Day 5 - Colinas de Arriba to La Mesa

This Sunday was going to be anything but a 'day of rest.' The Camino splits into two routes, one high and remote and the other lower and safer in bad weather.  Our weather was perfect, and of course we wanted the high route.

The journey began with a long hike out of town as the sun rose.  We climbed past the tree line and enjoyed many cows and horses out grazing.

The route is called via hospitales due to the ruined remains of pilgrim hostels along the trail.  

At the third ruins, we offered Sunday Mass.  We'd been wondering how to offer Mass and not seeing many options.  The morning wasn't cold, but not exactly warm.  It was windy.  Many of the ruins were also cow pastures.   

But, at the third ruins, things looked possible.  As we setup, a little congregation gathered and grew throughout Mass.  Because we had Spanish speakers, the reading from James (Santiago!) was read in Spanish and one man was translating other parts for his friend.  

I was enjoying offering the Cathedral pro populo Mass, at about the same time of day on Sunday.  The congregation was very happy to come across Mass.   The word has spread among other hikers, who now want to know if our paths will cross for Mass.   It was a spontaneous and beautiful experience.  It also turned out that this was the only spot that would have worked for us during the day.

After Mass, we continued on the open ridge above all other hills.  It was very windy and we were very glad it was not cold.  The area is considered dangerous when rainy or foggy.  It certainly would be.

Once the ridge was done, we had to climb down towards Berducedo.  This was a nasty slope.

The end of the day was beautiful, but we were shot from the hiking.  16.6 miles on a Sunday.