You can read my blog post from 2017 for the stage Campiello to Berducedo here

You can read my blog post from 2017 for the stage Berducedo to Castro here

Having made elaborate plans last night to skip the next glorious stage by sharing a taxi with a Dutch Pilgrim, I watched all the early birds pack up and leave and felt very odd, a bit uncomfortable really. And to add to that feeling of wrongness the day dawned cloud free with blue sky. However the weather forecast still shows a great deal of rain and the knee is still complaining quite vigorously.

One good thing about being the last to leave is that we can eat all the food that others have left behind so I breakfasted on scrambled eggs followed by yoghurt with jam. And now we are waiting for the taxi in the hot morning sunshine. I’m torn between wanting it to rain so that I can feel vindicated in my decision and not wanting it to rain for all the people that are crossing the mountain today. But nevertheless I think it is the right decision for my knee.

There are very many pilgrims on this route at the moment. Probably 20 in our albergue, there is another albergue in the village that would probably have a similar amount, and as we waited for the taxi many more people walked by.

When we are finally picked up at 10:00 it is strange and interesting to watch as the beautiful countryside speeds past. I can look out at times and see the Hospitales track over the steep valley. It really is so green and absolutely stunning. The taxi stops at Berducedo from where our Dutch friend is walking. But Paul and I have decided to continue to the dam on the Rio Navia leaving just over 12 km to walk and effectively missing one and a half stages.

There’s a 450m climb over 9 km and then the track flattens for the last 3+ km into the tiny hamlet of Castro. The walk from the reservoir starts on road with a diversion onto woodland track. Then after passing through Grandas de Salime there are a series of tracks through fields and woodland.

There is a huge clap of thunder at 13:30 but still no rain. The thunder rumbles on all the way to journey’s end and it starts to rain when I am a few hundred metres from my destination. Shortly afterwards the sky opens and drops all its contents in a deluge. Hopefully all pilgrims will be safely down from the high pass before this happens.

The albergue/youth hostal at Castro is a charming place, albeit not at all modern. But the atmosphere is lovely. They serve a variety of food and have a bar. It was even better last time I stayed when the weather was kinder and it was possible to make use of the garden. €12, advisable to reserve. Info on Gronze.com

My knee wasn’t too bad today once I got going and I shall attempt a full (but short) stage tomorrow. More rain is forecast – maybe it will hold off again until I reach A Fonsagrada 🤞🤞