Magic of the Mountains

The last few days have included some of the most spectacular scenery of the Camino. I have climbed two mountains and been on top of the world! On Sunday starting from Rabinal del Camino in a light mist I climbed to over 1400 metres. The first village was totally deserted (only five residents) and the remains of houses and a crumbled church gave the place a spooky quality. The trail was narrow and lined with shrubs of brilliant purple and yellow with alpine flowers everywhere close to the ground. Despite the poor visibility, the morning was magical - we knew we were climbing very high as the trail was steep but the mist turned to rain and later hail - we encountered all the bad weather in one day after several days of perfect weather! All around us there were the sounds of cow bells, songbirds and the wind. Suddenly the clouds moved away and the sun broke through - the views were incredible! We could see the trail snaking back down the mountain and the tiny figures of other pilgrims making their way through the rain as we started to strip off our very wet outerwear.

At Cruz de Ferro (a tall wooden pole with an iron cross on top) the tradition is to leave a stone from home with a wish that all the bad history will stay behind in that spot. The pile of stones left by pilgrims over the centuries is enormous. Of course I left my own stone behind and continued on my way much lighter! The rest of that day we climbed again and then made the long descent , which is very hard on the legs and knees as the trail is covered with loose stones. Villages appear far off in the distance - it takes forever to reach them as one must traverse the mountains to descend. The local bars(restaurants) are happy to see us - hungry pilgrims can eat and drink much more than regular patrons!

Flowers are blooming everywhere in Spain in May and the alpine flowers are unbelievable. Sometimes a hill is covered with lavendar and buttercups, the meadows with daisies, clover and the prettiest white flowers I cannot name. The fragrance adds to the magic - I could be in heaven! I am also amazed but the quality and profusion of roses along the Camino. Even a broken down shepherd´s hut has a rose bush growing at the side and there has been no sign of mold or black spot on any roses I´ve seen. Every colour and size of bloom is represented - it is quite remarkable. If I spoke the language better I´d find out the secret! Even at the highest altitudes farms and gardens are well attended. Often the farmer will arrive in his little car with his tools and spend time tending the plants before leaving - probably for the closest town where he lives. There are few houses on the hills, usually just a small hut for protection from sudden bad weather. The sheep and cows are taken from their barns in the villages in the mornings and herded up into the high pastures where they stay all day. One day in the mountains we encountered a shepherd moving his flock with his dogs in ther middle of a thunderstorm. I had to make way and wait for them to pass - a frightening situation as there were huge power towers right overhead. There are no options when this happens - the farmer has the right of way on the mountain trails!

Today I climbed up to O´Cebreiro (over 1300 metres) in brilliant sunshine, the trail dry and all was wonderful! For the first time on the Camino I was entirely alone with my thoughts and the magnificence of nature! For the past two days I have walked with John and Encarnita Gardner, friends from Toronto who have returned this year to complete the Camino they started last year. It was wonderful spending time with them - they both speak Spanish and have a weath of knowledge about the Camino. Yesterday we travelled from Cacabelos, through Villafranca and up the Pradela route to a ridge which followed along the Valcarce pass. It was a taxing day for all of us - the day was hot and the climb long and steep but very rewarding with beautiful views into the valleys below. Many people chose the road option and we could see them far below following a highway all the way. As hard as the trail was I believe we chose the best route - another day of magic in the mountains made beter by the company of friends!