The landscape is changing

El Burgo Ranero to Mansilla de las Mulas – day 20 – 19km

How to write a story about long (like really long) straight gravel paths….for 18 of today’s 19km pilgrimage!

My gran baby (Luka) taught me to look up and today the skies were talking to me …. Kisses from heaven (Russ!)

The day began at 6am….lugging suitcase downstairs…breakfast of champions at 7am (coffee and ciabatta toast) and transfer at 7.30am back to El Burgo Ranero, where I finished yesterday…once again moving forward by 8am!…

Chilly start as there was a cool breeze and the sun was struggling to break through the clouds! And as far as the eye could see…

This and….

This and…

The odd toe testing spot….still looking up…not a lot of privacy for the necessary bush wee…slightly exaggerated by the amount of water sipped to pass the first 13kms before the prospect of a coffee stop!

Flora today was mainly yellow…with a few strips of tree planting to break the monotony…or maybe just to hide the next few kms of straight paths! But wait…

There was one corner…with a big arrow, just in case we had forgotten how to deviate off a straight line!

And then under a road bridge which framed a postcard vista with the upcoming mountains in the background! But let’s not get ahead of ourselves…. As I passed under and stepped out onto the path…I heard a loud scuttle and there was this little green fella…

Actually not so little..longer than my hand and fingers…he posed long enough for me to get picture…I have been hearing lots of rustling in the undergrowth …. So maybe this is what I hear!

Finally an oasis in the shape of an Albergue…open to the coffee drinking humans! …. at the beginning of the first (and only) village on today’s journey of Reliegos…

Run by a Frenchman, who was a character …, and made a great coffee!! It seems my reputation (?) is preceding me as I have become fondly (I hope) known as “Kiwi Sue” and was greeted my some new pilgrims…”this must be Kiwi Sue!” Anyway a few more acquaintances… and off I set to chew up the last 6kms…

Through the town…hunting for some interesting images to share…

A shed full of farm implements…

And the clouds mimicking the trees…before more (yes you guessed it) long strait paths!

Just a final mural to send us on our way!

Until getting closer to to Mansilla (et al) there was the familiar sound of Mooing!!!(for a kiwi at least) The first Cow I have seen in 20 days!

Over a highway bridge…a fellow walker snapped me in all my glory…followed by another long straight, a toe rest and a bush wee before….

Entering the town of Mansilla de las Mulas… one more leg and I am in the city of Leon …

Found my rather quaint? Tired? Albergue (this kind of means boutique hotel) … in this case I think it just means “Old”

Shower time and off to explore!