Distance: 34.8km (145.3km / 874.0km).
Weather: Overcast, then sunny.
Slept well in Hostal Quiper and had the usual provided breakfast in the adjacent bar. Even a little bit late on the way from Quiroga it is still dark, more than half into October month. So it is the street lamps of Quiroga that leads the way. There is little of way of light when it dawns, with a heavy layer of clouds above. The Camino Real de Invierno has been such a pleasant surprise that I have now started to look forward to each day with great expectations.
Quiroga in the wee hours of the day, still dark when walking out of the town.
After Qurioga the Camino crosses the river (Sil) and then heads into the village of Ribas de Sil, contrary to what I have read about the route from Quiroga. It is possible to avoid this route by just following the minor road (lu-933) North of the river instead, the Camino joins the same road after Ribas de Sil. The road (lu-933) is actually the same road (the quiet and peaceful one) that the Camino goes on from A Rúa de Valdeorras. In the surrounding hills the clouds are lifting, with the effect of drifting through the trees on their retreat. I arrive at one of the strangest places for a disco that I have seen, at the bend in the road next to the much busier Logroño Vigo highway, Disco N-120 (the name of the highway). It does look closed for good now, however.
Drifting clouds through the hills above the Río Sil.
Bereft of a chance to attend a pilgrim disco, my feet will have to do with the pilgrimage. The Camino then follows the road (still the lu-933) up into the hills above Nocedo, which is nice, but it not so nice to see the two dogs approaching me from the road. One of them looks calm and is just following the other, but the other one looks aggressive too me. I do not look back at my encounter with a stray dog on The Lycian Way in Turkey with joy, so I feel that I stiffen a little bit at their approach. By putting up a stern face and walking determined further, believing it to be the best way, I get past the two dogs, who watches me intensely. Allowing those dogs to walk freely around is not a good idea if they want more pilgrims to walk the Invierno.
The sun is burning through the sky above Val de Quiroga.
Further up the views begins to brighten, in the horizon there is a burning light through the layers of clouds, and a visible sunray escaping. The lu-933 seems to carry on it is own peaceful way, with no cars, taking me higher up into the misty hills. Then it takes a sudden turn, or rather the Camino does, by leaving the road and continuing on a forest path instead. I find this change of surface surprising, but of course it is to my definite liking, I had expected the Camino to continue on the road.
After Nocedo, the Camino Real de Invierno heads up into the hills, here it goes on an open landscape path over O Escalledo.
For a Camino to take on the hills when it can go lower down is rather unusal, nothing other than a pleasant surprise to me. It even gets better when the path goes on top of the hill in an open landscape. However, most of the hills around me are still covered by the clouds. The forest track meanders away on top of the hill, around the end of a valley and through the woods. Autumn colors are sprinkled between the normal green foliage. If you plan to walk the Invierno, this section is something to look forward to.
A yellow arrow on a tree on the way over the hills.
A bend in the road, the clouds about to lift higher up.
After a bend in the path, I come upon Kevin and Kari having a break. I had heard their voices before I saw them, from the other side of the small valley, voices travels far when it is quiet. I join them for a short break myself. The sun is then appearing above us, with the clouds retreating like reverse waves over the hill.
A window to the sun.
Beginning autumn foliage in the hills.
It might be that it is the Capilla de Os Remedios that is the reason for the decision of laying the route this way instead of the road. Here walkers used to give alms. From the old chapel, I descend down towards the Río Lor past tiny hamlets and broken houses on uneven paths, with views of the valley with its small settlements. The sky has now almost got rid of all its clouds. It is another pleasant descent.
The Capilla de Os Remedios.
Until I come to one of the tiny hamlets where the Camino goes straight between the buildings of the hamlet. Here two dogs, German Shepherds I believe, are chained to the wall. Both dogs are aggressive. They are thankfully chained as mentioned, but they still have some free leash to use. So I have to go very close to the wall on the other side to avoid getting to close to them. The walk has been splendid so far today, but this and the previous encounter with dogs are marring the experience some. They should not have these two dogs chained so close to where people are walking, or the Camino needs to find a way around this hamlet. I am a little bit angry about this.
View over Lor.
There are little of services on the way after Ribas de Sil, and no directly on the path until A Pobra de Brollón. There is however a bar next to the road in Barxa de Lor. The bridge over the Lor river is of Roman origin. Seeing the need for my cafe con leche, I opt to go the 400 additional metres needed to get to the bar. The result is a short and enjoyable walk next to the river. Seeing the opportunity, I go for a sandwich at the bar too.
Ponte da Barxa.
Although the Camino starts to climb again immediately after crossing over the old bridge, the landscape is considerable flatter afterwards. It is also more open afterwards, with the woods giving way for cultivated fields. It resembles more of a common Camino landscape now, especially Galician. Rolling green fields, and slow gravel tracks to walk on. The occasional farm. In the distance, due north, the higher grounds where O Cebreiro is hidden behind further back. Here I walk almost alone, over there I guess it is quite crowded.
Water puddle reflections on the Camino.
We stop for lunch in A Pobra de Brollón, having a little bit of difficulty conveying our wishes to the people at a local café. Back in the Galician farmland, the Camino continues past farms and through sections of forests. I walk past small gurgling rivers and creeks. At the church in Cereixa, I forget to look at the cruceiro with the sculpture of Saint James as a pilgrim. The Camino then climbs over the low Alto da Serra, pleasant, but not so scenic as the previous walk over the O Escalledo.
Farmland Camino.
Kevin and Kari had said they were taking it a little bit slower, but it appear that it is me that has done so. They push past me as we approach Monforte de Lemos, although I catch up with them again having a break. In the distance, I can now see the distinct shape of the old Mosteiro de San Vicente do Pino at the top of the town.
Pilgrim murals.
The moment I walk into the town, I get the feeling that this is a great place. Creative murals adorns the various walls on the way, 'Abre os ollos' is it written on a wall, 'Open your eyes'. I can safely say that my eyes are open, I want to see this town. The Hostal Puente Romana is not open, so it has to be the Hotel Puente Romana. It is located right next to the old Roman bridge Ponte Vella, one of the landmarks of this historic town.
Kevin and Kari having a break.
The approach to Monforte de Lemos.
Running through the town is the Río Cabe. Crossing the bridge, I can walk next to the river where I have a good look of the monastery situated at the top of the town. There is a large and impressive college here in town too, College of Nosa Señora da Antiga, but my time here requires me to make a decision of what to see. My decision is however simple, it is the old monastery that beckons me. There are always talk about which places on a Camino that is worth staying more than one night at, Monforte de Lemos is one of them.
Monforte de Lemos. At the top is the old monastery, now Parador, of San Vicente do Pino.
To get up to the monastery, small narrow roads goes in twists and turns up through the town. Somehow I think I misunderstood the directions I got, so I enter the premises on a slightly weird path, I do not think that the usual visitors (on foot) go there on a strange path behind peoples houses. On the other hand, entering on the other side of the hill provides me with some nice views of the landscape that I had walked through.
Mosteiro de San Vicente do Pino / Parador de Monforte de Lemos. Torre da Homenaxe do Castelo de Lemos behind.
The Mosteiro de San Vicente do Pino is now more known as a famous parador, which is a luxury hotel. The Hostal de los Reyes Catolicos in Santiago de Compostela is another example of a parador. I have seen several of them on my various walks in Spain. Nevertheless, it is a great spot for watching out over the town. Walking around you can find viewpoints to every direction. Close to sunset, but not yet, so I sit down into the bar of the parador and order myself a cerveza while waiting. It is somewhat strange to see what must have been a cloister garden turned into a café garden (more or less).
Sunset, Monforte de Lemos.
I like it when the walls of the parador and the Torre da Homenaxe do Castelo de Lemos turns reddish in the receding sunlight. With the clouds in the background I get a layered sunset. It follows me as I walk down again. In a bar next to my hotel I see the other pilgrim that checked in at Hostal Quiper just before me yesterday, I learn that his name is Felipe. I wait there for Kevin and Kari to appear, to find a place to eat. As expected, we find a good place.
Another truly enjoyable day on the Invierno, with the exception of the dogs that I met.
Ponte Vella de Monforte de Lemos.
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