We spent a lovely day in Ponferrada visiting with another very good friend Ana and her beautiful son Gonzalo and they showed us all around the old town and then took us to a beautiful restaurant to have lunch with her parents and her sister, Christina. We had a beautiful meal and a great chat and catch up. Afterwards they took us to Molinaseca which is 6 kms outside Ponferrada.

The origin and importance of Molinaseca, a town with a long tradition on the Camino de Santiago, is linked to the Bridge of the Pilgrims, a Romanesque building that rises above the River Meruelo. This is stage 22 of the Camino from Rabanal through the Malpaso bridges and following the Via Peregrina. Its 20 km of route make this one of the longest stretches of the Camino.

We had a lovely drink in a bar overlooking the river where everyone was swimming.

We even met a few pilgrims we knew! They had just done 26 kms in 34 degree heat – well done ladies and all the best for the rest of you pilgrimage.