To the top, more climbing, and then a difficult descent

We set out really early this morning to get up to O'Cebreiro before the sun rose.  It was difficult, especially after little slept, but sweet were actually on the road/path by 6am!  We stopped at the fountain and filled our bottles with really cold water, and walked on up the road, missing entirely the path marker for the scenic route.  I looked down and saw the path, but actually we cut a little off the walk, and in the dark it was probably safer to walk on the road rathe than a narrow path up the side of a mountain.  We got to a crossroads at the top and turned away from the sun, and soon came to where the path joined the road at O'Cebreiro.  We had each eaten a banana, and thought that because o'Cebreiro is a bought village with several albergues, that there would be somewhere open for breakfast.  Sadly there wasn't, so we walked on, stopping to take pictures of the views over the valley.  It was beautiful with the sunrise.

We walked on to the next village, and that was closed as well, so we had to carry on.  There were more steep inclines ahead and we needed breakfast.  Fortunately, in the next village, the Meson was open.  It was packed, because by now it was 8am and we had walked just over 8km!  We had coffee and colacao,and toast, in which was lovely, and watched day 3 of the San Fermines, or running of the bulls in Pamplona on the television.  Jonathan still thinks that he wants to do this!

W walked on, enjoying the views, and then suddenly, there was a really steep climb up to the Alto do Poio.  I was really glad that I had taken my inhaler this morning.  It was hot and difficult, almost vertical at one point, but the view was breath-taking.

 From here it was more or less downhill into Triacastela.  We stopped in Fonfria for a quick drink and comfort brak, and then I refilled my water bottle in Biduedo.  At Filloval we stopped again for a drink and a quick snack, before the final descent to Triacastela.  Jonathan was running out of gas, and had not been drinking enough water through the morning, the early start, not enough food and water and the descent were too much for him, and when we arrived at Triacastela he was exhausted.  W made it into the albergue in town, a private one, slightly more expensive, but quiet, and he almost collapsed.  We got checked in, given beds, and he literally went straight to sleep.  Nico and I went to the. At next door for lunch,  and brought him back a Serrano ham sandwich.  He was suffering slightly from heat exhaustion, and needed sleep.  He was hungry when he woke up, and ate the sandwich and drank a lot of water.  He began to feel better.  Serrano ham is quite salty, so that helped replace some electrolytes.

After I had had a nap, we went and found a supermarket and cooked dinner, a sort of risotto with onion,  red pepper, courgette (zucchini), chorizo and salchicon.  It was rather tasty, and the boys are getting better at cooking.  After dinner Jonathan showered and went to bed.  He is still a little tired, but much, much better, and has drunk a lot of water.

Tomorrow is a much shorter day, only 18km, and we have bought food for breakfast, to have before we leave, we are leaving later, so more sleep, and we will stop more frequently for drink and food breaks.  I must remember that a 15 year old boy needs much more food than I do!

I am now up to date, we are in Triacastela, and only have one week more of walking.  It is a bitter-sweet feeling, but now I am going to bed,  and may just use a spare pair of earplugs tonight!

The cafe/bar that was shut, Nico attacks his bocadillo of bacon and cheese, sunrise over the mountains.