Salas to Tineo

And on the third day, God said, ‘Let the pilgrims go higher’. And behold, it was so.

But before that, a note on last night. Yesterday afternoon we were feeling pleased with our house e of Albergue - central, cheap and clean with a washing machine (what more could a pilgrim ask for?) but by 8pm we were beginning to wonder. It turned out that Salas was in fiesta and as the evening drew on the crowds outside our window grew bigger and louder. And then came the DJ on the back of a truck!! 

Nevertheless, the music was good and the experience gave rise to great comraderie and much mirth amongst the pilgrims in our dorm (from Poland, Italy, Czech Republic, Mexico, Germany, Israel, Spain and us) And in the end the crowd and accompanying DJ moved on and we slept well. We rose in the dark and after a quick communal breakfast we were on our way (up!).

The road passed ever upwards along a wooded valley, the river Nonaya gurgling away happily far below us. In due course, the sun broke through.

Once again, the way led under the freeway perched on pylons high overhead.

They seemed to us almost like a sculpture in the landscape.

We love walking in the morning light, the mellow tones and shadows.

It played delicately on these dew-spangled webs

and on the mossy rock walls that lined the higher fields.

But let’s not forget we continued to ascend, which gave rise to Neil’s latest poetic outburst.

Onwards ever up

Poles, feet tap slow steady time;

It’s elevating.

Oh, and here’s our ‘cow of the day’ photo.

And the communal Albergue perched at the top of the hill at Bodenaya. Ilja, peregrino friend (from Camino Portuguese 2016), this one is for you.

The view of the high plain repaid our efforts.

An old mill in the dappled light.

Light dappling shade, warm

dappling cool, leaf, stream, rock, mud;

many textured way.

And, a new segment: ‘Goat of the day’. 

This guy was so curious and friendly, liking my hand gently in welcome.

And who knows what was going on for these goats??

So, here we are 20 kms later, in the main plaza of Tineo, a town which dates back to Roman times and was a major pilgrim stop in the Middle Ages.

Tomorrow is a shorter stage before we cross the top of the range and head into Galicia. More of that later.

A big thanks for your company and comments which we really appreciate.

Buen Camino 

Neil and Sarah 

PS If you’d like to see an animated map of today’s route tap on this link and wait a little while. Spoiler alert, the app turned off a few times in my pocket and so the actual distance and some detail in sections of the route was lost. Also, spell check changed the name from Salas to Salad. As Melissa reminded us a few days ago, Big Tech always wins in the end!!

https://www.relive.cc/view/vMq5EyJer8q