" Not all who wander are lost..."

Yesterday we had to choose between two routes: the main one through the valleys or the Hospitales route which follows the ancient Roman road over the mountain pass with no services, villages or water source for 24km.
Anyone who knows my husband, knows we were always going to choose the path which goes up the mountains! In the past few days, many pilgrims have been some what incredulous at our children doing the Primitivo at all, and many expressed doubts about the choice to go over the mountains with them. But we know our children love mountains and nature and so took them anyway.
The route was astonishingly beautiful but also quite hard. It has a timeless atmospheric feel as you follow the Roman road over the mountains and see the ruins of the old pilgrim hospitals that date back to the middle ages.
The children loved it and declared it the best day yet. They found a horse skull, played hide and seek in wind withered stunted pines that grow on the top and loved watching the herd of wild horses on the top. 
After a steep descent we stopped in the shade of a tiny chapel for some lunch. This was very pleasant until a scruffy chicken arrived and we gave it some bread. It was followed shortly after by an angry farmer who was convinced we had stolen his water ( which was in a trough behind the wall). I duly apologized, but promised that we had not stolen his water. This led to a heated debate as I refused to confess to stealing his wretched water and tried to tell him we had merely fed his chicken.  Unfortunately,  I couldn't remember the word for "fed" and so told him that I had helped his chicken....which seemed to bemuse him somewhat. Possibly he didn't see how his chicken needed help.
Anyway we beat a hasty retreat and completed our 24kms and total elevation of 1059m, with a sense of elation and very sore feet.
Today was a rest day with a trip to the doctor to get antibiotics for Nicky's arm, so we only did 5km.
In terms of words in my mind as we went over the mountains...and my children skipped off the track to collect skulls and climb trees ....well yes ....Tolkien! 
I know these words are sometimes taken out of context and I don't want to belabour the point too much but I have been thinking on these words as I walked. It is amazing how many quotes, songs, poems and Bible verses bubble to the surface during this time.
All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.
J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring


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