Sunday, February 13, 2011

DAY 27: NOV 1 LUBIAN TO LA GUDINA (24 KM) 33,763 STEPS

Today I would cross the second pass and finally enter Galicia.

Under cool but comfortable conditions I started from Lubian at 8:30 in the morning. Shortly thereafter I passed the Santuario de la Virgen de la Tuiza, a magnificent Baroque church that seemed incongruous in this mountainous and seemingly poor part of Spain..


I was glad when the path veered from the secondary highway and I walked through a cool forest for several kilometers. At one point I saw a stag that ran through a meadow as I approached. Absolutely the last thing that I expected to see. In fact it was so close and moved so suddenly that it scared the hell out of me.

Here the path diverts from the secondary highway.
In the distance is the newly constructed  A52 motorway.


What a superb trail


There was a long and steep climb to the summit of the pass with magnificent vistas in both directions.


Looking back towards the east

The view towards Galicia with the first concrete Galician marker

The mostly downhill 20 kilometers to La Gudina went by quickly. I waited in a bar and had some red wine until the albergue opened at 16:00.  But I had to drink alone.  There was no-one with whom to share my wine. 

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