Molinaseca & Ponferrada

Everyone was a bit pooped today from the long, hot, rocky trail from Rabanal. The 7 of us who walked all the way decided to walk the last 5km, from Riego de Ambros, on the road as we were weary of rocks and shale. It was hot but it was a relief to walk on a smooth surface and we think it was a little shorter than the trail.

Zuretha, Theresa and Janette - Rabanal

Bell and Jill

On the way to to the Cruz de Ferro

Bell, Janette, Theresa, Zuretha, Syl and Jill and the Cruz de Ferro

Rocky path to el Acebo

Ponferrada in the far distance

Memorial to a fallen peregrina outside el Acebo

We walked on the road for the last ± 5km to Molinaseca

Slate rooftops of Molinaseca

Peregrinos bridge into the little village

Site of the most important gold mining in the Roman Empire.  22km from Ponferrada

This morning our taxis collected 7 of us from Molinaseca and took us to Las Medulas - a spectacular landscape created during the most important gold mining era in the Roman Empire (2000 years ago) and now a World Heritage Site about 22km from Ponferrada. Two of our group decided to walk to Ponferrada instead.

We had a wonderful stay in an old palace - La Casa del Reloj - in Molinaseca last night.Before we left Molinaseca this morning Bell and I were lucky to be given a guided tour of the private part of the 'Palace' by our host. It was very grand. Tons of antiques, art works, statues, carpets, a private chapel - with her grandfather's embroidered vestments hanging in a cupboard - and a fabulous refectory which she called her Bodegas. She also owns the park across the road. Very special place to stay.

 We are now in Ponferrada (Pons Ferrata or Iron bridge) a town with a masssive fortified Templar castle .
We were dropped off at the Hotel Temple, a very smart, 4-star hotel about 10 minutes from the Templar Castle.
Ponferrada once boasted at least 10 pilgrim shelters. Now there is only one, the Albergue San Nicolas de Flue that sleeps 200 people.
Tomorrow we walk ± 22km - depending on which guide book you believe! - to Villafranca del Bierzo. We are all tanned and looking fit!

Ladies toilet - YECH!

On the way to Foncebadon

Ladies on the Caminos - PLEASE do not leave your toilet tissue on open ground for everyone else to see and trip over.
Nearly every open piece of ground - which could normally be used as a picnic site - is being taken over by peregrinas as an open air toilet site. 

DRIP DRY LADIES !!!!  Or, carry your unsightly toilet paper with you in a plastic bag and get rid of it in the first available dirtbin.

Hola!

Hi Mobs and Douglas we're having a great time thx for message luv u lots just introduced Amarula to our fellow peregrinos.

Burgos to Leon and Astorga

We got a Jimenez bus from Logrono to

Burgos. 

From Burgos we got an ALSA bus to Leon - all tickets were pre-booked and paid for online

Jill, Janette, Theresa and Zuretha joined us in Leon.
We took an ALSA bus from Leon to Astorga and started walking from there to Villafranca del Bierzo

Olives, grapes, figs, apples, quince, chestnuts, almonds, blackberries all the way

We have had fruit all the way so far.  The brambles are laden with black juicy berries.  The figs are turning purple on the branches.  Some of the pears are so large that we are not sure what type of pears they are.  Olives are hard and green, chestnuts drop their hedge-hog balls on the paths.  There are pecan nuts, walnuts and almonds.  The grapes are amazing, all the vineyards purple with tight bunches of ripe grapes.  In the sops we can buy rasberries, plums, greengages and nectarines.  It is harvest time in Spain.
Walking in spring is wonderful for the spectacular wild flowers, the cooler weather and the large European stork that one sees on their huge nests on top of towers, steeples and specially built poles. The wheat, barley and maize fields are rolling green seas: the brambles are in full bloom, the olives, pecans, almonds, apples, quince and figs along the way have tiny clusters of fruit just emerging.

In autumn, the cereals have been harvested and a beige stubble remains. The brambles offer juicy blackberries all along the way. Figs are ripe, the chestnuts, almonds and pecan nuts are bursting their shells on the branches. Ripe apples lie on the ground, plump quinces ripen on the trees. It is harvest time and although the wildflowers have wilted away nature is generous with their fruits.
There is something wonderful about both seasons.

Part Two - amaWalkers on the move

The first section of the amaWalkers Camino ended in Logrono. Today we get a bus to Burgos where we will spend the night. Tomorrow we take a bus to Leon where 4 new amaWalkers will join us for the walk to Santiago. We will travel to Astorga and start walking to Rabanal and onwards to Villafranca del Bierzo.  Ultreia!!

After a few days walking in the cereal fields of Navarra and La Rioja it will be great to be back in the mountains. I've checked the weather forecast for that area and each day is between 12oC and the highs from 25oC to over 30oC. I have been carrying long trousers, tights, 2 fleece tops, scarf and Beanie thinking we might have colder weather in the mountains! We. Are hoping for cooler weather from Sarria to Santiago.

Progress on the Camino

I took this photograph used on the heading of this blog in June. 3 months later and there is a large construction going up in the field on the left facing the village. It looks like a complex of duplex flats. What a pity they didn't build it a bit further back or on the other side. It will dominate the view and obscure that lovely approach to the village.

This concrete and stone path down the hill to the magnesite factory outisde Zubiri is a welcome change as the dirt path used to be a death-trap in wet weather.

The eucalyptus forest outside Arca is making way for a new Autovia between Santiago and Lugo.  There is also a new highway being built between Santiago and Finisterre that will cut down travelling time to about 45 minutes.  One can see the roadworks cutting through the 'montes' forrests on the way to Fistera.