Day 11: Foncebon to Ponferrada 28km

            Peligrino on horseback - yesterday near Rabinal

              Roaming flock of sheep - yesterday near Rabinal

This was possibly our most difficult walk. We have walked more than 28km on this trip, but for one 8km section of the day we descended 700 meters. This in itself was difficult, but it was compounded by a track that was littered with sharp rocks that went up through our feet (and blisters). However, we were rewarded with wonderful views from the tops of the mountains that will stay with us.

The beauty of the Camino is that it is way marked for its entirety. The way marks can vary from very elaborate signs to crude yellow arrows. They are usually placed very frequently to give you confidence that you are going the right way. Sometimes you get a glut of them (usually when you know where you are going anyway) and other times they are absent (usually in the dark before dawn when you are clueless). But maybe we are being unfair because they continue to direct us towards Campostela.

The other great indicator of how to get there are the guidebooks. Foremost amongst these is the John Brierley guide, which is reproduced in many languages. John Brierley is an Irishman who worked in business in Dublin. He gave all of this up to seek an alternative lifestyle in Scotland. He eventually found himself on the Camino and started publishing his guides, which  are phenomenally successful.

                       Two Oz lads can't resist the water as we pass                                      through the pretty village of Molinaseca.

We are staying in the albergue San Nicholas de Flue. It is very well appointed. Like a number of others it is a donativo albergue, ie. you can donate whatever. Most people donate €5 per person, as do we. We are sharing a room with two men from Madrid - they are nice and we have seen them on the trail. Last night we were in a dorm of 10, most of which were French.

We have lost track of a few people we were traveling in parallel with: Pat and John from California for the past two days; the mother and daughter from Finland, 3 days; Catherine from Oz who took an extra day in Leon; the Monaghan family who went home from Astorga. There are others who continue at our pace. Most prominent amongst these is Gerry from Wisconsin who we have been with from our first day, and who we had dinner with in the main plaza in Astorga two nights ago. We were pleased to see him arrive at out Albergue late this afternoon.

                   The last section of the mountains we have crossed today - seen from our albergue window

                       Getting closer