Last night there were around a dozen pilgrims at the Albergue dinner and others chose to eat elsewhere . It’s strange that I’ve been walking along the same route and I’ve seen virtually no one for days ! Where have they all sprung from ?

Fuenterroble Via de la Plata

This morning at 7 am it was pitch black as normal but this morning there was a beautiful  display of stars.


Most people headed off at 7.30 but I waited as normal til a bit after 8 so that I could see where I was going . This is the sunrise over the church we visited yesterday at around 8.30.


After an hour or so I caught up with a group of 5 of the Italians but I was walking a bit faster so I left them behind.


 It looked like I was following the Roman road again as it led relentlessly north.


Sure enough, soon after I started seeing mileposts again. On this one you could still see the inscription.


The inscription says ‘ AR IA EF ATR VGG RIB RESTITUIT LXV’

The Romans were obviously masters of abbreviation because this says something along the lines of Emperor Caesar, son of the divine Nerva, Nerva Trajan Augustus Hermanicus, Pontifex Maximus, reinvested with the authority of consul for the second time, repaired this ‘ or something along those lines.

Fish for lunch again !

I hadn’t seen any pigs for a while!

The path led up to a mountain ridge and a peak called the ‘Pico de la Dueña’ which at 1,169 meters is the highest point of my walk so far. There must have been at least 60 wind generators up there.

via de la plata
Puco de la Dueña

Around here a few people who had left early came up behind me including Michael who is doing the walk for the 5th time . It just goes to show how easy it is to get lost.

A strange tree landscape 


This grassy road seemed to go forever but I reached San Pedro around 2 pm – 6 hours to cover 28km – not bad.

It’s a nice little clean private  Albergue tonight and I’m sitting with a small group of pilgrims with ice on my swollen ankle.

Only a short 23km hike into Salamanca tomorrow!