Day 24 – Avilés to El Pito

What a difference a day makes, as they say in the classics! Wonderful walk today, albeit under leaden sky’s and with ponchos on for most of the day!
Actually, it turned out that Avilés was a very nice little town, at least around the central plaza and we had a great meal there. However, a bit like Newcastle used to be and Wollongong probably still is, it was hard to get the sulpur smell out of your nose.
Anyway, after a great nights sleep and a very good breakfast we headed out of town on the first of six climbs out of towns today. We got slightly lost but picked up the Camino again on the outskirts of Salinas (I managed to not let Al slip away – apologies to Kris Kristofferson!) – I think we save about a km though and we made good time to Barrio de la Cruz were we had our first break. We had several really nice walks through blue gum forests today, the first one in rain and the second in a bit of drizzle before we once again climbed first into El Castillo de San Martin and then on (further up!) to Soto del Barco for lunch. Unlike yesterday we stopped for the full hour we have come to learn is necessary for all the aches to go away – no doubt contributing to the feeling that it was a much better day today…
One last stop at Muros de Nalon for coffee (for Al, a beer for me) after an interesting bridge crossing and a steep climb. Halfway up we were rewarded with a great view of the river and village at its mouth (not sure of the names of either).
El Pito is a very small town with one bar which we are about to goblet for dinner – more tomorrow!
With the little detour, I reckon about 27km today making it 530kms so far!

ps – one of the pictures has a glimpse of the Picos de Europa in the distance – they were right alongside us either side of Llanes which gives you an idea of how far we have come!