We left 20 minutes behind schedule and, as a result, Raffy and I no longer needed a headlamp by the time we hit the road.

It was still a spectacular walk, with the sun rising, as we negotiated the steep path down the mountain.

We had missed Alan, Stephen and Rosan at Molinaseca by about 30 minutes to an hour, but caught up with them at Ponferrada.

The problem with carrying everything you own in the universe is that it can make you lazy. You know you can stop anywhere. We ended up staying at Ponferrada for about four hours. We took a tour of the castle; Rosan and Stephen went to Mass at the cathedral at 12:30.

We ate and drank, and then ate and drank some more.

By the time we got back on the road, the sun was beating down on us relentlessly. We walked through asphalt and gravel road, through suburbia and small towns. I was ready to stop at the first albergue, but we didn’t find any until Camponaraya.

Which will explain why we are at this rinkydink wild-wild-west of an albergue called Albergue Naraya.

Tonight, we walked a bit further – although Rosan and I almost turned back several times – and had dinner at the better albergue at the edge of town but because it’s a lot further, there’s hardly anyone staying there. Dinner (10.50 euros) there was excellent though.

FYI, temperature reading at 7 PM was 35 degrees.

Tomorrow, we’re going to try to leave at 6:30. I hope to stop walking by 2 PM.

Accommodation:

Albergue Naraya

9 euros for a bunk bed. Comes with dispoasable paper pillow case and sheet, and a blanket. Small, separate shower and toilet for women.

If you don’t mind the metal chairs outside, the people who run it are really friendly and it really isn’t bad. But, if you want something with more style and can walk some more, try Albergue Medina, although someone staying there said that the lady wasn’t too friendly when she checked in but was all smiles when we turned up.