Camino,caminodesantiago

Caminho Português 2024: Day 6

24 May 2024 Denise Ketcham 0 Comment

Big climb

Up through the Portela (pass) today. This is the most significant climb of the entire Caminho Portuguese. Of course it’s nothing compare to climbing over the Pyrenees on the first day of the Camino Frances.

Rich points out a nice staurolite schist metamorphic rock.
Maybe we’re at the top?
Nope, ever upward. Follow those yellow arrows!
Pilgrim memorials at this cross, which a plaque says actually commemorates the place where the local villagers ambushed the stragglers of Napoleon’s army in 1809.
Looking back.
We made it. Now we’re looking down towards Spain, along with this Argentinian/German pilgrim.
A surviving mike marker of the old Roman road, with Romanesque church below. Climbed down to the church but it was not open.
A pilgrim’s reward at our hostel. A soak in the sun and ice cold swimming pool (for the feet).