We’re into our routine now. Papa Bear and I have decided to keep getting our backpacks sent and each evening we check out elevations, kilometres, temperatures and bus timetables. And this weekend, accommodation . D2 just picks up her back pack and heads off, her legs get her up any hill!

Ascension Day was on Thursday and this weekend is Ascension Weekend when apparently all Spanish people book into hotels. Getting accommodation, even in the pilgrim albergues, has been difficult and we’ve had to change plans depending on availability.

This morning we decided to walk together to Torres del Rio, put Papa Bear on the bus and then D2 and I would walk on to Viana.

We left the Municipal Albergue in the dark and headed off to Sansol.

The paintings on the walls at this albergue are gorgeous.

Once  again a beautiful morning, pre-dawn when it is starting to get light but the sun hasn’t yet peeped over the horizon, is my favourite time on the Camino.

It wasn’t long before we were heading into Sansol

Flashback to 2017 and the Keeper of the Baguette

 After a climb into the next town we left Papa Bear at the bus stop and headed off to Viana. I couldn’t remember much of this part of the trek from 2017, obviously I’d blocked it out!

First there was down, not too bad, and the path was flat

Then there was up,

And some more up,

I gave up looking at the sign posts which tell us how far to go, I think whoever does them just makes numbers up anyway

A walk through some forest with a memorial for loved ones no longer with us. We left a message on a stone for our cousin. I miss looking for bracelets or other trinkets for her.

A bit further into the forest was a gorgeous stone garden with a table of food and drink for a donation. We had coke and boiled eggs.

There was some more up,

Some up and down on a road 

I met two Aussie girls, I loved this picture of one girl taking a photo of the other one taking photos of poppies! Pilgrims do the same everywhere!

Oh happy dance, a pop bar where we stopped for tortilla sandwich and coke.

D2 seemed amused at how I would react when I saw this part of the track, how it just ended, as if there was an elevator there. Sure enough it went down, but no elevator, just a very steep and rocky track which I had to negotiate without sticks because I left them with Papa Bear. No photos sorry, I was too busy trying to keep myself upright.

Eventually a walk on level ground, through shade even,

and at last Viana is in site. There was some more down where we saw a guy doing the zig-zag. I didn’t like to take a photo of the guy who actually walked down backwards.

You can’t  see the church spire, but this track went a long way down, then a long way up!

At last we made the plaza where Papa Bear was waiting patiently for us. His mate Mr B from Kentucky, was on the bus, so they kept each other company while they waited for the trudging pilgrims.

Cheers for a hard day’s walk!