“ Sunshine came softly through my window today” – most welcome as was the silence but for birdsong & the views.

Mac is having a rest day and so I left our base at 08.30. Great place and situation.

Passed by a tiny chapel and began a 30 minute ascent towards a wind farm on the ridge above.

Bonus being sunshine, but clouds and mists to come.

The Primitivo is already quite different to any Caminos I have walked before,mainly the mountains, the ups and inevitable downs. Silence and stillness.

Being above a cloudline is quite exhilarating it also a little mystifying.

There had been serious Forest fires here in 2016 and the burn out was still visible whilst descending towards the Embalse.Lower down, after nearly an hour’s descent, the first views of the Embalse ( artificial lake )

The track downwards was in good condition and not nearly as challenging as some.

Finally, as the mist cleared the Embalse came in to view.

This dam is now 65 years old and took thousands of man hour in its construction – abandoned buildings close by were the dwellings of the workers as most materials, mainly concrete, had to be made in situ.Also, several villages were evacuated to facilitate the dam’s construction – it is 35 km in length.‘

I am not a Graffiti fan but I was taken by this little inscription- always in my heart – that says a lot about the Camino.Three and a half hours’ walking and this gem of a hotel was a welcome stop for coffee on its balcony.An Americano and one of Hannah’s cakes never tasted better.

It was a further 7 km, mainly uphill to Grandas da Salime, quiet place which owed its existence to the Camino Primitivo and to some extent still does.Hard to believe I walked across the trail over there.‘