Day 3 Poladura to Pajares

This stage is called the Queen of the Salvador and often described as one of the most beautiful on any camino. I can see why. It's only 15km but the scenery will stay with me forever.

As it was a short day, it was sensible to have a good breakfast and I was heading up the hills on the other side of the valley by 10am. This was the view back over Poladura - a truly enchanting location on a fine day.

Twenty minutes later, one is facing dramatic mountain scenery.

At the very peak, there is of course a cross. Interestingly, at this point, one is at 1,568m altitude, which is just under a mile high and much higher than Ben Nevis. One can sit on the handy rocks at the cross and just absorb the amazing, other world views. Some of these mountains have sheer faces so stand out of their surroundings dramatically.

The view heading down from the peak of the way showed a path that seemed to wind on forever.

The day still had more to give though. Having stopped at a parador for lunch at Puerto de Pajares, the view of the Asturias mountains from the car park was breathtaking. Puerto de Pajares is the border between Asturias and Leon - this road used to be full of lorries but thankfully a motorway has now removed most commercial traffic.

The rest of the walk, about 5km, was a easy descent through woods and then into Pajares. A nice Ukrainian couple I had met earlier led the way. He was ex-military and was carrying tent, food and kitchen sink in his rucksack.

Fortunately the rain held off all day - the weather can change in a heartbeat in the mountains but today the weather was perfect - cloudy enough to prevent sunburn but dry.

I had rented a room in a Posada which turned out to be a room in a house. But it was spotless and the town's sole restaurant a short walk back up the road.