Touring from Ponferrada, Spain

From Astorga, we moved to our next base in Ponferrada on our Roman route, which also happens to be on the French Camino. From Ponferrada, we checked off Las Medulas, remains of Roman Hydraulic gold mining. It turned out to be a great hiking day as well. Our route for Las Medulas: Reirigo trail to Mirador de Pedrices then Pico Reirigo, briefly on the Perimetral trail to Mirador de Orellan, down to Valinas trail.

While in Ponferrada, we popped over on the bus to Villafranca de Bierzo, the next stage on the French Camino, to give it a quick look. We saw a few dozen people walking the Camino. The good thing about traveling in these parts is that we blend in really well with our travel packs, and people are always wishing us Buen Camino. I used to have the urge to correct them, now I just smile and thank them.

We saw many walkers, most of them Camino pilgrims, while busing around Ponferrada.

Several photos from our day trip to Villafranca where many of the buildings have slate roofs.

Ponferrada is two-thirds of the way between Madrid and A Coruna. Stay tuned as we are headed to A Coruña.

The tenperature was right at 0 C / 32 F when we caught the 6:50 AM bus from Ponferrada to Carucedo.

From Carucedo it's a 4km road walk with 200 meters elevation gain to Las Medulas. Only we and the horses were outside at that hour. Not to mention the half moon setting in the southwest.

Even with the exertion of the elevation gain we were barely warmed up when we reached Las Medulas as it was now -4 C / 25 F. Brrrr. We put on our gloves, scarves, and rain pants, happy that the sun was beginning to shine over the hills. And we still had another 200 meters of elevation gain to the first mirador.



Once a major Roman gold-mining site, the hills are now barren except for terraced groves of blighted, aging chestnut trees.

Sun-Ling on the frosty path.

And almost to our highest point, Pico de Placias, 1022 meters above sea level = 3353 feet.

And at the top we are rewarded with awesome views north to the gold-mining slopes and the snow-capped mountains beyond.

It's sunny and almost warm when we take the Summit Photo at Pico de Placias.

Walking down to Mirador de Orellán.

Mirador de Orellán view to remants of a Roman hydraulic mining shaft.

Down to Valinas trail with more evidence of hydraulic mining.



A rainy morning tour of Ponferrada before our 13:00 bus to Lugo, but the shoppers (market day) and touring cyclists were out and about.

View from the Castle of the Knights Templar to downtown Ponferrada.

The castle gate.



Old Town Clock Tower.

City Center of New Town Ponferrada was pretty cool. Many streets had one-way-one-lane restricted traffic and no kerbs/curbs.