Day 35 – to San Martín de Castañeda

Greenland sets the example by no longer changing its clocks to summer-time. They began today.

Both the dog and I were more unsettled than usual with the change as we had just come into Spain from Portugal the previous day, and gained an hour then as well.

So, after a slightly later start than usual, a wake up from some ‘cattle-dogs’ (I think they’re a type of Mastiff), we took advantage of another fine morning by heading into the Cárdena canyon. It was a good morning to be on the move, as there was a strong northerly wind, making the temperature feel like single figures.

This canyon, I found much easier going than yesterday in Tara. The loose stone for the first kilometre yesterday I put down as the main reason, though footwear played a role also, I wore trail running shoes today. And another, there are just some days when it bothers me less – could be the water..

The steep walls offered some shelter, as well as being a spectacular backdrop.

In the afternoon we moved around Lake Sanabria and up a few hundred metres in altitude to San Martín de Castañeda, another of those tourist villages which will be extremely busy once the season arrives. Being a Sunday the bars and restaurants are open, as if waiting for the day trippers from the cities to arrive, though only a few were around today.

We’re parked up at the Monastery, and after settling in wandered into the village for a beer.

Tomorrow we will continue up the road, it ascends to 1650 metres, but this afternoon with the wind still strong, I think it will be a bit wild up there.