The weather brightened up today and the walk north to Ourense started well. The walk out of town was past some fine church buildings.
The highlight though is the Roman Vilanova bridge that crosses the Arnoia River. It just knows how picturesque it is!
Another really nice starting walk through countryside today. Just outside of Allariz, after passing under the N525, the official route seemed to want to use a slightly busy road to Roiriz. By turning off to the left a few yards before that junction, towards A Cal, one could walk much further on back roads. A group of Spaniards out for a walk had quite a go at me, telling me that I was going the wrong way and that it was not passable ahead. But I pressed on.
And found myself faced by a very large and aggressive dog, barking like fury to block the road. It took a while but eventually the hound calmed down and it was possible get past him. In truth I think he was a bit scared and the barking was a cover for that fear.
A little further on, at A Cal, there was another of those images that tells you how time has moved on - what was once a smart gate and entrance, now overgrown.
There then followed one of those decisions that seemed good at the time. The road out of A Cal can go west or east and then work its way round back to the camino route. Alternatively there is a track that heads due north. How bad could this track be? Answer, I found out, was pretty bad. Very overgrown with brambles, it really needed a machete rather than a walking pole. I was thinking that those Spaniards earlier might have had a point when advising to go on the official route.
Nonetheless the brambles finally gave way and Ourense came into view.
Coffee was at the nice Cafe Taboadela (which had a stamp!) in, unsurprisingly, Taboadela. Then it was a long and dull 6km walk alongside the OU320 up to Reboredo. A little diversion to the right and there was the Orixe Pulperia restaurant which served a decent lunch. After fighting through the woods, a modern and clean restaurant was perfect.
And then into Ourense. I had booked an apartment I had stayed in before which I knew to be comfortable and to have a good washing set up. Then it was time to watch England play Germany in the Euros. I rather assumed it was going to go to penalties so I actually got a little distracted and missed England scoring.
Dinner was outside at the unlikely sounding Tizar Gourmet restaurant. It had great views of both Santa Eufemia and the cathedral which caught the evening sun most photogenically.
And Ourense boasts one of the most photogenic town halls I've ever seen, located in the Praza Maior.
Then back to the apartment to plan the next day's walk.
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