Three routes led out of Villafranca this morning: one along the highway all the way, one up a big hill for the first part and then along the highway the rest of the way, and one which avoids the highway completely by going over several hills (the Dragonte route). We chose the second option, and had a lovely hike to our destination of the day. Our path immediately started uphill, taking us through trees as well as some open areas. Soon we were walking along the hilltops/ridge, higher than the power lines and we could see beautiful scenery all around us. Down in the valley below, we observed other peregrinos following the highway route. All of a sudden, on the path in front of us, was standing a deer! We approached quietly and she jumped into the grass to our left; we couldn't see her anymore, but the buck was standing there peering at us (for a moment)! In a few kilometers, we reached a quiet village located on a hilltop and surrounded by huge, lush vegetable gardens. We stopped for a coffee and the very hospitable owner served us her delicious homemade chips with garlic mayonnaise and chestnut cake (all main ingredients which they grow themselves).
From there, our path descended and then began to follow the highway. It's a secondary highway, following the valley bottom, and the traffic was light, so we found it ok. Nearby, we could see the autoroute, going through tunnels and along highly elevated sections way above us and the villages. I've tried to give a sense of the height of it in one of the photos. We were so relieved that we didn't have to walk (or drive) on that!
Our supper was a tasty vegetarian meal, enjoyed communally with other peregrinos from Canada and Italy.
