22nd June Cake

 
Pola de Allende to Berducedo. 20km (plus 3hrs)

Sometimes its good to have your cake and eat it. Today I think I managed to do just that. 

Although the stages of the Camino Primitivo are pretty set given the location of villages, the distance between then and the facilities ( or lack of them), the major decision point people have to make is whether to do the 'Hospitales'' route or not. 

Hospitals is the high, up and over, spectacular views (depending on the weather,) take everything with you as there are no villages/drinkable water available for 8 hours option 1. I had decided not to take this option for a variety of reasons, I would have missed the day with Robert and Bryant for a start and so 'enjoyed' the almost 2 1/2 hour, nearly 3000 ft forested climb up from Pola de Allendes.

Arriving at the high point where this trail met the Hospitales trail the weather was pretty grim, misty and cold enough to require my rain jacket making an appearance for only the 4th time this trip. And the prospect of hanging about didn't appeal so I started to begin the descent back down, when....

When the first glimpse of a hazy watery sun threatened to burst through the mist. Hold your horses John I thought. The breeze picked up, the mist swirled and suddenly began to lift revealing the most spectacular views.

Now with accommodation for the night already secured, time on my hands and a cunning plan in my mind, it was time to have my cake and it it. So I retaced my steps back to the high point and to the bemusement of people walking the Hospitales route the correct way, I spent 60 mins or so walking it in the opposite direction. 

Pilgrims coming the other way stopped to ask if I was ill,  if I was lost, if I was turning back and even tried to  explain the concept of the yellow arrows. Perhaps this is my unique claim on thic Camino; the pilgrim who did half the Hospitales route backwards 

And it was spectacular as the sun burned away the remaining mist revealing that I was walking along a fantastic meandering ridge with drop away valleys and rolling hills for 360 degrees. My legs felt strong, my senses were overloaded, and it was without question the best day of walking of the entire trip.

Even the knee jarring descent, threat of running out of water in high 20's degree temperatures and a last km that seemed to stretch out to infinity didn't detract from what was a real high and highlight of the trip. 

I am now sat in the garden of an albergue full of tured but excited people, engaged in animated conversation, all trying to process the events of tbe day over glasses of beer and plates of calorie crammed food, which despite having already had my cake and eaten it, I am managing to eagerly devour.