bell tower. Most look similar in their desigh and were built over 700 years ago during the heyday of medieval pilgrimages.
Beautiful altarpiece inside a humble rock church.
And so today's trek ended as we emerged from the forest canopy, along with other pilgrims, into the village of Las Herrerías. Tomorrow the trek continues.
Progress Map
Your leather pilgrim looks so awesome! And it seems like it's still summer there! No changing leaves on trees yet, with flowers still blooming. Have you been cold or rained on much?
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