Monday, June 11, 2012

Cruz de Ferro

This morning it was time to climb to the Cruz de Ferro. Last time the mist was so thick I could barely see it, but today there was just some drizzly rain. It´s at about 1500m, so quite high altitude really. Once I got there we were exposed to the wind, so I grabbed out my little woollen hat and pulled on my polyprops. Carrying them wasn't a waste after all!

I loved the whole mountain walk today. Lots of schist underfoot, and many beautiful alpine plants. Though there was some mist around, I also got to see many of the surrounding mountains this time. Actually felt quite at home, as the conditions were very much like typical New Zealand tramping weather. And given that we were at 1500m, the conditions were quite benign really.

Slipped in some loose shingle at the entrance to the village of El Acebo- foot went right under me- amazing I never broke it really. St Jacques looking after me again.

Weather quite different after our 1000m descent- sunny and needed my sunhat here in Molinaseca. Time for dinner now. Am ravenous after that 26km of mountain exertion!

6 comments:

  1. Great that you didn't injure yourself! I remember the descent to El Acebo, the view was spectacular but underfoot so instable that we had to stop when we wanted to look elsewhere than our feet!

    Michèle
    p.s all these memories that are flooding back into my head!
    pp.s it is between El Acebo and Molinesca that we encountered our naked perp with only cowboy boots on!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, I would have hated another stint in plaster!! The thing was, it wasn't the natural rock that got me, but the human- spread shingle at the village entrance
      I've noticed quite a few pOlice cars going past at various places - I wonder if they are trying to deter that kind of thing.

      Delete
  2. Margaret,

    Talking about St. Jacques, last year, there was a lady named Jane from New Zealand who lost her passport on the walk to Molinaseca. One of the local vendors selling fruit and juice found the passport and drove up and down the Camino until he found the person in the passport photo. We met Jane that evening and she described how the day turned from her worst day on the camino to the best. Just goes to show that St. Jacques keeps a special eye out for Kiwi pilgrims near Molinaseca.

    Bruce

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh wow Bruce- that was so good of the man- and what a relief it must have been for Jane!
      I had two people wanting to have their photo taken with me today as I was a Kiwi -one was a Frenchman who is crazy about the All Blacks!

      Delete
  3. Hi Margaret, Enjoying this armchair pilgrimage very much so thank you for all the CF souvenirs and keep them coming! l really loved that walk down from the Cruz into Molinaseca even though It found the descent tough on the knees and blisters!
    Nell

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My pleasure Nell. You can thank the widespread free wifi on the Camino in Spain now. I loved the walk yesterday. Last time it turned very hot on the descent, but I am perverse enough to prefer yesterday's cooler temperatures!0

      Delete