To the hills

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We have now left the N-120 long behind us (well about 50 kilometres or so). The plains of Castille y Leon ended and the mountains of the Cordillera Cantabrica began. These mountains had long been on our horizon and our every bit as beautiful as their name. Three days ago Astorga with its fairy tale Gaudi palace was the entry point to this lush mountain range. After a day of gentle ascent we found ourselves in a world well removed from the dry plains below. The temperature dropped with the arrival of cooler winds from the north to produce and environment reminiscent of Navarre where we began our journey. We did achieve the incredible feat of 'out-clothing' the Spaniards with our attempts to keep warm. However, that most likely owed more to the unfortunate 24 hour stomach bug that wen had both picked up rather than a decline in our normal Northern European tolerance for the cold. The past two days the cold winds have abated to leave us warm in the most stunning part of our path to date. The clusters of wind turbines that adorn these quietly majestic hills stare down upon the grimy smog produced by the power station in a town below in what we hope is symbolic of the future. Having descended down to our home for this evening in Ponferrada we look forward to the mountain air as we will ascend again tomorrow.

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