Day 33 - Beautiful Vistas on the Camino Frances : Herrerias to Biduedo

Beautiful Vistas on the Camino Frances 

Early Morning Pilgrimage

After one of the most relaxing, comfortable and sound sleep to date on the Camino, we were up at 5:30 am and ready to head off.  On our way out we discovered dozens of pilgrims who had snuck into the second floor of the albergue to sleep on the floor of the washroom, rather than pay to stay in the municipal albergue.  This made navigating the hallways without treading on a sleeping pilgrim more difficult than one might think.   Regardless, we soon made our way outside and enjoyed a cafe con leche and chocolate croissant in the nearby bar.  We began today's hike amid the dense fog and the lush Galacian foliage which seemed to glow in the morning twilight.  

 

 

This morning the Camino meandered along a forested dirt pathway carved by centuries of usage, which eventually led to La Faba, where it provided us with a scenic view of the surrounding hills and mountains. The steep hike up to La Faba and then onward to O'Cebreiro also marked the beginning of the Galician province.  This stretch of the trail was just as tough as our trek over the Pyrenees at the beginning of the Camino, challenging our resolve to continue until the sunrise began.

 

Here I can only say that the colours of the sky and the landscape in the morning light were incredible when the sunrise struck through the fog and mist and lit the hillsides.  Needless to say, we spent almost 1/2 an hour attempting to photograph the moment, but ultimately no image could convey the magic of that place.

 

Entering Galicia Spain

Soon afterwards, we reached La Faba which is a quiet and beautiful hillside village with a nice bar and clean albergue. While the influence of Galician culture had been evident for several days, it was in this stretch that the province of Galacia began in earnest.  Stone-lined pathways, stone fences, and thatch-roofed buildings were abundant, and as we traversed the foggy woody trail we passed an official marker for the beginning of the final province we will visit on our Camino.

 

 

O'Cebreiro 

Continuing our hike upwards along pathways lined with stone walls and dense bushes we soon arrived in O'Cebreiro, which among the mist and quiet of the morning was like coming upon the Shire from JRR Tolkien's "The Hobbit".

 

As we approached the village we first came to a Celtic cross before arriving at a small church,  the Iglesia de Santa Maria,  whose structure was largely obscured by the fog.  Inside we found a chapel far different from any we had yet seen.  It had vaulted arch ceilings, a simple yet beautiful alter, wooden pews, and slit windows which allowed in only a small amount of light.  The Iglesia de Santa Maria in O'Cebreiro is certainly not a large or renowned cathedral but it is gorgeous.  If I had to choose a church, it would be this one.

 

There is a holiness and magical beauty in this location and in this chapel.  In fact, from what we saw, the majority of homes, shops, and bars in town were all built in a similar style with thatched or slate roofs, small doorways, fieldstone walls and smoke pouring out of their chimneys.  Amid the fog of the day, O'Cebreiro was perfect.  To stay in a place like this and call it home must be wonderful.

 

However, amid the dampness of the day, in our rain jackets and with our socks pulled high we hiked on past the village pubs, the Camino shops, and the municipal albergue to rejoin the Camino.  While a beautiful place, being in O'Cebreiro and in the province of Galacia marks the beginning of the end of our hike along the Camino, as we are in the final province and (according to the guidebook) have traversed the last big climb of the route.

 

 

Alto do San Roque 

After some roadway hiking we soon came to the modern pilgrim statue at Alto do San Roque, up on Alto do Polo, a windswept, cold, and damp hilltop.  Here we took a few moments to photograph the valley below and were asked by other pilgrims to take pictures of themselves at the statue.

                

After a brief stop for refreshments at a roadside bar, we continued onward through the fields and past villages dedicated to cattle farming, and eventually through Linareas.  
 

 

 

Biduedo Spain

Perhaps even more than the first day, today was our longest and most draining hike to date.  The trek uphill to O'Cebreiro, walking to Alto do San Roque, and the inability to find lodgings in Filoval meant that we eventually hiked all the way to Biduedo, making our day over 30 km long.   In the end, with tired bodies, we concluded our day at the roadside albergue, the Casa Quiroga.  This establishment is part local restaurant, part working farm, and part pilgrim residence.  The rooms for hikers are in a nicely furnished and partially underground stone building.

 

 
Once checked in and unpacked, we each took showers, washed our clothes for tomorrow, and enjoyed a sandwich with a pint of beer at the bar for lunch.  Ironically, while we were eating several other Canadian couples arrived because although they all had reservations in Filoval, upon entering their rooms they discovered how unclean they were, and that they were crawling with bedbugs.  As a result, almost all of our friends continued on to Bideudo.  Once again, though it led to a hard day, I am struck by the fact that ultimately there was a reason for our not getting rooms in the towns along the way, for which we were grateful.

 

                  
Later in the evening, we all enjoyed a communal dinner together before heading to our rooms early to write our journals and to rest after a long day.  As of tonight, we are now about 125 km away from Santiago with tomorrow's goal being Sarria and the 100km marker!  In other words, we have already hiked over 600 km!

See you on the Trail!
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Practical information:

Distance: 22.5 km
Max Temperature: 21°C
Accommodations: Casa Quiroga (35 Euros/room)