Well, the forecast isn’t as bad as expected, supposed to be clear until 1p so I set off early, 7:45a which is really like 6:45a except that Spain’s on the wrong time zone, and immediately had to put on my quasi pack/poncho as it was raining!

The rain didn’t last long, just enough to make the grass nice and wet and re-moisten whatever mud was created during last night’s rain. I soon had squelching socks and shoes being suctioned to the muddy trail. After 2.5k of this I came out on a road and was actually thankful to walk on the dry, hard surface for a while.

At 9:15a I’m walking the road into the village of San Pablo, the sun is shining brightly and all is right with the world. It’s only mid-40’s but I’ve shed my jacket as the sun is keeping me warm. Ahead I’ll stop for the essentials: cafe con leche, a croissant and a toilet. Oh, and a few emergency foodstuffs as tomorrow is Sunday and shops might be closed.

It wasn’t until 10k that I got a reprieve from the asphalt and entered a private estate (orange groves) then thru another gate guarded by a big horned beast.

I did my best bovine sweet talk as I cautiously untied the rope but it barely batted an eyelash so I forged on wondering what was to come next.

Cows. That’s what was next. Lots of cows chomping on the hay strewn all over the track. Cows with horns and one tiny calf. I let them have the road while I went cross-country around them.

More cows, more wending around. Obviously these guys are well used to people as none of the second group were even concerned enough to get up from their siesta. The track is fortunately dry mud as it would’ve been virtually impassable if wet and sticky.

So thankful the day turned out nicely as the views are tremendous. Fingers crossed the weather holds for tomorrow as the next stage is considered the highlight of the route.

The track wound higher and higher up the hill, then steeply down again. And what goes down goes up…..and up, really? More up? At least the views were great:

Eventually I thought to look back and I could see the Rock of Gibraltar smack dab in the middle of my view! Thankfully at a distance so I could appreciate all the effort I’ve put in so far:

16.5k and I finally met the paved road at the crest of my hill and took it down the far side via a series of tight hairpin bends for a km or two until the route returned to the fields on a steep, treacherous, rocky, muddy trail blissfully strewn with tiny daisies, lilies?, daffodils? and dandelions.

20k and 2pm and I’m in El Colmenar sitting down with a glass of vino tinto waiting for my lamb chops to be served. These past few days on the Camino have been hard. I trained religiously before coming here with a weighted pack, hiking the same distances but wow, I’m drained after 13 miles on the Camino. I’m going to assume it’s all the road walking which is not only soul-sucking but energy-sucking too. I can only believe this will make me stronger- tomorrow is another (big) day!