2 weeks in the canal at Fromista and before that ……

photo44photo35photo16 the dry river outside Domenico de la Calzado

Azofra to Belorado – days 9 – 12

Arriving in Azofra had been a joy – its the best Albergue on tour, although outside lights would be beneficial and Harry’s bloody hand and headprints still cover theside entrance, a tumbling experience after some excellent wine from the restaurant. We’d both been victims of an expresso on the westbank in Najera and one hour later were to be found hiding in squat positions at the side of the trail, but Azofra was a blast. The health centre there was thankfully open on Friday and after Harry was stitched up we rested a day and then headed to Domenico de la Calzado, a short walk and an easy uphill climb to Ciruena preceded a gentle roll downour village. Ciruena is the town with the golf club and we had a coffee overlooking the course. The walk from there to Domenico de la Calzado is superb. Its one of the many views where it stretches out in front of you. When you arrive is Calzado its full of places to stop and there’s quite a few backstreets that lead to more main streets and shops and bars abound. It was a short walk so we had loads of drinking time, whoops! The Cathedral has an entrance fee so we took a picture of the inside of the cathedral from the blurb outside. As walks go, it was fairly gentle and the next day as we rolled out towards Granon (Granyon) we climbed very gently and all the signs take you away from the road. The last time we walked the busy noisy road, the quiet extra km to walk on the trail was worthwhile. When the trail crossed the field we follwed our neighbours but the truth is, the trail down the side road and back up would’ve been easier on the ankles. Shortcuts are often assessed afterewards on the camino and not always fondly!

Granon has a very good reputation for a  spiritual experience in the monastery and yet again many walkers told us about how good it was, with music and the general vibe, we walked on after coffee and the usual pit stop to Redecilla. We passed the usually boundary markings as you move out of one Spanish region into another.

 

After Redecilla we walked to a superb cafe and made a wee mistake. It was 12.30 and it seemed not too hot. It wasn’t but when we left at 1.30pm and traipsed along the road to Belorado it was clearly roasting hot and we were burning. That alone guaranteed we’d stay in the first place on hitting Belorado.

Day 15, 16, Day 17 Belorado, Montes de Oca, St Juan de Ortega, Ages, Atapuerca & Burgos

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Leaving Belorado was a joy, it was a place we hadn’t enjoyed as we stopped at the Albergue on the edge of town on the hillside and were too lazy to walk on into the town. The afternoon sun had hit us and the last hour walking alongside the road in the open sun proved the Spanish heatwave was for real. 32 degrees is too hot for the Scots. Belorado is when your body is fighting with your mind. You’ve been two weeks on the camino and you want to see a psychiatrist. You’re miles from the start and still even further from the end and your body starts asking you why you’re walking. We responded with our accepted wisdom and got a beer and a wash. We had a washing machine and there was a menu so we ate, but it was perhaps the worst meal on the camino. As we walked through town in the morning we saw loads of places including the hotel at the far end of town. The walk out takes you over a bridge, passes a petrol station – your last place for ablutions before a gentle stroll along the side of the motorway then cross country to Montes de Oca, the town at the bottom of the hill that you climb over to get to St Juan de Ortega. There are two cafes at the bottom of the hill and we chose the one on the left – the one on the right was busier and we figured faster ablutions going to the other. After a light lunch we filled our bottles for 4 hours,  then climbed the hill. Its a long way up and best you keep your head down for 15 minutes. Even the cyclists give up on this stretch. You pass loads of them as you meander up the shady hillside. Once at the top you get a great view of many of the surrounding peaks. 3 hours later having walked through the forest, past the 1936-39 war monument you reach St Juan de Ortega. The best place to stay is on the edge of town but the Albergue in the centre or the pub in the centre also have rooms. We filled our bottles and walked on to Ages, it was a superb idea. The sun was hot but the walk offered enough shade and we were rewarded with 4 albergues to choose from and enough nightlife and WiFi to keep us happy. Some days walking 3km further gives you a feeling of getting ahead of the game and instead of being knackered you have a new lease of life. I stayed in the 8euro Albergue and Harry got a single room in another place for 30euro.

Day 18, Day 19 Burgos, Rabe, Hornillos

We had a great night in Burgos and then headed out along the busy road through Tardajos and continued on to Rabe. A superb town with Wifi in the main street, and a great cafe, an important stop before heading off through the meseta again to Hornillos.  Its a great walk, described in some places as desolate but peaceful trails away from the roads work for me.  The next day we left Hornillos and walked to Castrojeriz, stopping for breakfast at Hontanas. That was a long stretch, the albergue at San Bol offered a breakfast but funny how 200m off piste looks so far. Silly really when you walk 4000m to the next cafe! We were spoilt for choice when we arrived at Hontanas. There were three cafes and the obligatory shop and fountain on the way out of town. Its only a few steps after the last cafe but as usual when its a long stretch to breakfast you eat , drink and make merry.

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Day 20, Day 21, Day 22 Carrion de los Conges to Leon

It was a long trip, hence the reason we broke it into a few days! Carrion was one of our only bad hostal choices. Please dont stay at the hostal there. Go to the CASA rural or hotel on the left when you enter the town. The hostal is overpriced and one room had bed bugs.

On the other hand our hotel in Leon was superb and it was situated close to the best FREE tapas with drink bars. The cinema place was our favourite but the two around the corner were excellent too.

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Leon to Astorga day 23

We met Tomas & Ghislaine before we left the town and showed them the hotel we’d stayed at.

Hotel manager’s take note….pilgrims recommend!

 

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Day 23, Day 24 Astorga to Villafranca del Bierzo via Rabanal, cruz de ferro, El Acebo

Leaving the chocolate capital was a tough gig. We had gone for a short day but by the time the shops had opened it became a long day. The temperature had dropped and Astorga was minus 3 at 8am by 11am when the chuckle brothers left it was getting hot and suddenly a short day was feeling long.

This is a great stretch on the camino but it is open to the elements so dodging the sun relies on big hats or parasols, there is rarely any shade until you arrive in Rabanal.

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You can chuckle as we climb through the hills and foncebadon, past the 7/6 monument and then the big one when we get to Cruz de Ferro. The Iron Cross seems awfy small when you arrive but the stones are everything.

Day 25 Day 26 Villafrance del Bierzo to Triacastela via O’Cebreiro

Its the best part of the trip. That doesn’t mean losing Declan to the wild animals on the high route to O’Cebrrio didn’t worry us

 

Here are some pictures. I’m working on the words but my favourite town is O’Cebriro – its where my thoughts concentrate on people I’ve known and been lucky I’ve known them so well

 

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Triacastela to Sarria day 27

As we were coming down into Triacastela this cafe shouted out, have a tinto de virano, so I duly did. It wasn’t as difficult coming down the hill into Triacastela as I remembered, in fact it was fine. The Triacastela Town Trier was still trying to flog walking sticks on the edge of town but we dodged past and walked right to the end of Triacastela. An excellent night’s sleep in the superb Casa David had me up early for a change. With the washing done yesterday and the stretching done, I followed Harry to breakfast. Or at least I thought I had, the big Ginger was still sleeping at 8am!! Another first on the camino. When you leave Triacastela you have the option to go up over San Xil or around the road to San Cristobo throught the woods to Renche and then to Samos. We took the latter. As we left town the boys were harvesting some trees on the edge of town, this watching Harry bang his head on suitably low signposts and the odd cave were less than interesting but after an hour you turn off down to San Cristobo and the walk is superb. Through the woods you go and then you arrive at Renche where the master rooftiler is as creative as they come. They like slate here and they use it well. They also like their cemeteries. As you approach Samos the graffitti artists have adorned the underpass to prove its not just the ancient monastery at Samos that makes you come this way, there’s some modern thinking too. Tractors tried to slow us down going into town but we wouldn’t be blocked and as the sun lit the hazy path we arrived at our pitstop. There was a big crowd at the cafe with many staying in Samos today, Polly and Bruce from Oz, Sheila from England, via the Limousin, Helene and Janice from Ottowa while Bernadette and Andre were going our direction but on the road. Good thing I ate and drank loads as there isnt a stop for 3 hours after Samos. Last time Si and I ended up on the road and it was loud and at times scary as you tire. Harry and I were always going the back roads and we had a great walk but it is longer.

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As you leave Samos you follow the road for 500m before crossing it up to the right. You then rise and fall with the yellow arrows through woodland, along very quiet back roads and its beautiful. Your biggest danger however is the conkers. They drop from the trees at this time of year and as you walk along the silent roads and trails the only disturbing sound is a rustle of leaves, then a smack, as another one hits the deck. You keep walking at times getting a bit nervous as the sun is on the wrong side and you know you’re heading east not west, but eventually you reach a juice machine, unfortunately its not working! On and on you walk and when a car finally passes you at 2.30pm you know the siesta is soon. I sent Harry a text and sure enough the car duly passed him. Its always good to know you’re only 15 minutes behind. At long last, a cafe, and we meet Carlos from Asturia and then  Maria Jose, our Uruguyan, whose boyfriend is in Scotland at the moment. As usual, after such a long wait for a cafe, the Albergue duly follows, 500m later. Its got juice machines so we fill up again and walk into town singing anything with California in it and replacing it with Caledonia. Its been a long day again for anyone walking near us and poor old Helene  has just caught up with Harry. We walk past the first two pensions and then stop at the third. 25 euros gets us a single each with a shared shower and toilet between the two rooms. No snoring, works for both of us! Back down to the bar and guess who rolls into town, take a bow Declan from Dublin. I look down at my ankles and its clear my right one needs a rest but its tough. If I wear the boots, its protected but my leg goes, if I wear the sandals the ankle swells, and looks like the big Iberian hams hanging in the shop, hmmn. Later on I try to take a picture of all these birds flying by, but all I get is another crane!

Sarria to Portomarin day 28

The night night juice was put on the bar, our room was superb and when we woke up, our view was spectacular, yes, the biggest crane Sarria had to offer. The night before we’d wandered around town and found a great stretch by the river with bars and cafes all giving the obligatory bucketful of tapas with every one euro drink, but we went back to see our pal at the Pension as he agreed to do a get well soon message for Stuart McIntosh. Not only that but his tapas was superb, Harry had three bits of Lomo while I tried a different thing each time, if ever a town begged you to drink and eat all night it was Sarria. I ordered breakfast and as the pictures show, my first attempt at cafe con leche was a bit small, Harry ordered another, that’s much more like it! Leaving Sarria was a long haul, as we’d stopped at the beginning of town so after 20 minutes we stopped at the end of town and had some more water and coffee took some pictures and then walked further up the hill before then walking down a really steep hill, swinging back around to the right and as the crow flies we could’ve saved ourselves the climb and just gone around the side in 10 minutes, but that’s not the way of the camino and we like going the long way whenever we see a short cut. On this ocassion we were also blessed with good toilets but if you are wanting to save 15 minutes and a bit of pressure on the knees here’s a tip, dont go up the hill veer around it to the right and you will come across the camino after 10 minutes. You’ll know you’re close when you see the railway track. The camino follows the railway once you’ve done the detour to the highest point, looked at the church and ‘deviation’ . You go downhill swing back right on yourself, East, walk through the woods, North, until you hit the railway then you just follow it West. We were very lucky a train arrived 100m before we were due to cross the tracks. I wouldn’t like to have been halfway when the train went by, its a big old unit and was fair shifting, unlike myself, as I dragged my leg slowly across the tracks. Once over the other side you’re exposed to the sun, but not for long as its back into a fine forest climb. Superb it is. Lots of very old trees, a bit tumbly under foot!

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Barbadelo seemed a lot further away than my leg expected. After the climb up through the woods there’s no cover for an hour or so. Harry was miles ahead as I dodged along in my wee dwam (that’s a bit of a doddering daydream), only to be disturbed from it by some cows walking the camino towards me. Normally I’d be running scared but my leg was so sore I was happy to push my way through the beasts as if I was some country dude, even the habitual large farmers dog didn’t cause me to blink. Up ahead Harry had met up with Sara again as well as Yoshi and some Brazilians. I stopped for a moment, but the leg was saying keep moving so we ignored the Casa and walked on. Up ahead was Carlos the hippy from Asturga who we’d met yesterday. He was doing the walk from the south and it merged near Sarria with ours. He’d brought his own dog and was charming some other geezers and an older woman, he’s a natural, but Harry was now in need of some serious comfort so ran past them to the Albergue. I kept going at 1.5km per hour, full in the knowledge that he’d soon catch up. There was a good looking bar but I thought its only 6km in, we really need to keep going a bit longer. Longer it was through the forest, another lovely shady spot but my leg gave way again. I swapped over to the sandals and applied some more volterol. I kept going until I figured we’d walked about 10km. An ice cream stop at the cafe seemed perfect. Harry duly appeared with his tale of woe. The Albergue had been shut and he had to go to the Casa del Carmen just off the camino, I’m sure it was the one we stopped at as the sun was telling me we just did a 180 degree loop, one for google earth, another day. There are cafes all over this section of the route and on another day I’d stop at them all. We met some Dubliners who had just joined the camino at Sarria. They were on the 7 day special and had backpacks to prove it! While Terry was striding out while his mate (Finter?) was struggling at the back with a water system that kept jumping out his pack and onto the camino. Up the crazy paving we went then down into another cafe with cemetery. They like a cemetery here and this one was bigger than the village, huge houses for the dead, but we walked on, I figured we were getting close so we stopped eventually at Mercadiaro, which I thought would be 40 minutes away as we could now more or less see Portomarin. An excellent stop it was too, Tinto de Virano all round and a bit of Tortilla to soak it up. Sadly another detour took us miles off the line and as my ankle complained Terry and I walked like demented mad men and got into Portomarin for 4pm, a lot longer a day than we’d expected, but a brilliant walk, the scenery was superb most of the way and only a bit of vertigo going over the bridge and a dodgy leg andankle wasn’t going to get in the way of the fun. The other two rolled in 15 minutes later and the drinking began again. On www.fatal-bananas.blogspot.com is a video of our Father Ted time when we completely lost it during a filming, a superb evening. We never saw the guys again – we figure they would’ve been well ahead with their fresh legs, they’d have made it to Palas de Rei, while we stopped in Airexe.

Portomarin to Airexe then Melide day 29 & 30 some easy days on the road to Santiago

After all the diversions of yesterday you could forgive us for wanting an easier day. My leg was duly strapped up and tied to my stick and we were off. Well until we stopped at the bank, then the tobacconist then the supermarket, oh, we’re ready! Down the hill out of town then swing all the way back. I’m so glad its daylight as these pavements have a lot of tiles missing and so its easy to trip. The old route is closed off so we walk a long way around through vineyards and howling wolves. Its a better photo opportunity of the town, old and new bridges, if only that sun would get out the way. Its all uphill and its frosty and so its good to be moving. Soon we’re in a forest again and then out, walking by a main road, back in the forest, back by the road. A German advises me my friend went down there, pointing where a few pilgrims are erroneously heading toward the gunshot, I say its the path by the main road for me as that’s the way the “flesha Amarillos” point. We walk on and I phone Harry and then I see his back pack in the distance, the sandals looking like a tail flapping away contentedly.  It was a longer walk to Ventosa than I remember but there was a camino cafe after 90 minutes so perfect timing for my breakfast. I spied an ice cream opportunity shortly afterwards and thought the toilet would be well worth using. You then cross the highway via a bridge but having watched the pilgrims circle all the way around while I ate my ice cream I figured I’d run the highway gauntlet. Its so quiet you can hear the cars from miles away so I crossed over and save myself 5 minutes and was in Ventosa 10 minutes later. Its a healthy stroll to Palas de Rei but we’re thinking we’ll get to Airexe and settle there.

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It was a good choice as the Pension was 25 euro and the kind hospitalero did our washing for nothing. It was another share a bathroom but the single rooms are superb for sleeping, especially in the morning when one of us gets up at 6am for a fag and the other one is giving it zzzz’s. In the morning we had breakfast, dodging past the big dog at the cafe,  left and walked the road to Palas de Rei. We sang loudly and I’m sure Jim Morrison was turning in his grave as Andre, Harry and I destroyed a few classics, before Harry & I gave it big licks on Le Marseillaise, the hills roll back and forth as you stride out along the deserted road in the morning dew and it was the Ant sculptures that caught the eye, but also the number of good looking Albergues and cafes on what was a 6km stretch. Sadly too many closed, not least Meson de Brea which takes Monday off, so I thought I’d stretched it too far when I hit the Albergue on the edge of town, phew. The next Albergue 50 m down the road also got a visit, as it was open! It also had wifi so we could upload more videos etc. We strolled into Palas proper and its all downhill, quite steep in parts and holding the handrail as you go past the church is wise. After a pit stop at the tobacconist and fruit shop we headed out through town. Its all downhill as I said but the arrows vanish and you head down out of town and start having doubts, luckily my memory was ok and at the bottom of the hill, the last cafe in Palas de Rei, you cross from left side of road to the far side and start climbing, yes, a hill. Through a wee forest you meander and then you cross the road again and down through some pueblos and some ruined looking houses.

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Onwards and upwards through some varied terrain both underfoot and all around us, Casanova, then a wee place, then the longest outskirts of a town we’ve been to. Melide starts with a cafe Melide that is 3km out of town, then you pass water stops, some memorials, plaques, then you go downhill through woods, cross the river, then stop at a bar thinking you’re there, then climb for another 10 minutes and you hit the town centre, then you walk past the pulperia, to the far side and find a beautiful bedroom for 25 euro, there’s a theme here. Great value, great bedspread and no bed bugs!

Santiago de Compostela day 32

We were at the right end of town and as the sun rose we knew we were on our way early for a change. Just time to take a picture of the banner saying the school were on strike and another coffee. The forest walk is superb leaving Arco and after an hour or so we reached a cafe about, Amenal, cimadevilla, san anton or san paio, I think, we met loads of people,  not least Grand mere Ghislaine and Grand Pere Tomas. We walked on and I stopped again at another cafe near Labacolla, Harry stopped further on and somehow I managed to get in front of him. When we got to Monte de Gozo I turned around and there he was. There’s a lot of cafes on this stretch, but it was more hilly than I remember. When you leave Labacolla, about 12km out (there are two cafes to the right as you veer left up towards a church and then meander through some back street before going down the road out)  you go down hill then climb and climb and climb. Its not too much for most people but if you’re tired and just wanting a break from hills its come at the wrong time! All the time you’re on the road but to be fair its quite a quiet one.  Once you get through that there’s a long straight another downhill with an uphill, and then you start passing the Galician TV and radio centres. As you head into Santiago its a steep downhill, bit of a vertigo issue crossing bridges with broken slabs, then you hit the statues on the edge of town. Only an hour to the centre! Take your time at these statues they’re worth the watching.  

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Once we arrive in the Cathedral square it peregrino mayhem. The big picture everyone wants is with the cathedral, but for me its was getting Walid into the picture. I think it worked and I just hope Margaret, Shereen and Eamon thought it worked. There’s such joy at finally getting here, and once you’ve got a place to stay its all about getting the compostela, visiting the ticky tacky shops and going to the bar. Obviously for some there’s food involved and there’s a few choices. We were pre-occupied with arranging transport home as its not easy getting back to Scotland so you head into the square go left, past the cathedral and keep walking down past the pensions, the ticky tacky shops, cross a main road a 2 yard wee shimy to the left and there you get to the internet cafe. If you want the train station its down the hill. Trains were to coruna or Madrid so no use to us. Booked up, we headed back into town and met the gang we’d walked most of the 500 mile camino with. Camino life involves drifitng in and out of each others lives like we lived in a wee town, then suddenly its over, back home to do the tale of the tape, go on Jack how much did you lose!

Melide, Arzua to Arco on the road to Santiago de Compostela day 31

We took loads of photos on the route to Pedrozo/Arco.  The slideshow starts in the rain at Arzua, more a drizzle but it did signify the end of the heat wave. Harry had breakfast at our Albergue/cafe Don Quixote, while I wandered 500m down the street to give my abs a chance to work. I thought I was stopping at the last place in town but actually there was another 500m to the last cafe, where I duly forgot to buy water. When its raining you dont think about the long  road to Salceda or Ferreiros, the next town, but its a fair old step, luckily a juice machine at Calle, gave us a can of fanta as it was 2 hours plus until we got to the cafe. There were a number of highlights on the route and pensive moments. The forest walking was superb but following horses can be a dangerous pursuit, ask Andre and Bernadette who had to get out their way. Also dont take the alternative route 300m to Santa Irene under the bridge, unless you want to sit down or stay, its an Albergue only and you circle through the pueblo and then have to cross the main road and its a busy one, better stay on the side you are on and watch your fellow pilgrims come back across 100m up the path. The Arzua cheese is superb and the restaurant just before you reach Arco, O’rrivo? at Rua, where I stopped for a drink was great. After the forest walk you get to the 19km marker and you think this is a nice wee village with a few penions, but the town is another 15 minutes. You walk past the tourist information and then down the hill and back up it again. When you reach the main highway, its left into town or cross it and go through the forest, where you dodge past the school catch the last cafe and head on into the woods if you are walking on, if you are staying then follow one of the signs for Albergue or Pension, 25 euros for a single room with shared shower room was fair enough and we had a nice wee garden to drink with pour new pals from Denmark, then pub crawl looking for food we were slow so it was expensive as we missed the pilgrims menu. There is a 4pm shut off and we didn’t want to wait until 7pm so hence the bowl of chorizo, cheese plate and Harry’s plate of Lomo. The cheese was goats, not  Arzua, after that the slideshow goes to Melide which was the day before, and shows the countdown from the 49km marker on the way to Arzua

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Back home in Edinburgh

And would you believe it – the sun is out and what’s that Harry – a crane in the meadows? Who would’ve thought it! Ok now it’s time to get a job

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Hoi mate – get yer hauns of it

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It’s so empty!

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Great pals

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Jack Collins tries to sneak out!

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More peregrinos

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Bye bye to fellow pilgrims

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You walked every step big fella

I joked with Walid back in march that we’d get him to Santiago one day and he’d understand the camino after the journey – I still don’t so hope he does – apologies for the photo technique – it’s hard to believe he would’ve been fifty next month – we are both delighted to have known and been able to share the memories

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Lost Harry again in the ticky tacky shops

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It’s hard to describe the opulence

But here it is again in all it’s glory!

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No cranes only spires now!

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Fat Al does Bowie – starman

There’s a Starman waiting in the sky ..

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The happy pilgrim!!!

Dancin Al is back in town

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Sculpture on the edge of Santiago

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20 October, 2011 13:44

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Great sculpture on edge of town – names

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Great statue – sculptures

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