Day 48

Gonzar to Ponterroxan - 20 kms
28 May 2019

This morning was cold. We had been reading about the heat wave that is coming to Europe. The forecast is for it to start in Spain and Portugal in June with temperatures rising to 43° or above. Our weather app said later this week we can expect temperatures up to 32°. Yesterday was misty but quite mild. This morning was simply misty and cold.
We set off from Gonzar keeping an eye out for a sign pointing the way to a castro - a fortified settlement - which was inhabited from 4th century BC until the start of the Roman occupation in 1 AD. It was part the way up a climb on our route. Our guide book says that we would have 360° views from there. Well, we were up in the mist of the morning as well as the mist of time ...we didn't have a view but the ruins were so worth seeing. Part of the surrounding walls and the houses themselves have been excavated. It's hard to comprehend what life would have been like that far back in time, who were the people and how did they live. Recent excavations have discovered up to three different occupations, the most recent one was during the beginning of Roman conquest.
The rest of our walk took us through open farmland and small villages and communities and on through the town of Palas de Rei and a kilometre beyond to the small settlement of Ponteroxan. We saw very little cropping apart from areas of gardens. In places there were cows and calves in the paddocks, other paddocks were just long grass, in a couple the grass had been cut. We're surmising that the grass is mostly used for silage or hay for winter feed when the cattle are housed for months on end. Our path today was undulating, a series of ups and downs. The cold mist cleared to blue skies.
Our host at the hostel where we're staying tonight said that Ponterroxan takes its name from the bridge over the rio (river) Roxán.

The Castro: photo taken from the nearby information plaque showing the site after excavation.

Then on with the rest of our walk: such gorgeous morning light ...oh, but it was cold!

Hospital de la Cruz - another settlement where we walked past their front doors.

We stopped for a hot drink and toast at Ventas de Narón...

...with the small church Capela da Magdalena, a former hospital of the Knights Templar.

The detail on the church door.

It doesn't look it but this track was very steep downhill.

We are amazed at the number of times we have seen crops just coming up and wonder if the crop will have enough time to mature by the end of summer/early autumn.

Pappy's house has no roof or glass in the windows but it is opposite a lovely cafe so he won't go hungry.

We had morning tea at a cafe in Portos called A Paso de Formiga - a passage of ants - referring to the pilgrims of course

At the cafe in Portas we met little Noah and his mother from Germany who started their Camino in Sarria. Six months old Noah is the youngest pilgrim we have met.

This shrub is so beautiful. What is it? 

This garden was massive - and only one elderly man doing the hoeing.

Cabbage trees in Spain

A tree tunnel coming into Palas de Rei

At Palas de Rei

...and a kilometre out of Palas de Rei to Ponterroxan where we are staying tonight

Across the road from our hostel in Ponterroxan.