Day 25 GR1 to Graus

Christine's luck continued into a second day. Wonderful sun all morning until about 2pm. Then cloud and wind, but it didn't start to rain until we got to the hotel in Graus.

Great breakfast at casa rural in Salinas de Trillo, again everything homemade. Four different sorts of cured meat, cheese and of course sweet Spanish tomato pulp to put on your toast. There was a litre of red wine on the table but no takers, but the cafe con leche with this morning's fresh goats milk went down very well. The cost per person, by the way, was 38 euros for dinner bed and breakfast and as much red wine and other home made beverages as you can drink - Spain offers great value.

When we left we really felt like we had made some new friends. Would be great to go back there.



Setting down the hill towards Trillo we were treated to early morning aerobatics from the vultures. In addition to the huge brown ones I've seen all the way along the GR1 Sendero Historico, we saw a pair of smaller ones, a bit nippier than their jumbo cousins, with white undercarriages, at first sight could have been sea-birds.

Salinas de Trillo

Trillo the next village along the route had a particularly fine location, perched on a cliff above the river. For once we could get inside the church and although it was in an advanced state of disrepair the frescos were still intact. The woman who was gardening just outside asked Juan to send her best wishes to a woman up at Pano.

Ruined church at Trillo

Getting to the next village was quite hard work, up and down a series of gorges but following a lovely ancient trail often carved literally out of the rock face.

Castillo de Panillo

After passing through Caneto, with the views getting better all the time as we climbed, we arrive at Pano and Juan rushes into the only restored building in the place to try and find the woman to whom he has been tasked with sending a message. She's not there but he finds another one, a lovely woman who insists on providing us with lunch. Surprised but grateful we stuff ourselves with a slightly odd mixed of dates, cheese, strawberries, tuna and crackers, and wild asparagus sautéed with shallots and garlic - all washed down with gallons of tea. She refused to take any money.

Scenically the next hour was the best with fantastic 360 degree views. Particularly enjoyed looking back to snow covered Puntón de Guara which I walked past three days ago, and north to the Pyrenees including great views of the highest mountain in the range, the Pico del Aneto.

Along the Canada Real

After climbing to the Castillo de Pano, a castle built in the 11th Century on the foundations of a moorish castle, it was downhill all the way. The initial stretch was along a wide Canada Real which we shared with a herd of goats.

Grustán

The descent was pretty relentless and apart from a visit to the abandoned village of Grustán, with a particularly fine Romanesque church, there wasn't that much to see and it got colder and windier.

As usual Christine's spirit sank as our destination refused to arrive complaining that the route we were on, hundreds of years old, was on the wrong side of the gorge. Couple of beers in Graus seemed to revive her but after 60 kilometres in two days, and the acquisition of a large blister on her toe, she is considering her travel options for tomorrow particularly as the forecast is for rain.

If you want to see where we went today then please go to the following link

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