All my Yesterdays !

Although the weather was OK on the Thursday morning, I still left Potes, intending to carry on with my original plan, and go South…firstly driving along the Hermida gorge, briefly stopping to check out a via feratta which I’ve done there before – but it was all closed up, so I continued along the River Deva, where I spotted some rafts ‘white water’ rafting along the river… a bit chilly if they went in !

I continued back towards Santander, and then heading south, eventually arriving at Castrojeriz http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castrojeriz a small village where I’d stopped overnight last year, whilst I was doing the Camino… it felt strange to look up at the castle, high above the village (which I also climbed last year!), and even though there was lots of thunder and lightning, I couldn’t resist a walk up to the castle, looking down over the brooding Meseta, and seeing some straggling pilgrims walking in/out of the village… what memories …and an even better ‘room with a view’ of the castle above !

I did mingle with a few of the pilgrims, who didn’t particularly look as though they were enjoying themselves… it’s not nice walking in the cold wind and rain, with mud clinging to your shoes… I sympathised , accepted a sweet from a shopkeeper, and bought some wine and cheese for later ( expensive wine $2 !!)…

On the Friday it was another miserable start to the day, so I had a late start, only rising as the sun started to peek through…and again wandered through the village, which was very quiet… I could see in the far distance pilgrims walking up and over the next hill, although didn’t have the heart to do it again myself, and left them to their pilgrimage… I visited the Santa Clara convent, http://www.castrojeriz.com/en/lugares-para-visitar/convento-de-santa-clara just outside the village, and stayed for Rosary and benediction…  then a dash back to the campsite, between showers, and another meal in the restaurant… paying for my stay and meal, ready to move again tomorrow…the Camino is only for the Pilgrims !