It was a little spooky to say the least last night. Alone in an albergue that has lights dangling by the wires and sockets hanging from the fittings. Coupled with being in the middle of rural Spain and owls hooting outside – I’m sure I’ve seen a horror film like this?!
At 7.30am I was power walking back on the Camino before someone wears my skin for a coat. It was a gentle down hill start for a couple of kilometres before a long steep ascent. The path wound up through the woods, thankfully it was easier than yesterday.
At the top I crossed into Galicia. It felt like coming home. The biggest hill of the day conquered, light cloud cover and a down hill stretch on soft gravel paths – perfect.
I ambled along in no rush, after all it’s a short 23km today. I reached the tiny hamlet of A Canda. That’s when I was taken by surprise.
The green lichen covered trees were replaced by charred black stalks – the aftermath of August’s wildfires. The fields around were black, trees with soot stained trunks clung onto brown dead leafs, giving an odd autumnal effect.
There were small pockets where nature had survived the carnage – green islands in a sea of black. This was the scenery for the next 15km into A Gudiña.
I passed a few small villages miraculously still intact. literally the scorched earth stopped at the stone farm walls at the village borders.
The path was easy to follow, the soft yellow gravel was stark to the blackened earth. The route undulated over what I can only guess were fells. I got to a high point, giving panoramic views of the devastation.
It was black all the way to the surrounding mountains. I’ve never seen such destruction in person before. You don’t get the same scope or feeling from the news reels.
I continued on as the clouds dispersed leaving me no shade from the sun. It got very hot, something weirdly fitting for my environs.
But nature, ever the resilient. Merendera started to grow from the charred ground. This hardy flower seems to grow in places you wouldn’t think possible. A plant I saw often on the Francés, and one I took as a good omen.
At 1.30pm I arrived at my destination for the day – looks like I’ll be having this Albergue to myself again, although this one is operated by the local authority. A complete polar opposite to last nights.
It’s all modern and clean. Even has washing machines! The hospitalera said there were only three peregrinos last night – the 3 Spaniards I spotted in the guest book at Lubián.
Stu's Camino 