Although the Iron Cross I mentioned earlier is the highest point in Spain in the Camino Frances trail, the steepest climb belongs to the next 8 km walk today from Cebreiro to “Alto do Poio” at the section covering the last 3 km of the walk. The distance between the previous final destination of Villafranca to Cebreiro was intentionally skipped to eliminate a good portion of the mountainous trail that would have otherwise hogged the remaining 4 days of my planned pilgrimage. The autobus drops me off at an 8th century church called Santa Maria Real at the megalithic village with round stone houses in the town of O’Cebreiro.

 

From O Cebreiro, I begin the 8 km trail today from this point which consists mostly of mountainous side trails. Several photos and videos during my walk show the typical terrain of this mountainous region. The highest pitched 3 km section of this 8 km walk today ends at the rest point at “Alto do Poio” of the Camino Frances trail where the same auto bus takes me to the final destination today of Sarria where we begin the next 8 km trail for tomorrow. Sarria would have been the starting point of the walk I planned with Fr Mabanta. My accommodations and meals for tonight at the town of Sarria is Hotel Alfonso.