Walking Day 2 - Las Medulas to Puente de Domingo Flores 13.5km
Las Medulas is a region where extensive gold mining was carried out by the Romans during the first 3 centuries AD uses water hydraulics. Water was brought in some areas from over a 100 kms. Massive tunnels were dug w many branches. Once the water poured in at great speed and volume the mountain side would collapse and the gold could be panhandled like the 49ers did in California. We took a 3k circular walk to observe 1 of the remaining mine entrances titled “The Big Hole”. Along the way old and new chestnut trees were dropping nuts and locals were defying the signs and gathering chestnuts.
The area is filled with mountain “needles” which are the remnants of the hydraulic mining.
From here we returned to the pension for our backpacks and rejoined the Camino. We decided on a short day and walked to a small town on the Rio Sil, downstream of Ponferrada. Although there was elevation gain leaving Las Medulas the majority of the walk was down hill to the river. There were no pilgrims on the walk but the scenery was beautiful and the day warm and sunny.
A look back from where we came.
Beautiful photos
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