Cacabelos

Saturday 18th June 2022 Day 28

It was a very hot night, no air conditioning and we couldn’t leave the windows open because of the noise snd the flies. So not much sleep. We got up early again to make our sandwiches and then off!

It was 8km to Ponferada, all road walking but nice views and eventually we crossed a bridge and could see the castle.

We needed to get some cash and we’re hoping to find a cafe for breakfast so went slightly off track. Eventually we got some cash and found an open cafe, not as easy as we thought! So refreshed we set off again. There was great street art along the way.

Overall the walk was about 26km , the landscape was lovely with hills and more vineyards and the obligatory run down houses!

But it was really hot and the road walking was tough. We took quite a few stops but it still seemed a very long and painful way! We stopped by this statue which looked how I felt! When we sat down a local priest came by and persuaded us to go and look at his church. He seemed to be talking to all the pilgrims drumming up business!

We passed quite a few people who had knee braces and blisters. We always wonder how they get on and if they made it where they wanted to.

After a long road into Cacabelos we eventuality made it! First thing I did was take off my shoes!! We had a rest at the first cafe to recover then went through the rest of town to reach our hostel.

It was amazing! A lovely old building just outside the church with an amazing air conditioned room!!! And a laundromat opposite, so we changed quickly and then went to get everything washed and dried. I bought a pair of linen trousers in Leon and didn’t want to put them in the dryer so we sat outside the bar and dried them in the sun! No shame!

We ended the day with a really good meal. Cold melon soup, just what I needed in the hot weather and then stuffed aubergines. In bed by 9 ready for another day of the same! It felt like a hard day, for no particular reason, we have walked further, it has been hotter. I think the combination of long walking days, hills and heat is getting to us and the road walking doesn’t help. Hoping for a better day tomorrow!