June 4th 2014
My walking boots are ready, my knapsack is packed and I received
my 'pilgrim passport'. Tomorrow I will fly to
Biarritz (France) and embark on the Camino de Santiago the day after.
This morning I flew from Dublin to Biarritz. By the way, I'd like thank my
friend Irene for driving me to the Airport. Upon my arrival at Biarritz airport I was able to share a taxi
with five other people from Dublin. Together we drove to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, which was a one hour journey.
After visiting the town's pilgrims’ office and checking into my
accommodation for the night , I strolled trough this beautiful medieval
town.
June 6th 2014 - Day 1: Saint Jean Pied de Port (France) to Roncesvalles (Spain) 27 km
Today's stage of the walk was the bit that I feared the most. Crossing the Pyrenees between France and Spain. More than half of the way was uphill, ascending from an altitude of 200m to 1600m. Even at the best of times I am not great mountain climber. However, with a heavy load on my back (nearly 18kg), one foot slightly injured during 'training' and 30° C temperature' I had serious doubts that I would manage that bit of the way. However, everything went well. Needless to say that I felt like Julie Andrews bursting into song, when I had reached the last summit...lol ;-)
My most treasured piece of equipment so far: trekking poles. They were a real lifesaver today! I always had considered them as something for elderly people, and therefore nearly didn't bring any. So, thank you Claus and Gabriela for providing me with some trekking poles.
Tomorrow's stage should be easier - "Bon Camino" :-)
Today I only walked 21 km. There were no mountains to climb, but the heat was a more intense than yesterday. Nevertheless, the walk went very smoothly and the landscape along the way was beautiful.
After checking into an 'Alberge' (hostel) for the night I very much looked forward to dinner. The "Pilgrim's Menu" at the Alberge was a three course meal plus a glass of wine for only 10 € :-)
Along the way I had met many fellow 'pilgrims' from all over the world, even from such far-away countries as Japan. Germany and Ireland were well represented too ;-)
June 8th 2014 – Day 3: Zubiri to Pamplona (22 km)
Due to loud snoring at the Alberge dormitory I only slept 3 hours. I left Zubiri at 7:30am. Most of today's walk went very smoothly, but in the last small town before Pamplona I took a wrong turn. Fortunately an elderly Spanish man pointed me in the right direction. Pamplona itself is a very busy city, even on a Sunday. Pamplona's architecture in the old part of town was quite impressive...
June 9th 2014 – Day 4: Pamplona to Óbanos (22 km)
Another eventful day... After a good night sleep I departed from Pamplona at 7am. There were some familiar faces along the way, people I had met before on my way from St. Jean. Therefore, I never felt alone during my Camino walk.
Today I took another wrong turn, but once again a kind Spaniard pointed me in the right direction. Someone once told me that if you ever run into difficulties or get lost along the Camino, help arrives in the most unusual way. So far, I have to agree...
By 2:30pm I reached Óbanos. My original plan was to walk all the way to Puenta la Reina, but decided to stop in Óbanos for the night. It wasn't that I couldn't have walked the remaining few kilometres, but I simply liked this quiet little village.
June 10th 2014 – Day 5: Óbanos to Villatuerta (20.5 km)
Staying overnight in Obanos was the right decision, since it was a peaceful little village on the doorstep of Punta La Reina. From now on I will try avoid staying in the bigger town. The smaller places are much less frequented and often have cosier Albergues.
From Obanos I walked to Punta la Reina in less than 30 minutes and crossed the "Puente Romana" (an old Roman bridge). After a brief water-stop in Mañeru I continued across fields and vineyards to the picturesque village of Cirauqui with its magnificent cobblestone-paved alley ways and beautiful courtyards. Next stop was in Lorca, another lovely old village.
Last stop of the day was Villatuerta, where I heard about this amazing Albergue called "La Casa Magica" (The Magic House). It is indeed magical and beautiful. Simone, the Brazilian owner, had discovered this run-down 600 year old house, when she was walking the Camino six years previously. Her dream was to create a nice place, where other fellow pilgrims can relax. In my opinion she has achieved her goal and it's by far the nicest Albergue I have seen up until now.
Today I only walked a short distance for a couple of reasons. Firstly, there would have been no other place for another 12 km to stop overnight. Secondly, after a nice cool morning it became very hot just by noon.
After leaving Villatuerte at 7:30am I reached Estella 45 minutes later. This little town had some beautiful Romanesque architecture.. Shortly after exiting Estella there was are vinery along the Camino way. This vinery had a "Fuente De Vino" (wine fountain) installed at their gate. What a great idea!! Needless to say that this fountain was a big hit with all the pilgrims ;-)
After passing through the village of Azqueta I arrived in Villamayor shortly after lunchtime. After finding accomodation for the night, I decided to walk up the mountain there to see the ruins of Monjardín Castle. The view from up there was stunning and well worth the climb.
June 12th 2014 – Day 7:
Villamayor de Monjardín to Viana (30 km)
Today I covered the longest distance so far. An early start at 6am
really helped, as there was a cool breeze in the air and no hills/mountains for the first part
of the way. Therefore it was possible to reach Los Arcos in record time of
2.5 hours for 12km. By then temperatures had gone up to 30° and the terrain
became hilly again. There were very few trees to provide shade and only a
handful of wells to replenish my water supply. Therefore, I only took a small
break in Sansol. Afterwards I continued to Viana without further
ado and arrived there by 2 pm.
During the final stretch of the way I nearly stepped on a snake. I
do not know who was more startled, the snake or I (?)
I'm certain it was me and I 'flew' along the Camino for the last couple of Kilometres.
I'm certain it was me and I 'flew' along the Camino for the last couple of Kilometres.
June 13th 2014 – Day
8: Viana to Navarrete (23 km)
Yesterday evening I was suprised to learn how steeped in history the
town of Viana is. For example, Cesare Borgia died here in 1507 and is
buried in Viana's Santa Maria church. By the way, Viana has amazing churches and some
impressive old buildings.
This morning I left my albergue at 6:15am. When I crossed the deserted
town square, someone called out my name. It was Maresa from the US, who had
walked with me from Roncesvalles to Zubiri. She was delighted to meet someone
who spoke English and I too was happy to see a familiar face. Together we
went to Logroño, which was 10 km away from Viana.
The scenery on the way to Logrõno was not very exciting. Just roads,
industrial estates and a few vineyards. The area around La Rioja was
especially ugly.
We reached the outskirts of Logrono by 9am. There, in a small hamlet
which consisted of three old houses, a nice old lady stood at the roadside
and greeted the pilgrims. She had a little stall, where she stamped the
pilgrims' passports and sold cherries. At the cost of 1€ we received a paper
bag with half a kilo of deliciously sweet cherries. A welcome breakfast for
us, since neither Maresa or I had any breakfast at our Albergues.
In Logroño our ways parted and Maresa took a bus to Burgos. This
was her last day of walking the Camino before returning to the US. Logroño is a big city, approximately the same
size as Pamplona. It took me one whole hour to walk across town. Temperatures had sored by the time I had passed through that city. The terrain which followed was less
green, but featured some vineyards and olive tree orchards. Olive trees smell like olive oil soap, quite strong but not unpleasant.
A walking uphill some time and I eventually reached the
picturesque town of Navarette. The first thing I noticed on entering town were
the remains of an old hospital for pilgrims ("San Juan de Acre"). Right in the middle of of town is a beautiful old church and behind it a hill with a
little park on top. The view from up there is stunning.
June 14th 2014 – Day 9: Navarrete to Azofra (24 km)
I left Naverette at dawn. The air was fresh and cool and birds were singing.
I left Naverette at dawn. The air was fresh and cool and birds were singing.
By 7:45am I entered a village called Ventosa. There I did not know which turn to take, but noticed an open coffee shop at the cross roads. When I asked for directions I also glanced at the breakfast menu. To my surprise not only did it have an English translation but also bacon & eggs on the menu. That was me sorted for food :-P
At 11am I came to Nájera, a nice little town with the river Najerilla running through it. By noon I had reached my final destination for today. Today one quarter of the way to Santiago had been completed (200 km)
June 15th 2014 – Day 10:
Azofra to Belorado (38 km)
Two personal records had been set today, one in terms of starting time and the
other in terms of distance walked. At 5:30am, long before sunrise, I left Azofra. This was slightly risky, since I couldn't see much in the dark. I only had a
tiny torch on my key ring, since my head light had not survived the flight. Nevertheless,
I found my way. By 6:15 the day was slowly dawning and I was
breezing through the landscape. The cool weather and smooth path certainly
helped to move along fast...
By breakfast time I had reached the historic town of Santo
Domingo de la Calzada. After some light breakfast and milky coffee, I visited
a couple of churches. Wonderful buildings with some
magnificent statues and richly decorated altars. The town certainly would have
deserved some closer inspection, but I wanted to get some mileage done.
The villages that followed were pretty but not different in any way from those I had already seen so far. By early afternoon I arrived in Belorado. A lovely
old town of Celtic origin, which later became a Roman settlement. During the
middle ages it grew into a town. Today one can still see the remains of an old
castle (9th century), the old Jewish quarter ("El
Corro") and two old churches (Santa Maria and San Pedro). There are stork nests on the roof tops of many buildings.
June 16th 2014 – Day
11: Belorado to Atapuerca (30 km)
It was a cool and windy morning when I left Belorado and I
expected rain all day. Fortunately it remained dry, but the sun only came out for a
few minutes in the afternoon. Therefore, no sunglasses were needed today.
My rucksack today was approximately 3 kg lighter, which made a huge difference.
The previous night in my Albergue I noticed a parcel service at reception and spontaneously
decided to forward all unused items to Santiago. There I would collect them
before my flight home.
It was a very quiet morning and I left Belorado quite late.
After passing through Villafranca Montes de Oca, the way went uphill for 6km. There was a climb from 770m to 1162m (Alto de Valbuena). I had a break at the next village called San Juan
de Orteca. Between Villafranca and San Juan was nothing but forest.
After San Juan I decided to continue for another 6km to Atapuerca.
Therefore, I would only have to walk 20km to Burgos the next day. In Burgos I have planned
to stay for two nights in order to rest and enjoy some sightseeing.
June 17th 2014 – Day
12: Atapuerca to Burgos (21 km)
This morning the temperature had suddenly dropped to 4°C and I needed a few more layers of clothing.
This morning the temperature had suddenly dropped to 4°C and I needed a few more layers of clothing.
A few of us left the Albergue and the friendly village of Atapuerca together at
6:30am. After climbing the Matagrande (1078 m) we reached the village of
Cardeñuela de Riopico. Frozen to the bone we were delighted to spot an open
coffee shop. The famous "café con leche" (milky coffee) never had tasted
so good. After that our little group started to seperate. A Korean lady and I
continued walking together the last remaining10 km to Burgos. To my surprise she spoke perfect
German. She told me that she had been living in Aachen for quite some time during the 1980s.
Although we had reached Burgos Airport by 9:30am but it would take us
another 1.5 hours before we reached the actual city. In between we crossed endless
highways and industrial estates.
Burgos is an old city and was founded during the 9th century. Burgos
Castle was built appximately at the same time. Today the castle lays in ruins, since it was blown up by the Napoleonic army during the early 1800s. I took
a guided tour of the castle, which was quite interesting. The
castle's well was a masterpiece of engineering.
For the rest of the afternoon I took a stroll through the old part the
city. I'm delighted to have another full day in Burgos, since there are
many interesting places to visit. First item on my agenda will be a visit to
Burgos Cathedral ("La Cathedral de Santa Maria").
June 18th 2014 – Day
13: Burgos
After a chilly morning the day was sunny and warm. I woke up at
7am, having considerable pain in my left foot. A couple of blisters had turned
red overnight and made it difficult to walk. I disinfected and bandaged
the foot the best I could. Wearing walking boots was not an option and I
started exploring the city in my Crocs.
First I walked to the monastery "Santa Maria la Real de las
Huelgas", which was 1.5 km away from the town centre. This monastery is famous for
its late-Romantic style architecture and its museum for medieval clothes, which is
considered one of the best collections in Europe.
I was hobbling back into town, since my foot had become as red as a lobster
and was on fire. Therefore, I kept my visit to the Cathedral "Santa
Maria" very brief. Back at my B&B I searched the internet for a podologist who
spoke English. To my delight there was one just around the corner from where I
am staying. I went there and was seen to immediately. A young doctor with good
English confirmed that the blisters had become septic. A small incision in my
heel was necessary to drain the food. The wound was then disinfected and
bandaged. A few corns were also removed at the same time. The whole treatment
took about 30 minutes and provided great relief. The total cost was 30 Euro,
plus another 5 for antibiotics and bandages from the pharmacy. I was very
impressed by it all!!! By the late afternoon Is pain-free and able to
continue my walk through Burgos.
The last place visited today was the "Museum of Human
Evolution", which was very interesting.
I would have liked to stay in Burgos a few more days, as there are still many things
to see. Nevertheless, I am determined to resume my journey in the morning.
June 19th 2014 – Day 14: Burgos to Hontanas (31 km)
I departed from Burgos at 7:00 and the morning was less chilly than
yesterday. Finding my way out of town was easy. The Camino
through Burgos is very well signposted. Before reaching the edge of town I made
one final stop at the old "Hospital del Rey" (the King's hospital).
It is now part of the Burgos University campus. "Hospital del Rey"
was founded by Alfonso VIII and Eleanor of England during the early 13th century.
The next 10 km of the way were unspectacular. The terrain
consisted mostly of dusty paths between fields and roads, some highways and a
couple of industrial areas.
In Tardajos I briefly stopped for breakfast, since I had not eaten since Burgos. A vegetable seller with a few tables outside his
shop served sandwiches and a friendly old lady served coffee. After this I
left for Hornillos del Camino, which was my intended final stop for the day.
Given the condition of my foot I thought that 20 km would be enough walking for
the day.
However, the closer I got to Hornillos the more pilgrims appeared on
the road. I got there by noon and already noticed a crowd
of people in the square beside the church. There was a long queue of people
at the municipal Albergue, waiting to get in. The Albergue would open by 2pm. Therefore, just refilled my water bottle by the fountain and decided to push on
to San-Sol, which was 6 km further to go. I imagined San-Sol to be the next village but I was wrong.
San-Sol was a tiny Albergue in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by
fields. There was no other building nearby. The Albergue looked like a small
barn and very basic. To me this place did not look very inviting. I needed to decide whether I should continue walking to the next village or if I should stay. The next village was another 5km walk. I decided to go on, in spite of the fact that my feet getting tired. The weather was very hot and my water supply nearly depleted.
By 2:30 pm I reached Hontanas, a pretty little village with 70
inhabitans. There was no shortage of places to stay, as there were
several hostels and Albergues. Quite a few pilgrims already had arrived in Hontanas. They were either stretched out on benches along the street or sipping cold
beverages in one of the street cafés. At the entrance of the village was a small
hermitage dedicated to Saint Bridget of Sweden.
Despite today's long walk, my foot was holding up well...
June 20th – Day 15:
Hontanas to Frómista (32 km)
After a good night sleep I left Hontanas at 7am sharp. The first part
of the walk was quite easygoing. I passed through green valleys surrounded by
equally green hills. Two hours later I had reached the ruins of the convent of "San
Antón". Shortly after I arrived in Castrojeriz. This town looked already picturesque from afar. Castrojeriz was dwarfed by a massive
hill with an ancient castle on top. Some nice old churches could also be
seen from afar. Two of the churches were "Santa María del
Manzano" and "Santo Domingo".
Beyond Castrojeriz was a steep hill to climb (Alto de Mostalares 910 m).
To my amazement I also saw a young couple with two small kids and a baby in a
pram doing it. Wow, mountain climbing with a pram! That's a first.
I then proceeded to "Itero de la Vega". Just before entering the village there was the
"Rio Pisuerga" river with the "Puente Fitero" bridge across. Next
to the bridge is the old pilgrim hospital "San Nicolas". It's not being used as a hospital anymore, but pilgrims nowadays are greeted there by volunteers with coffee and
other free refreshments. This was a welcome surprise.
After Itero de la Vega was nothing but dusty roads and cornfields for
approximately 10 km. There was no shade to protect the wanderer from the Spanish sun (34°).
The next village I reached was the sleepy Boadilla del Camino. I only
paused there for a quick coke and then proceeded to Frómista. Before entering
that industrial little town I crossed the "Canal de Castilla"
(209 km long). It's a masterpiece of hydraulic engineering and was constructed
during the 18th & 19th century. Frómista too has some
beautiful old churches. The most impressive is the church of "San
Pedro", which also contains a small museum of religious icons and other
historical artifacts.
This evening we finally had some rain which helped to clear the air and
settle the dust.
June 21st 2014 – Day
16: Frómista to Calzadilla de la Cueza (36 km)
A rather boring day, but at least I have completed the first half of the way
to Santiago. Hooray!!!
Today's stretch of the way was the least exciting to date. For the first
22 km I walked on roads or next to it. At least the path
was even and the weather not too hot. Last night's rain had cleared the
air and settled the dust.
The only two little breaks from that 'road-routine' were Villacázar de
Sirga, which had a picturesque village square, and the town of Carrión de los
Condes.
Carrión was a lively little town. Most houses were decorated with
colourful flags. Unfortunately, I did not have the time to investigate if there was
any kind of festivity. I was just passing through. Before leaving
town I passed the monastery "San Zoilo", which nowadays is half hotel and
half monastery. Before the road came to an end, I stopped for quick coffee at a petrol
station. From thereon I walked through endless fields for 14 km.
I was very happy when I finally saw Calzadilla's church tower on the horizon.
June 22nd 2014 - Day 17: Calzadilla de la Cueza to Sahagún (22 km)
Early start and early finish today...
Although I had a good rest last night, my feet felt tired from all the walking yesterday....
June 23rd 2014 – Day 18: Sahagún to Mansilla de las Mulas (37 km)
Early start and early finish today...
Although I had a good rest last night, my feet felt tired from all the walking yesterday....
Since most people in my dorm were awake by 5:30am, I too decided to get up and ready. I still was amazed by the fact that nobody had been snoring all night. Wow, that certainly was a first!!
I left Calzadilla at dawn and made good time. By 8:30 I already had walked 12 km and passed through two villages. At time I reached Moratinos. An equally insignificant small village, but with two interesting features. The first were a couple of old houses built into a hill. It was slightly surreal and looked like something from a Tolkien novel. One could expect Bilbo Baggins living there. The second interesting feature was a more modern one. A coffee shop with a very extensive breakfast menu in four languages. From croissants & french cheese, bacon & eggs, etc...you even could have white sausages from Munich. I was told that spanish coffee shop owner had been living in Bavaria for ten years. Needless to say that it didn't take much convincing to have a hearty breakfast there. However, I gave the Bavarian white sausages a miss...lol ;-)
Sahagún was my final stop for the day. A couple of kilometres before Sahagún is the "Ermita de la Virgen del Puente". This place marks the geographical centre of the Camino Frances (the distance from Roncesvalles to Santiago). Pilgrims can therefore receive their "Carta Peregrina" at Sahagún's "Santuario de la Peregrina" (the old convent of St. Francis). The Carta Peregrina is a a certificate which states that the pilgrim has completed half the journey to Santiago.
Sahagún is a friendly little town with 2000 people and some great buildings. There are some beautiful churches and museums to see.
The main square "Plaza Mayor" is surrounded by some cosy little cafés and bars/restaurants. Today this square was especially lively as a Corpus Christi procession (Fronleichnam Prozession) was taking place. I witnessed it first hand.
In the evening I visited the exhibitions at "Iglesia de San Tirso" and "Santuario de la Peregrina". I also received my "Carta Pergrina"
http://sahagundigital.com/not/1518/nace_la__lsquo_carta_peregrina_rsquo__un_documento_que_acreditara_el_paso_de_los__lsquo_concheiros_rsquo__por_sahagun__el_centro_geografico_del_camino_de_santiago/
I left Calzadilla at dawn and made good time. By 8:30 I already had walked 12 km and passed through two villages. At time I reached Moratinos. An equally insignificant small village, but with two interesting features. The first were a couple of old houses built into a hill. It was slightly surreal and looked like something from a Tolkien novel. One could expect Bilbo Baggins living there. The second interesting feature was a more modern one. A coffee shop with a very extensive breakfast menu in four languages. From croissants & french cheese, bacon & eggs, etc...you even could have white sausages from Munich. I was told that spanish coffee shop owner had been living in Bavaria for ten years. Needless to say that it didn't take much convincing to have a hearty breakfast there. However, I gave the Bavarian white sausages a miss...lol ;-)
Sahagún was my final stop for the day. A couple of kilometres before Sahagún is the "Ermita de la Virgen del Puente". This place marks the geographical centre of the Camino Frances (the distance from Roncesvalles to Santiago). Pilgrims can therefore receive their "Carta Peregrina" at Sahagún's "Santuario de la Peregrina" (the old convent of St. Francis). The Carta Peregrina is a a certificate which states that the pilgrim has completed half the journey to Santiago.
Sahagún is a friendly little town with 2000 people and some great buildings. There are some beautiful churches and museums to see.
The main square "Plaza Mayor" is surrounded by some cosy little cafés and bars/restaurants. Today this square was especially lively as a Corpus Christi procession (Fronleichnam Prozession) was taking place. I witnessed it first hand.
In the evening I visited the exhibitions at "Iglesia de San Tirso" and "Santuario de la Peregrina". I also received my "Carta Pergrina"
http://sahagundigital.com/not/1518/nace_la__lsquo_carta_peregrina_rsquo__un_documento_que_acreditara_el_paso_de_los__lsquo_concheiros_rsquo__por_sahagun__el_centro_geografico_del_camino_de_santiago/
June 23rd 2014 – Day 18: Sahagún to Mansilla de las Mulas (37 km)
A book by Zane Grey is titled "Wanderer of the Wasteland". Well, that's how I felt today. After departing from Sahagún there was nothing but roads and fields, with only small trees that provided little or no shade. The terrain was flat and the sun was merciless (35° C).
I only came across three tiny villages along the way (Bercianos del Real Camino, El Burgo Ranero & Reliegos). In the first village I stopped for breakfast. On the next table next sat a ragged-looking, elderly pilgrim from Portugal. He told me that he has been on the road for almost a yea. He started off in Lisbon and walked to Santiago de Compostela. From thereon he continued via Spain and France to Rome. He now was on his way back to Portugal.
By 5pm I finally arrived at Manisilla de las Mulas; tired, sweaty and covered in dust. The albergues and hostals were almost full, but I eventually found a cosy room at an inn.
Tomorrow I will be reaching León, where I will be staying for two nights. León will be the last big city before Santiago de Compostella.
By 5pm I finally arrived at Manisilla de las Mulas; tired, sweaty and covered in dust. The albergues and hostals were almost full, but I eventually found a cosy room at an inn.
Tomorrow I will be reaching León, where I will be staying for two nights. León will be the last big city before Santiago de Compostella.
June 24th 2014 – Day
19: Mansilla de las Mulas to León (20 km)
Last night the heavens opened and rain was bucketing down. The thunder
and lightning at times were so intense that the electric light started
flickering. By this morning the rain had eased off enough to walk without
raincoat or poncho to León. There was just a bit of a drizzle. The scorched
earth certainly needed to water and overnight millions of slugs had appeared on
the Camino trail.
I left Mansilla by 7:00 and by 10:00 had reached León. It seemed as if
the whole city was in hibernation. No cars and very few people on the road,
most window shutters were down and shops closed. The rain was getting stronger again
at the time when I entered the city. I checked into a Hostal (Guesthouse) for two nights, since
it is only allowed to stay in Albergues for one night. Most hostals are 1* or sometimes 2*
hotels, but their standard is certainly higher than some 3* Guesthouses you may
find on Dublin's Gardiner Street.
Regardless of the rain I went into town for sightseeing. The cathedral
"Santa Maria de León" was just around the corner from where I was
staying. A most impressive gothic building with 1800 sqm of medieval stained-glass
windows. It also houses some wonderful paintings and sculptures. You easily
need an hour to visit the cathedral. One 21st century feature in that church
made me smile. Due the ongoing restoration work and its high costs, collection
boxes could be found throughout the cathedral. If you wished to donate a larger amount, credit card readers for swiping your plastic could be found next to the
old-fashioned collection box (lol)...
After the cathedral I took a tour through "St. Isidore's
Basilica". This is the second most important church in León. It is a jewel
of Spanish Romanesque art.
In the evening the city suddenly came to life. I learned that it was the
holiday of "San Juan & San Pedro" (from June 21st - 30th). These
are the two major fiestas in León.
June 25th 2014 – Day
20: day of rest and sightseeing in León
Lazy day today... I just took the weight of my feet, strolled through town
and sat by the river. From time to time I would stop at a coffee shop to have a
cuppa and a pastry. Absolute bliss!! :-)
June 26th – Day 21: León to Hospital de Órbigo (33 km)
After another night of heavy rain the morning was sunny and mild. The
city of León was still asleep when I departed. The way out of town and the path
that followed were mostly along roadsides. Therefore today's trek was quite boring for the first 26 km.
After passing through San Martin del Camino the surrounding landscape became more
pleasant again. I was determined to walk all the way to Astorga, but when I reached
Hospital de Órbigo I decided to stay here for the night. This picturesque
little village has one of the most amazing stone bridges that I have seen. There also was a circus in town and camels could be seen grazing next to the
bridge.
Tomorrow I should be reaching a mounting range called "Montes de
León". It should take me a day or two to cross it.
June 27th 2014 – Day
22: Hospital de Órbigo to Rabanal del Camino (40 km)
It was sunny and hot day in Northern Spain. Nevertheless, today's walk was very enjoyable as I was not walking along roads anymore. The terrain became hillier the further I went. In the distance some snow-covered mountains could even be seen.
When I reached the town of Astorgia I decided to stop for some sightseeing. The cathedral and the bishop's palace next to it are well worth seeing. There also were some interesting excavations in Astorgia (e.g. mosaic tile floors from Roman times).
After Astorgia I walked through lovely landscape with some enchanting old villages along the way. Rabanal del Camino was the prettiest and historically most interesting of those villages. I therefore decided to make this my resting place for the night. The truth been told, I also would have not been able to walk another step that day. Submerging my feet in a bathtub with ice-cold water that evening was pure bliss :-)
After Astorgia I walked through lovely landscape with some enchanting old villages along the way. Rabanal del Camino was the prettiest and historically most interesting of those villages. I therefore decided to make this my resting place for the night. The truth been told, I also would have not been able to walk another step that day. Submerging my feet in a bathtub with ice-cold water that evening was pure bliss :-)
June 28th 2014 – Day
23: Rabanal del Camino to Molinaseca (24 km)
A cold and wet morning in the mountains. Today my rain poncho came into
use for the first time. I finally had an opportunity to test how waterproof the
rest of the equipment was.
I left Rabanal unsually late (8:00), but after yesterday's long walk I just
couldn't get into gear. The sky was grey, so I enjoyed a nice long
breakfast instead.
I was continuously climbing up for the first four hours and apart from
the occasional drizzle the rain was not too bad. The ascend was not steep but
gradual, although I went up from an altitude of 800m to 1500m. At the summit
was the famous "Cruz de Ferro", where people would leave stones (with or
without inscription) or some other good luck charms. I too left some items
for friends and family.
After starting to climb down all heavens opened, turning the
path into a mudslide. I therefore made Molinaseca my last stop for the day. By 16:00 the rain finally stopped and the sun came out.
June 29th 2014 – Day
24: Molinaseca to Cacabelos (24 km)
Today temptation got the better of me ... again. When I left Molinaseca
in the morning I had every intention to walk to Villafranca del Bierzo (31 km).
I made good time and only stopped once for coffee at Ponferrada. The weather
was pleasant and sunny too.
However, just before reaching Cacabelos a huge billboard appeared in
the middle of nowhere. It was multiple language advertising for a 3*-hotel with
special rates for pilgrims. At 36 € it offered a fully air-conditioned single
room en-suite. A breakfast buffet from 6am onwards was included in that rate too.
Well, that was the biggest selling point for me. A buffet...wow!! Haven't seen
one of those, since I started this journey. Breakfast in Spain, apart from a
good cup of coffee, has no substance. You're usually served a plastic-wrapped
muffin or slice of cake. The alternative is one slice of toast, no butter, and
just a tiny bit of jam. I therefore usually only have "cafe con
leche" in the morning, and some fruit & nuts for when I am walking. I
only sit down for a proper meal in the evening, when I have arrived at my
destination. Most towns and villages offer a "menú de peregrino"
(pilgrim's menu). This is a set menu consisting of a starter, main course and
dessert. Wine, water & bread are included too. The price usually ranges
from 9-12€, which is a really good deal.
Anyway, I now have checked into my hotel for the night and my room
could easily accommodate four people. Well, if the standard of the room is any
indication for the standard of breakfast, then I will be having a feast
tomorrow morning.
June 30th 2014 – Day
25: Cacabelos to Las Herrerias (30 km)
After a good, hearty breakfast I left Cacabelos at 6:45. It was still a
bit chilly, but soon after it was sunny and warm.
By 9:00 I reached a beautiful little town called Villafranca del
Bierzo. It is surrounded by mountains. Many Spanish school kids started walking
the Camino from there. I noticed that since the last couple of days there a lot
more natives on the trail. It seems that many Spanish people are walking the
last 200km to Santiago. Therefore, finding accommodation will become harder
from here on.
After Villafranca I was walking along roads again all day, but this
time the roads were quiet and surrounded by beautiful landscape.
I reached the tiny village of Las Herrerias by 14:00. This will be my
final stop for tonight, before ascending into the mountains tomorrow morning.
July 1st 2014 – Day
26: Las Herrerias to Triacastela (30 km)
July 2nd 2014 – Day
27: Triacastela to Sarria (22 km)
It had been raining ever since I entered Galicia and last night was
no different. When I got up at 5:00 the rain was still pouring down, but when I
left at 6:30 it just had stopped.
It was foggy when I left Triacastela and for the rest of the morning
the sky remained overcast. There are many similarities between the weather in
Galicia and Ireland: it's not very hot or sunny and it rains a lot. Therefore,
the landscape too is quite similar. It's very green, a bit hilly and you can
see a lot of cattle and sheep. It's almost like the Wicklows.
By 8:45 I reached the small town of Samos. Just in time for breakfast.
There was no shortage of coffee shops, but I picked one that was directly
opposite the monastery. An impressive building complex with a huge estate attached
to it. I would have loved to see the interiors, but at that time the monastery
was not open to the public.
After Samos I walked through green hills and valleys, passing through
abandoned villages. By noon I had reached Sarria and the sun finally came out.
Sarria will be the last bigger town before getting to Santiago.
July 3rd 2014 – Day
28: Sarria to Portomarín (22 km)
It's now been exactly four weeks since I set out on this journey to
Santiago de Compostela. By now I have completed 700 km and have 90 km left to
go.
This morning I left Sarria at 8:00, which was quite late. The Camino
was busy with pilgrims, since many local people had started their journey in
Sarria. In order to be awarded the "Compostela", you need to have at
least walked the last 100 km. On bike it has to be a minimum of 200 km. From
here on each pilgrim needs get a minimum of two stamps per day in his/her
"credential" (pilgrim passport).
The weather in Galicia was hot and sunny today, which made the walk
more pleasant. The landscape was slightly hilly and still very green. By 1:00
pm I had reached Portomarín, which is a cute little town by a barrier lake.
July 4th 2014 – Day
29: Portomarín to Melide (34 km)
"The early bird ..." ... well, this is what I thought this
morning. Therefore, I left the town before dawn AND took a wrong turn. By the
time I became aware of my mistake, I had lost about 30 minutes ... doh!! Back
on the right track again, many Spanish school classes were already on the
Camino. It took me nearly three hours to overtake them all. After that it was
peaceful and quiet again for the rest of the way.
The path was very pleasant to walk today. No steep hills and many trees
along the way. Those trees provided some much needed shade.
By noon I reached the small town Pallas de Rei. Many pilgrims including
those school class were going to stay there for the rest of the day. Therefore,
that town was already crowded by lunchtime. I quickly passed Palas de Rei and
moved on. Between the villages Leboreiro and Furelos, I nearly got myself into
a pickle. I was walking down a small country lane and as turning around a
corner a herd of bulls was heading towards me. There was no escape as there was
a wall on each side of the lane. The bulls looked pretty irritated when they
saw me all of a sudden. I looked for a shepherd but saw none. I decided to
press myself against and to stand absolutely still. Luckily the herd passed by
without any incident. Phew!!
By 4pm I reached Melide, which is a small industrial town.
July 5th 2014 – Day
30: Melide to O Pedrouzo (32 km
Today was an uneventful day as I was moving fast from A to B since it
was very rainy. I only twice stopped for coffee. The second coffee shop had
many signed T-shirts hanging from the ceiling and the walls were covered with hundreds
of signatures too. It's amazing how many people have passed through there over
the years.
Tomorrow will be the last leg of my journey to Santiago, as there are
only 18 km left to walk. By noon tomorrow I hope to be standing in front of
Santiago Cathedral. I am getting excited.
July 6th 2014 – Day
31: O Pedrouzo to Santiago de Compostela (18 km)
Despite the wet weather there was a lot of excitement this morning.
These were the final few kilometres until Santiago. Along the way I saw some familiar faces again. It was nice to share Camino experiences while
getting closer to Compostela.
Everyone was eager to get to the special mass for pilgrims at noon at
Santiago Cathedral. It was quite emotional to finally reaching the cathedral.
By the time mass had ended a few of us went to have some Spanish
cuisine and a couple of beers to celebrate our arrival. In the afternoon we
received our "Compostela" and "Certificato de Distancia" at
the pilgrims' office.
In total I have been on the road for 31 days (29 days walking + 2 days
rest). During that time I walked 775 kilometres. Tomorrow I'll take a day of
rest and enjoy some sightseeing. On Tuesday I will be heading to Finistere,
which will be the very end of this amazing journey.
July 7th 2014 – Day 32:
Day of leisure and sightseeing in Santiago
July 8th 2014 – Day
33: Santiago the Compostela to Negreira (21 km)
Today I continued my walk to Cape Finisterre, which is considered to be
the very end of the way of St. James. Finisterre (also "Fisterra") is
90 km away from Santiago and said to be the westernmost point of the Iberian
Peninsula. In the middle ages this point was considered to be "the end of
the world" ...
After leaving Santiago I noticed that this bit of the Camino is equally
well signposted, but far less developed. Therefore, one has to stick with the
designated stages, since there is no accommodation in between.
I should be reaching Finisterre the day after tomorrow and then will proceed to Muxía.
July 9th 2014 – Day
34: Negreira to Olveiroa (34 km)
After watching Germany's glorious football victory late last night, it
was hard getting up early this morning. It was a pleasant walk through forests
and hills today. By 3pm I reached my albergue. Tomorrow I should arrive in
Finisterre.
July 10th – Day 35:
Olveiroa to Fisterra ["Finisterre"] (38 km)
Today I reached the "end of the world" and the end of the
Camino. Hence the name Cape "Finis Terrae" (the end of land). The
Finisterre Lighthouse is the western-most lighthouse in Europe. It was built in
1853 and is 138 metres above sea.
Many pilgrims that arrive in Santiago de Compostela decide to continue
walking to Fisterra. Some pilgrims burn their clothes at the lighthouse in a
symbolic act of purification and starting a new life.
Fisterra itself is a small fishing town that has become very touristy
in recent years.
I walked along the stunning "Costa da Morte" (Death Coast). The way advanced with the omnipresent sea through villages, forests and corn fields. I passed by the beach of O Rostro, among pine groves. In the early afternoon I entered the seafaring town of Muxia. It's quite a modern little town wi...th a beautiful marina. After receiving my "Muxiana" (certificate) at the tourist office, I went via the church of Santa Maria to the viewpoint on top of Mount Corpiño.
My ultimate goal was to reach the santuary "da Virxe da Barca", a Baroque church by the sea. This sanctuary is related to the legend that places and appearance of the Virgin to apostle St. James in these coasts, in order to inspire him in his preaching. Unfortunately, that lovely church was destroyed by lightning last December and being rebuilt now.
Muxia will be my last stop along this coast, before starting my walk back to Santiago in the morning.
Muxia will be my last stop along this coast, before starting my walk back to Santiago in the morning.
There was a lovely sunrise above the sea when I left Muxia this morning. Since the way to Santiago was not signposted I decided to play it safe. I walked along the main road. Everything went smoothly until Berdoias. After that I couldn't find the right turn to Dumbria and involunarily took a 7 km detour. Back on track a...gain I reached Dumbria by 1pm. On my map it was marked as a small town, but I'm not sure what it was. A strange village with some unfriendly people. Even the only albergue in town was closed. By then I had decided to move on anyway. At least I was on the Camino again. When I reached the village of Hospital I had come full circle. From here on it will be the same way back to Santiago, which I came 3 days ago. Logoso a tiny mountain village will be my final stop for tonight.
July 14th – Day 39:
Neigreira to Santiago (21 km)
Back in Santiago and my amazing
Camino-experience finally came to an end today. 1000 km walked in 39 days (36 days of walking + 3 days
of rest). Now, two more days of pure leisure in this beautiful city. I will be returning to Dublin on the 17th of July. Thank you all for your good wishes and
encouraging words during those last few weeks!!! It meant a lot to me.
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