Via de la Plata - Day 35: Lubian to A Gudina (26.2km on 5/23/17)

We had coffee and yoghurt in the albergue.  It's a bit challenging geting packed in the bunkroom and I could not find my hat!  I returned to my bunk and looked around as well as possible without waking anyone up but without success.  We were walking by 6:30am and the route was on paved lanes and we descended for awhile and then began another big climb or ~6km.  Most of the climb was on dirt/gravel tracks and often with water running or muddy spots.  However, it was possible to proceed without getting our feet wet and we reached the summit where we left the province of Zamora, part of Castille and Leon, and entered the province of Ourense, part of Galicia.  It’s nice to be back in Galicia as that’s the home of Santiago de Compestela - perhaps 200km away.  The descent was gradual and we found a nice hotel where we had cafe con leche and a pastry.  As we continued we passed through several other villages that should have had bars but none were found.  Some of the track was along streams and along stone walls.  Not far after we entered a barren landscape with no shade and lots of exposed stone.  Vegetation was sparse and almost no shade and pretty warm - temperatures in the mid 80’s.  I fashioned a hat out of my kerchief and kept it wet so that helped.  After 26km we reached our destination of A Gudina and grabbed bunks in the municipal albergue.  The facility eventually filled completely.  After a refreshing shower, we went to a nearby “Bar O Peregrino” and had large beers and really nice hamburguesas.  That was enough food and dinner was simply ensalada mixta.  

Old church just before sunrise

We climbed for an hour or more - mostly in shade and on sometime muddy track

And climbed and climbed

At summit we left Zamora province and crossed into Ourense province of Galicia

Map showing our destination of Santiago de Compostela

Cute monument welcoming us to Galicia

Old church in village where we had "second breakfast"

Second half of the walk was mostly like this.  Bare stony ground with little shade and quite a bit of climbing.

Lunch after arrival in A Gudina - Hamburguesa Completo & large beer.  Patty was probably ground pork and with cheese, ham, bacon, lettuce, tomatoe & onions