I left this morning in the dark again to head on up the mountain, and the head torch was working well. It wasn't really necessary to leave so early, but after a bad nights sleep, it was the only thing to do. 

The mountain is called the Mountain of Forgiveness, which is a lovely name, and at the top, is El Cruz Ferro, The Iron Cross.

For once I stopped to take some photos of the sunrise. Heading forever west, this is always behind you. There have been many glorious sunrises, but you have to remember to look back to see them. Returning to the climb, it soon became evident that the weather higher up was not going to be kind. I reached a lovely bar for breakfast, just before the rain  really started, and was about to leave, when Stephan arrived so I stayed longer, out of the rain.  

We walked to the summit together, and reached El Cruz in mist, wind and rain. 

This is a major way point on the Camino, and is fortuitously positioned in the final stages, when there has been plenty of time for thought. Tradition dictates that you bring a stone from home, or along the way, and leave it on the large mound of many decades of stones. Many people write the names if their lost ones on the stones, and the wisdom is that you leave your burden, whatever it may be, with the stone. I have my items to leave in Santiago, but I forgot a stone, so picked one up at the bottom of the mountain, of course I wrote a name on it.

The mountain and the cross, and the stones collectively, are powerful symbols, and the vast majority of pellegrinos, no matter what their reasons for being on the Camio are, participate in the strong spirituality of the  traditions. The picture tells the story. 

There were no views for some time, but after descending  for a while the sun began to break through and a wonderful panorama was reaveled. After a warming lunch of white bean chilli, I said goodbye to Stephan and continued the steep descent into the valley, as I still had 16 km to go. The scenery was spectacular, and the villages really pretty, a sort of brown version of lake district villages. The latter part of the walk along the valley was a bit tedious, but I eventually arrived at my nice modern hostel, with an even nicer ensuite shower, for a nice quiet night.