Villafranca Del Bierzo to O'Cebreiro

Sunday, May 15, 2016

Climbing 30 kilometers to O'Cebreiro    Walking Day #24

Today was to be a difficult day, both a long day, and a long, long uphill of 8 kilometers at the end, finishing at a hill top village of O'Cebreiro (population 50). The first 22 kilometers were generally flat, and the path ran along  minor highway. From the map alone, the expectation was not too good because paths along highways are usually noisy and the highway busy and distracting. This was a very, very different path. The highway was indeed a minor highway, and the path and highway were along a river which, because of recent rains, was fairly full and rushing. The sounds of the river were quite pleasant.

Here is the river as we cross it leaving the town of Villafranca del Bierzo. Not a small river, and very fast with all of the recent rainfall.

One of the first views as we walk along the "highway" N-IV (same highway we walked along from Ponferrada to Villafranc del Bierzo). Beauthful, green, and lush this time of year.

Looking down from the path, we can see the river through the trees lining the sides of the river.

And this is the path along highway N-IV. What is really good about this day is (1) the river valley is quire beautiful, (2) the path is stable, flat, and easy on which to walk, and (3) it is protected from the "highway" by concrete barriers. If we have to walk along a highway, this is better than most.

At La Portela deValcarce, we went into this little stone church.Quite beautiful architecture inside and out.

Nancy (from Prince Edward Island, Canada) took a picture of me in front of the church. I am really there, and it is warm enough today that I packed away my jacket, and am walking in a long-sleeved T-shirt over a "base layer". I removed my hat for the picture, but I almost always wear a hat to protect my head from the sun, or to keep it warm. Also, you can lose a lot of moisture and/or heat from your head, so a hat is a good idea.

One of the Camino way markers on our walk through the river valley on our way to the very steep uphill to O'Cebreiro.

Another view of a small waterfall on the river way down there through the trees. There being very, very infrequent traffic on the "highway" allows our walk to be accompanied by the sounds of the birds and the river.

A look ahead, this is not a bad walk.

Looking up more, we can see the major highway traversing the valley occasionally. I have to take my hat off to those engineers and the construction people - those bridges are really far up.

When we arrived in Ruitelan, Nancy saw a sign indicating that we could ride a horse up the long, steep hill to O'Cereibro. I have never been on a horse, and the idea of doing something new that would make the climb easier appealed to me. We decided to see if the horses appeared to be well-cared for and healthy. They were quite beautiful, and very healthy horses.

We decided to go for it ... you only live once. We paid the 35 Euros for the nine kilometer ride up the hill. The owner put me on a horse that he said liked to follow his lead horse very closely, so I would not have to do very much. I did get a short lesson about hoe to use and not use the reins. We got set for the 2-hour ride up the mountain.

Here I am on the horst ready to follow the owner up the mountain. There were only three of us riding up the mountain with the owner: Nancy, me, and a Spanish fellow. Both Nancy and the Spanish fellow were experienced riders.

I got the hang of it pretty quickly. The horses are very smart - they know the trail, and how to traverse the rocky and muddy parts. I was very impressed. My job was basically to let the horse climb the mountain right behind the owner's lead horse. And when my horse stopped to munch on the grass by the path, to steer her back to the path, and tell her whoa when she started to rush to catch up.

I did not take pictures along the climb, becasue I was a little afraid that I might drop my camera. Riding a horse is not as bumpy as riding an elephant (which I have done in Thailand), but it is not exactly smooth, either.

All along the path through the forest, it was much like the muddy, rocky, and steep climb up over Cruz de Ferro.

When we got to the top, dismounted and bid farewell to the horses, I got this shot of the stunning view from O'Cebreiro. It was cold up on the mountain at 1500 meters (4900 feet). We found our hotel, and I got a hot shower to warm up a bit.

The hotel has a lavanderia (laundry) so I made use of it for 8 Euros and had my clothes washed and dried. The better hotels, and especially in the larger cities, do not have laundry facilities that are available to pilgrims in the afternoon. I presume that this is because they are not as dependent on pilgrim traffic, so they do not cater to pilgrims' needs. Pilgrims carry everything, so there are no excess clothes. The routine becomes: check in to where you are staying, get a shower, change into clean clothes (that you will wear the next day), wash the clothes you walked in (they are usually sweaty and dirty or muddy by the end of a long day), then get a late lunch, rest, and then get dinner, and sleep. So a day without laundry facilities means washing a few things in the sink, and hoping they dry by morning. Not as good as a washer and dryer.

Next: Finishing crossing the mountaing out of Biezro and into Galicia