Last night we had a hamburger and chips (Lays crisps) for supper with a Coke and in bed before nine knowing that we had a long day of walking ahead (28kms). Of course it was Saturday night and the whole town partied outside my bedroom window until dawn…. I had a good night’s sleep nevertheless 🙂
We set out at 8.30 after a good breakfast of bread, cheese, ham, pastries etc feeling strong. The weather was lovely with some cloud and lots of sun and chilly seven degrees. We were on the mountain track within minutes and were joined by a man walking his border collie that came over to each of us, sat and waited for a pat. Delightful. He was the first of the three people we were to see the whole day; the other was an old man standing in his garden admiring his flowers in the sun and the third was the tractor driver who redirected us after we got lost… yup.
A few kms into the walk while admiring and enjoying the view we missed a turning on the track and ended up having to double back adding at least two kms to an already long walk. The first half was a steady climb on mountains tracks and paths that were lovely in parts but very muddy in others. We struggled through a good few kms littered with pools of water and ankle deep mud often decorated with khaki cow poo; the sweet fragrance of fresh mountain air banished by eau de farm toilette.
We past a number of tiny chapels tucked away along the mountain side and stopped, short prayer and pic.
The climb finished at the top of a ridge on which twirled a long column of wind turbines and we settled for a delicious lunch on small toast peices; cheese, ham and chocolate.
The second half was on and off the road and on paths running next to the road (not very inspiring). Derrick walks faster than I do – usually 30 to 100m ahead of me – and for much of the time I remembered and reflected on my delinquent young adulthood; recollecting songs and some people of whom I’ve not thought in over 40 years. Mainly happy memories long past (thankfully).
The last two hours of the walk were difficult; any sense of wonder or humour long past.
About two kms out we could see our destination perched on top of a hill directly opposite the hill on which we stood and a deep valley in between; cruel. It started raining as we entered the town and we arrived at our humble abode absolutely shattered.
Now we need a beer, food and a good night’s sleep.
God bless.
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