Cornellana to La Espina, 20 km

It rained a good deal in the night but it’s clear by the time we set off. I’m fervently hoping that we don’t get any tail-end effects from storm Austen which is battering the south west of the UK right now.

We were joined at the albergue yesterday by two men – one very charming Spanish guy who was walking and running the camino with the tiniest pack I’ve ever seen. He was very friendly.  And the other guy didn’t want to communicate. 

Immediately on leaving the monastery this morning we are faced with a stiff incline on a quiet switch back road lasting 1.7 km (at which point I realise I’d failed to start recording the trail – again 😩).

We then transfer to a stony dirt track equally steep but a great deal more pleasant to walk on and look at.

There are lots of ups and downs on this narrow dirt track through natural woodland. The trail is lined either side with ferns and moss and the occasional clusters of fungi. It’s really rather beautiful.

After around 3.5 km we come across a yard servicing the local stone quarries which have really scarred the landscape, and then we’re on a quiet road for a while. I spy my first wind turbines on a distant hillside, I was only thinking earlier that I hadn’t seen any yet – and now there they are.

We have another lovely woodland path, narrow and dropping down on the right to a little stream. It’s nice to have some trees shielding us from all the quarry works where the hillsides have been carved out.

We stop for a hot drink in the delightful La Figal de Xugabolos. There’s an albergue on the site and it’s a truly beautiful setting. They close for the winter this weekend but it would be worth keeping in mind if you’re walking this way earlier in the year.

Mikey and I are walking much less in lockstep on this camino, which is good I think for both of us. He has freedom to march ahead with his long legs when I struggle on the hills.

 I’ve not had much luck reserving beds for tonight. Lots of places close for the season around now so it’s important to check that there’s something available at our planned stage end. So I’m relieved to get a response from one of the albergues that I’ve contacted to say we can stay.

We reach Salas at around 11 km. It’s a sizeable town with lots of bars and restaurants and various accommodation. I feel rain, very light but we decide to put on our pack covers which of course means that the rain is soon over. 

Immediately on leaving the town we’re on rough track heading uphill.  When we finally reach what feels like the top of the hill the view opens up and I can see some blue sky in between the white clouds, so things are looking up. The rain only lasted a few minutes and we’re now both very hot with our rain gear on.

Just as I was thinking that I was coping with the never-ending incline out of Salas and feeling rather proud of myself I turned a corner and my heart sank. The tack became probably three times steeper and remained that way until we emerged onto a road.

This stage is almost entirely on beautiful woodland track and almost entirely uphill in varying degrees. 

We arrive at La Espina and are staying at the Albergue Casa Aladino. Luckily there are only four of us staying here because for the 18 beds there are only two toilets which would be pretty abysmal with a full house.  Blankets are provided and there’s a reasonable amount of equipment in the kitchen including a single hob.

The other occupants are Austrian Sarah and Jacob from Poland, both in their early thirties . They are really lovely and both speak extremely good English.  Mikey offers to cook for them, so after a drink in the bar next door we find the supermarket and they buy food for the chef to prepare. It seems everyone was happy with result. Top marks to Mikey. 

All this socialising is very bad for the blog production. So you can blame the Europeans for the late posting!