Day 5 - Castro Laboreiro to Cortegada

Today the route was 28km long. Not too bad in terms of distance but the heat was increasing. Today's forecast for 3pm was 37 degrees and full sunshine. The problem with that temperature is that one's body temperature would be some 10 degrees higher. At 47 degrees, one's body can't regulate core temperature adequately - effectively you are absorbing heat rather that losing it. So heart rate increases, you sweat 1-2 litres an hour, core temperature rises to about 40 degrees, skin goes dry, you get confused due to heat stroke and then die from major organ failure or a heart attack. And heat stroke can kick in within a couple of hours.

So faced with a choice of either dying or missing out on a bit of today's walk, I decided to taxi some of the way so I would get most of the walk done early. A friendly taxi driver took me a chunk of the way and I was in Cortegda by 2:30pm.

So with the threat of imminent death lifted, I was free to enjoy a very pleasant walk back into Spain.

Crespos rest area

Igrexa da Portela

There was the inevitable hill to climb and then a very long descent back down to the Minho river. I was just glad that I didn't have to do this route in reverse.

View of the Minho River

Despute the early start and the shortened route, I was out of water by the time I reached Cortegada. There was a climb back into the town but fortunately there was a bar at the municipal swimming pool on the outskirts of town which sold water and beer in a shady spot. A dog took objection to my walking poles but otherwise it was a peaceful spot.

Accommodation was at a little B&B.The pilgrim card worked and I got an upgrade to a room with a balcony on which clothes dried in about five minutes.

Dinner was at Nao Senlleira. There was a bit of confusion as the owner said that the kitchen wasn't open by which I thought he meant it wasn't opening. But then, while drinking a beer, he showed up with menus - clearly he meant that the kitchen was going to open, it just wasn't open at the ridiculously early hour of 8:30. A nice calorific meal followed by an hierbas was a good way to celebrate not having died on the camino.