After a delightful evening, a good sleep with just the 5 of us sharing a room and bath and a bit of breakfast we were off once again. The morning was chillier than we’ve had before but it was worth being up and about to see the sunrise over Fão and the Rio Cávado.

The bridge was under construction with a walking path only on one side. Didn’t seem so bad until we were only walking on soggy particle boards.

We made it safely across, walking along the tidal edge of the river. Lots of cobblestones, as is the norm here. While they look charming, they are indeed, hard on the feet. Most every hiker is complaining about them. But not much to do except persevere and be pleased when a different surface comes up.

We walked on, away from the water’s edge up through towns along the way. We stopped for our usual morning coffee, chatting with a few other hikers. The kids have been so good about not pushing me further than I could handle plus stopping frequently to rest, take shoes off, check the feet and have snacks.

The terrain has distinctly changed, with hills once again for the first time since Lisbon. I actually find them easier than the persistent flat roads. We came across a small sign saying a cafe was just down a short lane 90 m away. Sounded good. As we approached previous customers said “Oh, it’s good! Make sure you go inside.” They were right! It was over the top covered ceiling to walls with stuff. Too dark to photo but cool.

Eventually we came upon my favorite part of the hike thus far. A dirt path along the Rio Neiva. It was rocky, filled with roots and lovely! Reminded me of hiking the Primitivo. I mentioned to Mandy that I was being careful not to fall down the cliff edge into the river. She said “Don’t worry, your pack will snag you on the way down.” Reassuring. But it was beautiful! The reflection on the water, the small falls and the walkway across were all amazing.

Beyond that we climbed up a rather steep hill into the town of Castelodo Neiva to the albergue Mandy was fortunate to book. It’s small and quirky as all get out. We’ve once again got bunks in a room with Jo and Matilda, the mom and daughter from Wales. And now, two charming young girls from Denmark are also sharing the room. Another chance to chat in Danish.

10 miles with 24,581 steps