Day 23 Requejo de Sanabria to O Pereiro – 32km

Today's walk was a big one in more ways than one. It started with a climb to the highest point of the entire journey: Padornelo Pass at 1,365m. I took the N-525 again, as I don’t think I would have made it through the woods and countryside—it had rained overnight, making the paths likely muddy and quite slippery. Confirming what a Spanish pilgrim told me yesterday about the possibility of snow next week, I noticed red and white poles on both sides of the road (used to indicate snow depth). These poles ran from the village where I began the day all the way to where I finished, and at the top of the mountain, there was even a gritting depot.

The climb to the pass took me about an hour and a half of continuous effort, gaining 365m in altitude. To my surprise, the route included a tunnel through the mountain. Walking through it felt a bit risky, but thankfully it was early, and the road was quiet on this Saturday morning. Just a minute after I exited the other side, a large van and then a huge HGV passed by. I don’t think I was in real danger, but it wouldn’t have been pleasant to share the tunnel with an HGV.

I passed through the small village of Padornelo, which was enveloped in fog due to the high altitude. It was still quite cool, though not as cold as previous mornings. From there, the road descended steeply before finally leading me off-road. By now, it was daylight, and I enjoyed a beautiful walk through woods perched high above the river I followed for about a mile. The valley was clearly very wet—moss was everywhere, and all the trees were draped in lichen. If anyone knows the name of this lichen, let me know!

I arrived at the charming village of Lubián. It had an ancient feel but was remarkably well maintained, unlike many villages I’ve passed through, which seem to have been left to decay. I came across an image of Lubián in winter, showing just how much snow this area gets, even at this lower altitude.

Not my photo! Just to show the village in Winter.

Can you see the cat watching me?

After leaving Lubián, I returned to the road for more climbing—another 329m up to Portela da Canda. This climb brought me to yet another hill and another tunnel, this one longer and with a curve. It felt like forever before I saw daylight again. Luckily, I didn’t encounter any traffic, but shortly after I exited, another HGV came through.

Crossing the pass marked a significant milestone: I had entered Galicia, the final region of Spain. After what felt like ages in Castilla y León, I could sense the end of my journey drawing nearer. With just over a week until Santiago and then three or four more days to Muxía, it’s all starting to feel very real.

Rain showers had been forecast for today, but I managed to stay dry all morning which was a welcome relief. Later, I passed a Spanish couple who had also walked on the road from Lubián. They told me they’d chosen the road to keep their feet dry, just like I did.

Last night, I arranged today’s accommodation with a Polish guy named Chris. While everyone else at the Albergue planned to stay in Lubián, Chris thought it wasn’t far enough and asked if I’d join him. We’re staying at the Don Pepe restaurant and hostel, and hopefully, Chris and I can meet for dinner tonight. The only snag is that I don’t have his phone number, so I’m not sure when he’ll arrive.