Planning for 2016

This year we plan to take the car and visit places along the Camino that we missed when walking. We will post our plans over the next few months, and then later our experiences and photos, on Walking Around.

Plans for 2015

Having had to abandon our plans for 2014 we are now looking at walking in mid 2015. Passing through Oviedo we will start to walk from Ribadeo westwards along the coast, then to Viveiro via Xove. From Viveiro we will take the FEVE to Ortegueira and then round to ponte de Mera to walk to San Andrés de Teixido; then to Ferrol and the Camino Inglés (for our final pilgrimage).

We plan to post our experiences on Camino 2015 although there may be a few posts here as well later in the year. Any preparation notes will be on Training for Pilgrimage (pack weights etc for 2015)

Happy New Year to fellow pilgrims, especially others who will be returning to the Camino in 2015

The church of San Andrés de Teixido

The view from the cliff top at San Andrés


May 2015

A delay in our plans

We had been making plans to walk the Camino del Mar-Camino Inglés in 2014 but are now expecting to walk in 2015. This could be better as, since making the decision, we have learned about the storm damage along the routes in various places. Repair work is being done, but with trees down on the tracks and repair vehicles churning up the mud it will need time to settle and dry out. Walking later than planned isn't an option at present, so we will have to wait until next year and let everything sort itself out.

Camino del Mar, Camino Inglés - 2014

The cruceiro at Buscas on the Camino Inglés

In 2014 we hope to walk from Ribadeo along the coast on the Camino del Mar. This then turns south, after San Andres de Teixido, and goes through Xubia to join the Camino Inglés at nearby Narón. We expect to walk between 10 and 15kms most days, with occasional longer stretches. Research at present is looking at ways to make this possible as there is limited accomodation in some parts.

We will post about this Camino on our new blog

Camino del Norte and Camino de la Reina 2013

July 2013
We have recently returned from walking part of the Camino del Norte, between Santander and Llanes, and then the Camino de la Reina from Arriondas to Covadonga.
Notes about our walk and a selection of photos are posted on Walking Around from May to July.

Walking Around

Having walked the Camino Primitivo we are considering where we walk next. We may return to walk some of the Picos de Europa, or parts of the Camino again. We certainly hope to walk in the UK.
So this blog is coming to an end and you can follow our further walks on the Walking Around blog at http://peripatio.blogspot.co.uk

Camino Primitivo - April to May 2012

Our training over we left for Spain on the 22nd of April and walked the Camino Primitivo as planned. We have finally arrived back home and are sorting out our photos and memories of the Camino, our time in Santiago and the return across Spain. Our new blog for this Camino is at Camino Primitivo 2012

Camino in 2012

Happy New Year

Our plans for 2012 are continuing as is our training. We are hoping for good weather on the Primitivo this year as we expect that this is the last time that we will walk this route as pilgrims. Future visits may be along or to some of the pilgrim routes and sites of northern Spain rather than to Santiago. We  hope to complete the walk from Tineo through to Santiago in about 18 days as we want to have time to visit places as we walk rather than simply walking through in the shortest time. 

 The sign for the stage between Tineo and Pola de Allande  which we expect to walk over 2 days. Meanwhile we have time (several months) to continue with the  preparations and training walks to ensure that we are as fit as possible before we set off.

Return to the Primitivo

We continue to make plans for a return to the Camino Primitivo in 2012. We now have our tickets to Spain and our Credenciales, to start in Tineo, and we are planning a rough guide to each day. This helps to work out how long we will need to reach Santiago as well as where we can find accomodation, food etc along the route. We are using the CSJ (Confraternity of St James) guide, as Terry did in 2009. There are updates, more accomodation in some places, less in others.
We intend to use the ferry and the FEVE again and finally the ALSA bus to reach Tineo before setting off to walk. It is over 200km from Tineo to Santiago through the mountains. Hopefully we will reach Santiago with time to see some more of western Galicia, maybe Padron or Coruña before heading for home again.
Meanwhile we keep walking locally to keep ourselves in practise.

Return to the Camino 2012

We are begining to make plans for a return to the Camino Primitivo sometime next year.

So far we have been looking at those packing lists and weights (again!!!) and the time we think it will take for us to walk it together. This is based on the time it took Terry in 2009 and the time it took us on the Camino Inglés this year. The distances covered each day will depend on the available accomodation.

Our plan would be to start in Tineo, where we turned back in 2010, and go through to Lugo, then turn down to Palas de Rei, rather than go the more remote way to Melide.

Final thoughts for 2011

The 'Return to the Camino 2011' photos and thoughts are all posted and we have had time to reflect on our time on the Camino Inglés. We are thinking of returning again some time next year to walk more of the Camino Primitivo. Starting where we turned back last year, at Tineo, we would try to reach Lugo and maybe even Santiago itself. If not next year, then a further return for the final 100kms from Lugo to Santiago might be needed. We will have to see..............

Shell waymark, in the pavement, near the Cathedral in Santiago

The Travellers Return

We are safely home from our travels. A wonderful time with lovely walking weather. We travelled, as planned, by FEVE from Santander to Ferrol via Oviedo and Ribadeo taking 4 days to reach Ferrol. It then took 9 days to walk from Ferrol to Santiago. Unforgettable experience!!!!!!
Then we took a bus to Lugo and onto Ribadeo to catch the FEVE back again by stages to Santander. With sightseeing in Santiago and onwards that all took another 10 days.
The return crossing was very rough and we are finding England rather cold. The temperature in Santander was 32C and we have had over 20C much of the time with lows of around 15C. (Oviedo was only 9C one evening.)
We have many thoughts and photos. These are now all posted and can be found under the headings for May

The final day - Santander

Our final day was spent in Santander as the ferry sailed at 9.00pm
Time for a walk along the Sardineros beach and for a paddle (Valerie). Then we collected our rucksacks from the hotel and went into town for supper before going to the ferry. This was the hottest and most humid afternoon we had, still 32C at 6.00pm.
There were kites flying over the plaza and a storm building over the mountains. The ferry sailed on time and straight into fairly rough seas

View along the Sardineros beach

Pilgrim paddling

A black kite flying over the plaza near the ferry-port

Last view of the mountains from the ferry

Llanes

After walking along the cliffs we went back into the old town. The tiled house is just by the Hotel Gran Paraiso where we were staying again this year. The old palace is having work to stabilise it as much had already fallen down. There is a lovely Romanesque church and a number of interesting old houses nearby. Some of the houses are being restored, including the one with a detached kitchen, joined by an archway passage, to isolate any fire risk.
After just one night here it was time for the FEVE again to Santander

A Casa Indianos and the old palace

The Romanesque church

House with separate kitchen joined by the archway

Restoration work on the house, the interior view is through the left hand doorway.

Ribadeo to Llanes

From Ribadeo we travelled by the FEVE to Oviedo again and then on to Llanes. The Oviedo-Llanes train had a problem and limped its way along. Inspected at El Barrón it went on to the next station where a relief train was waiting for us. So after a change of train we made up some time arriving in Llanes in time for some lunch.

We went for a walk along the cliffs, so different from last year when it was very stormy. Instead it was warm and sunny with lizards running along the stones

View from the cliff top across town towards the mountains

The cliffs in the distance are where the 'bufones' were seen last year

A lizard sunning itself

A Five-spot Burnet

Lugo to Ribadeo

The Arriva bus to Ribadeo left Lugo at the time given at the bus station, 10 minutes earlier than the time given at the information office. It was a good journey with lovely views, but it is difficult to take good photos from the bus.
In Ribadeo we went to the Cafe/restaurante/hotel Ros Mary on Calle San Fransisco. We were there on our way through to Ferrol and their Platos Combinados was very good. We also returned to the Cafe Garden for a room for the night, having booked ahead by phone this time. The usual 'wash clothes and siesta' before shopping for tea and for the Sunday travel on the FEVE. Then a good look around town especially the old part.

On the Sunday morning the Trans Cantabrica was in the station. This travels overnight and stays in various towns en route each day for the passengers to go sightseeing.

The Gaudi style architecture in Ribadeo and the chapel of the Convent church of Sta Maria do Campo.

The TransCantabrica train in the station at Ribadeo.

The inside of the Pullman dining coach

Lugo 2

We had planned to go to the Provincial Museum but it was closed for the day. Instead we found the museum 'House of the Mosaics' with its mosaic pavements and hypocaust. These are in situ at the house of Oceanus beneath Rúa Dr Castro 22 and were discovered during excavations in 1999.
Lugo - House of Mosaics

We checked our bus time to Ribadeo at the bus station. It leaves 10 minutes earlier than we had previously been told. A further walk around the town and we found an internet cafe.

Lugo

Thursday 19th

We walked down to the Roman Baths under the Hotel Balneario y Termas de Lugo. This is near the bridge, built on Roman foundations, and Camino out of town. (A good coffee stop for those walking the Camino.) The overpowering sulphur smell of the baths will be remembered for a long time. The Roman baths themselves are fascinating.
There were frogs, dozens of them, among the weeds at the river side, but almost impossible to photograph. Then it was time to walk back up the hill again, another steep one!

In the afternoon we walked the 2kms right round the walls of Lugo.

This Casa Indianos near the hotel has not yet been repaired, many are very dilapidated while others have already been restored

The old wall at the rear of the Cathedral has re-used older stones, some of which are carved and some may even be Roman

The road and the Camino cross the bridge, which is built on Roman foundations with mediaeval piers

The Roman baths under the modern spa hotel

The yellow and green frogs can be seen if you look very carefully at the full size image

The footpath at the top of the Roman walls of Lugo, near the one remaining section of tower

Santiago to Lugo

Wednesday 18th

The Empresa Freire bus runs between Santiago and Lugo. We walked up to the bus station and caught the 11.00am 'direct' bus to Lugo. The other leaves at the same time but wanders around the villages en route.
We had used the internet in Santiago to book into the Hotel Metropol in Lugo for 3 nights. We stayed here on the way home from Terry's Camino in 2009. To our delight we were upgraded from a double room to a double with a separate kitchen and dining area - effectively a small apartment, still for the same price. Lovely to be able to store food in the fridge and have a table to eat at. Plates and cutlery provided and also some pots and pans to use on the 2 ring hob, which we didn't use. Plenty of hot water too for showers and washing our clothes, which hung in the shower to dry.

In the afternoon we visited the 'Walls' Museum and the Cathedral before going to the Café del Centro for a steak and salad.

The Roman Eagle, sign of Lugo's Roman past

The kitchen in our rooms at the Hotel Metropol

The north door of the Cathedral in Lugo, with the carving of Christ as Ruler of the Universe

The interior of the Cathedral showing the apse and the altar with its silver reredos and giant monstrance

Santiago de Compostela

Tuesday 17th

After some sightseeing we returned to the Cathedral to hear ourselves 'read out' as having walked the Camino Inglés. Ourselves and 2 pilgrims from Italy. Several pilgrims from other countries and on other routes, but no others at all from England.

Outside again we found that the celebrations for the Dia de Galicia were taking place, including bagpipes and dancing in local costume.
More sightseeing in the afternoon, including the Cathedral museum and up onto the balony overlooking the square. We had a coffee in the Reyes Catolicos. We have to say that the service is better in the Dakar, who also have a delicious Tarta de Santiago. This evening, while having supper in the Dakar, we actually had a short thunderstorm - the last rain of our Camino and it has all been when we were inside.
We are in the internet cafe again to post this and to book a hotel in Lugo for tomorrow.

So our time on the Camino, for this year, is over. We return home via Lugo, Ribadeo, Oviedo, Llanes and Santander

Los Reyes Catolicos from the Cathedral balcony

Giant shell carving in the Cathedral wall

A statue of San Roque and a Mapa Mundi, both are in the Pilgrims' Museum

Gallego pipes and dancers in the square

Our hostal was at the far end of this old street, Rúa da Algalia de Abaixo.

Monday 16th

We had time to look around Santiago for a while before the Pilgrims´Mass at mid-day. Pilgrims continued to arrive and to walk up the steps, behind the statue of St James, to give him the traditional hug.
The Pilgrims' Mass itself was wonderful. We sat in the nave under the organ and the congregation around us really joined in with the responses. They were taught to us, by the nun who is the cantor, before the service started.

After the service it was time for lunch and siesta, needed as the weather is now quite hot. Then we had time for sightseeing and found an internet cafe. There are very few of these so much will now have to wait until we are actually at home and can fill in the gaps.

Waiting for the service to begin.

There is a pilgrim behind the statue of St James

The organ pipes are horizontal

Sigueiro to Santiago

Sunday 15th

We did it!! in 9 days from Ferrol. Probably a record for the slowest time. The weather has been very kind to us with great walking conditions.

It was sunny with a cool wind for our last day. We had coffee in the cafe/bar near the hostal but they had no croissants, so we set off to the nearby church to eat ours washed down with some Coca Cola. There was no-one around to ask for a sello until a visitor to the church came past and kindly signed our credenciales.
Then it was time to set off again along a mix of road and track, sun, shade and a cool wind all of which made walking pleasant. We were very glad of the food and water we had with us as, being Sunday, the cafés on the outskirts of Santiago were closed. It was warming up too when we stopped in a shady area near some houses and ate the can of peaches. Then the final walk into Santiago arriving at the Cathedral at 13.30. After visiting St James and the shrine we went on to the Pilgrims' Office and received our Compostelas - very moving.
Lunch and then to the Hostal Linares, a good very quiet hostal/pension, which Terry had booked on Saturday night. (A total of 20kms from hostal to hostal) After a siesta we went out sightseeing and found the Café Dakar. The best food in town!!

So it has taken 9 days to walk Ferrol to Santiago, and about 900 photos. We need time to sort them out and all the memories they bring.

Shadows in the morning sun

The Red-rumped Swallow makes a tunnel into its nest. This one was below the motorway bridge

Another hill to climb? Yes eventually

A Galician hórreo (granary)

More sheep, wandering up the hill, with their shepherd

Over the hill top and there was a Scarce Swallowtail feeding on Asphodel

Our first real view of the cathedral. The main tower is shrouded in scaffolding and net

The final stretch downhill on the cobbled road through the old town

The Cathedral from the Plaza del Obradoiro

The nave was almost empty when we arrived