Camino de San Salvador - part 2

What an amazing Camino this is.  It is extraordinarily beautiful, taking pilgrims up and over the Asturian mountains.  A month ago I would have been walking (or not) through deep snow, but then the sun melted the snow about a fortnight ago and now it is water, water everywhere.  The little streams rush out of, and down, the hillsides, at times rushing down the path and at other times crossing it, sometimes necessitating careful footwork to stay dry.

 Leaving La Pola de Gordon in the early morning sunshine, and about to start a steady climb, up, up and up.

After the first 40kms or so following the river from Leon the path then heads up and through the mountains.  Here it is necessary to stop often - sometimes to rest and catch ones breath, but just as often to admire the view.  At this time of the year the slopes are decorated by blooming shrubs and flowers - heather, broom, orchids of different shades, and buttercups to name a few.  Water made the path glisten, and the rocks stood stark against a brilliant blue sky.

The pictures can speak of the beauty I saw.

      The start of a long uphill slog.

Looking back towards the village of Buiza.

The water rushing down the path.  I saw my second snake near here - the only ones I've seen in Spain on all my trips.

At the top of the pass and about to descend.

Here you can see the narrow footpath that followed the contour around the hillside.

As I came down the slope I could see someone walking towards me.  He appeared to be working along the way, securing signs and so on.  I took an educated guess that it was Ender, the man referred to in the english guide I was using.  He was very surprised that I knew of him, an Australian, though not he had guessed I was an Aussie (people passing me earlier had obviously told him I was heading his way).

We parted - he heading fast up hill, stopping periodically to spray an arrow or adjust a sign, I, walking slowly towards the night's accommodation.

I stopped some distance further on for a rest and to admire the amazing view.  Just as I was preparing to head off who should turn up but Ender. He handed me his little day pack and picked up mine and together we headed off.  What a treat to have my pack carried, and have such a guide over the boggy patches.  I had to chuckle carrying Ender's pack because it rattled as I walked.  Even if I hadn't known who he was before, the rattling spray can was a give away - used for painting the yellow arrows on the rocks and such.   Ender has been responsible for marking the path over the last few years, and he is now planning a better route around the mountain.  We have a lot to thank him for - quite a remarkable man.

My rest stop, and the superb view.

Ender 

I'm standing by one of the signs that Ender has been responsible for.

As I headed up over the pass I was passed by a group of runners, a couple of Spanish day hikers,  and then higher up, a pilgrim.  While having lunch another couple of pilgrims passed me.  These two, one from Italy and one from Portugal, had walked the Camino Assisi too. As it turned out these three pilgrims and I ended up in the same village that night, and shared a delicious meal together that evening.

Four international pilgrims - a Frenchman, an Aussie, an Italian, and a Portuguese.

The beauty of this path has meant that I still haven't shown you all of it.  There are more mountains to come, along with lovely villages, in part three!