Camino Summary September 23

The end of a Camino is always a little unsettling. You have just spent the last few weeks simply walking. I generally walk for around 7 to 8 hours and frequently just drink water in that time and maybe have a light snack and some fruit. Then the first day after you get to SdC there is a good breakfast to eat and by the time you have finished you realise that ‘normally’ you would have already walked almost 10km. It feels strange to not be doing it. It is part of the reason why I like to have at least 1 full day in SdC to try to reset. I have spent the morning strolling around and getting the bits I want to take home. Had a wonderful light lunch of a variety of tapas and now enjoying a glass of white wine in the sunshine. The Camino is a strange experience- especially for those walking the first time. Often this will be the Frances and it will take 30 plus days to get here. You can see by the look on the faces of the pilgrims when they finally arrive the mix of strong emotions. It definitely gets to you. And for many the urge to repeat is strong! If you enjoy challenges, in every sense of the word, combined with day after day of ‘mindfulness’ then it is to be recommended. I have seen plenty of changes on the Camino since my first one 12 years ago. The Frances is much busier and better served. Other routes are also getting more popular. A few of my favourite places in SdC no longer exist, inc my favourite bar and favourite deli. On the plus side most Spanish cities, towns and villages are now much cleaner and in fact much better than those in U.K.  In addition, the Spanish places are now much more pedestrian friendly. Vehicles, and bikes, absolutely stop at pedestrian crossings and they are across most roads. At home it is not even safe to be on the pedestrian crossing in my village. 

Is this my last one? Possibly, it’s harder to find routes that avoid all or most of the Frances. Moreover, on the less walked routes it seems even harder to find a decent meal on the way. In fact the food quality and just as importantly, the wine quality has declined. I have had some outstanding, but often, simple meals on my Caminos but these were very few this time. I still love the physical and mental challenge and find I walk as far each day as I have ever had. The people you meet, both peregrinos and locals are as great as ever so who knows what will happen in the future. Ultreia!

P.S. I think we need and induction course for first time peregrinos. It should inc how to get up in an Albergue in the morning without making a noise or using a torch. How to let your eyes adjust to low light levels for those early morning starts - you really do not need a torch, especially when there is a full moon and street lights! In addition, if you really absolutely have to use sticks to walk (never understood why as I learnt to walk without aids at quite an early age) then please use rubber tips. Lastly, you phone does have a microphone and amplifier so there is no need to shout at it whilst holding is an arms length from you ears. Buen Camino. 

Arzua to SdC 39km

Started off with some dampness in the air but the rain stayed away for the day. So I only had about 3 hours rain in total and that was on a single morning from Sahagun. Today’s walk was simple and pleasant and fewer pilgrims on the road than expected. Got here just before 1500. Took the obligatory photo outside the cathedral, checked into my room, got my Compostela and was stinging a beer before 1600. All done! Buen Camino. 

Lingonde to Arzua 38km

 Lingonde to Arzua 38km

Another simple but pleasant day. Lots of people again but as always they thin out as the day goes on. Got talking to a Dutch man this morning as we both are using military rucksacks and it turns out he was in Napoli in the NATO HQs the same time as Christa and I and he lived in Lago Patria! Off to Santiago tomorrow, just another 38 km. As most of the pilgrims and tourists like to arrive in Santiago early in the morning it means few will go from here tomorrow. It also means that when I walk in tomorrow mid afternoon there should be very few walking in with me. I’m staying in St Martin de Pinario https://www.sanmartinpinario.es (    reservas@sanmartinpinario.eu) which is my absolute favourite place to stay in SdC. Flight is booked for  5 Oct and it seems like it’s getting full as the airline has already contacted me to ask if I would delay for a 250 euro credit - no thanks!

Sarria to Ligonde 38km

 Another hot but simple day and fortunately there was a reasonable amount of shade. This is now just over 100kms from Santiago and that is the minimum distance you have to walk to get the Compostela  - which is the pretty certificate sold by the church. The Frances was already very busy but now it gets even busier with those wanting to walk the shortest possible distance and still get their blessing. I must have walked past 100 pilgrims today! Off to Arzúa tomorrow, only 37km. 

HdC to Sarria 34km

Yesterday’s late lunch was excellent and even included the cheese from OC that I really wanted to try again. I went into a couple of places in OC to get some but they were way too busy to serve a customer. All turned out well, although I now think it is their extraordinary honey that really makes it magnificent! The walk today was simple and very pleasant. Fortunately there was frequent shade as it’s 34 deg plus here atm. Off to Lagonde tomorrow, about 38km. 

Villafranca to Hospital day Condesa via O’Cebreiro 34km

Left a little earlier this morning as I woke up at 0630 and was not sure where the day would end. A lot of road walking but by a river as well. Overall, quite pleasant. The clump up to O’C is supposed to be the longest of all the Caminos and it is quite a slog. It’s about 8kms uphill with an elevation gain of about 800m. And it was hot today. Still, got to the top OK and averaged 5.4km per hour since Villafranca so I was surprised by that as I thought it would be lower. Did not want to stay in OC not least because the Albergue there has 110 beds and the whole place would be crowded. Stopped at the next place, 3.4km down the road- Linares, but there were no beds anywhere. So walked on another 2.4km to Hospital da Condesa where there is a municipal Albergue ( so they cannot be booked) and I was only the second person there of 18 beds. I knew there was no bar or anything so I stocked up on the way. And Sod’s Law it turns out there is a bar and they do meals. However, the latest is 1600. Off to Sarria tomorrow, about 34km. 

Olvidado Summary

 A very short summary of my partial Camino Olvidado from La Robla (I walked the other half pre Covid when I then walked up the Salvador and onto the Primitivo) I still consider the Olvidado to be the best as far as the scenery and experience goes. I’ve walked around 10 others so far. However, if the Olvidado really is the gain greater popularity then it is essential that somehow they improve the services and bars/food so it coincides with more of the Albergues. I stayed in some great places and met some wonderful people but I did get a bit bored with my limited, although adequate, menus. There were few bars open on the way during the day, except for one place today that had 3 bars open all within a 100m of each other! Personally, I prefer the empty Caminos but it’s not good for the local prosperity.