Via de la Plata - Day 28: Montamarta to Granja de Moreruela (24.5km on 5/16/17)

We got an early start from the albergue - up by 5:30am then breakfast of bananas, yoghurt, cookies and instant coffee and out on the trail a few minutes after 6am.  Sunrise today was 7:05 so we had enough light to walk without headlamps within 15 minutes or so.  Terrain was changing a bit as we crossed a ridgeline.  As we descended a bit we entered an area where the path’s route had changed from our references.  The new high speed rail line is under construction so our route was changed to accommodate.  A bit further on, the expressway, N-630 and N-631 were intertwined and the pathway was confusing.  We continued on and eventually passed the ruins of a 12th century military fortress - we left the camino route to enter the ruins and enjoy our first break of the day with trail mix and chocolate.  The dirt/gravel track continued and we had bocadillos in a bar in Reigo del Camino - a nice break although a bit late for second breakfast.  Another 7km and we entered our destination of Granja de Moreruela, a sleepy village.  At the bar we registered for beds in the municipal albergue that was about 100m down the street.  It’s a small albergue with only 5 bunks.  Fortunately, we were early enough to get bottom bunks.  Near our albergue is the point in which the Via de la Plata and Camino Sanabres split.  We will follow the Sanabres route ~360km to Santiago.  

Unfortunately, the local bar does not start serving dinner until 8pm and that’s a bit late for us.  We bought a few things in a small grocery store and had “dinner” in the albergue.

At first, the scenery was a bit different than yesterday.  Freeway on the right and fields on the left

Typical route markers in this region

Ruins of an ancient fortress

Fortress ruins

Approach to our destination - Granja de Moreruela.  Fields and track similar to what we've been seeing

The front of our albergue - inside was have two rooms with a total of 10 bunk beds, two shower/toilet combos and a common room.  There's no kitchen.

Nearby our albergue is this sign marking the two different pilgrimage routes - Via de la Plata continues to Astorga  where it joins Camino Frances and the Camino Sanabres goes to Orense and on to Santiago.