Camino 2013 - Day 25 - 18 December 2013

A very different day today and although we only walked 22km it was in extreme weather conditions and in the last 7km had a 700 meter descend. The morning started very very cold with a thick fog or perhaps low cloud on the mountain tops around O'Cebreiro. We thought the leaden skies might change to sun shine but no such luck, by mid morning the fog was replaced by bitter wind and the weather could not decide between rain or snow. After lunch in the little village of Biduedo the weather had deteriorated to blizzard conditions with gale force winds. With the wind hitting us side on it was impossible to walk in a straight line and ponchos became a sail dragging us of the path, when we got the wind front on it drove the rain like needles into our faces. I was silly enough to walk for a distance with no gloves and when my hands were blue with the cold I couldn't get them on properly because the lining stuck to my wet fingers. Thankfully the path was softer because of the thick layer of mud, manure, water and leaves. Arrived at Triacastela by 15:30 and booked into empty albergue. With 115km to go we are on time for Christmas in Santiago.