Today was a wonderful day with magic in the mist. The fountain below was one of 2 that I saw and it was right at the beginning. In the afternoon, it got long and hot, but happily got water at a cafe. I managed to not get a headache today for the first time between extra electrolyte and making sure I drink enough.
Like yesterday, few stories, mostly photos, it was SO beautiful today.
Tinea, the town I’d just left, nestled into the hills.Mist came in and out, quiet, birds singing, cow bells ringing and so so pretty.
First feel of fall with the leaves on the path, but with bright green on the hill I just came up.This farmer was driving hay to the cows, but the one right behind was following, eating as fast as she could grab it off the tractor!
Thank goodness for Summer. Last night’s Wi-Fi was really weak, didn’t even get my email off to her and I was trying and trying to figure out the Hospitales versus Primitivo for the next stage. The choice came about halfway through and people were talking about it. I called her when I first started out and Summer looked at the monastery I wanted to see, and all the hospitals from the first of the caminos, and calculated mileage. But they were all ruins, no cafes at all and an extra 6 miles. At first I thought, well, 23 miles, that’s not so bad. Then I thought, am I crazy?! So – didn’t go that route.
Saw this instead…
So hot and tired and out of water and found this little place after hours. Really, there was only 1 place all day up to this point. This was an hourish away from my destination, but as soon as I saw it, I sat down. The woman was so nice, happy to see a customer and made a great sandwich, not normally my favorite and it was delicious. In the midst, her husband went out to the fields and brought the dairy cows in for milking. My seating area was redolent of cows and I loved it. The dairy is that open door, the kitchen was behind the window to my right. Close quarters!
A few photos from my place last night, sunrise coming up, wishing I was out there, but I wouldn’t be able to see it on the hike because of the trees, so happy to see it here. And the screen was great because there were a fair number of flies. Then below that is the courtyard and the exterior of the castle. I was in the castle, not an addition as I’d thought, just hadn’t even looked at from the side where I go in. Sometimes, something like that pops up that makes me realize I’m not firing all cylinders. I’ll get stronger in the next day or two!
Now just scenery from the hike, it was so pretty today!
Seriously grateful for my poles, my shoes and the hikes outside of Chautauqua to help me prepare.
Why do these people keep coming by – at least there’s not many.I’m a cow.
This was great. The only place to get a snack pretty much on the whole route was this little immaculate place with vending machines. They had decaf! And the cup dropped complete with drink and spoon ready for stirring.
I hope to figure out the significance of these shoes. I should have asked Marta because she had a few in her house. But loved this light in the barn.
Tableau (don’t know the religious term for it) from the 16th century, it was to the right of the chapel shown below. I went in and put a donation in the box. A guy came out who was checking on things and I told him I’d put 5E in, but the paper might block more coins since they’d asked for 1E. He fixed it and was so nice – do you need a restroom? Water? I should have said yes just to see what was around the corner. But he had me come up and past the dividing line so he could show me the above art. Saint Bartholomew in the middle, Saint Francis on the right and Saint Ann on the left, made in the 16th century and all out of wood. I then got lost on the rest of what he was telling me, but he was so proud and delighted that I was interested. Sweet moment
And this is the Ermitage of St. Roque, foundation from the 12th century, built in the 16th century, updated more recently. This little chapel has some big significance, but what? I don’t know. I’m missing my giant book that I carried last year and wish there was one for the Primitivo because then I’d know the story. Wishing that I’d bought any Camino Primitivo book at this point. I thought I could get enough from the internet, but it is either all in Spanish or very limited with just hints. I know that in this area, the priests got together and prayed to Saint Roque to spare them from the plague in 1572, but did it work? Have no idea. But sweet little chapel. And now I’m in Tinea. Small town surrounded by green hills and the big church is closed. So happily chilling in my room. And it’s nice! Another Palacio, evidently historic, though insides look modern to me, couldn’t find the history….there’s a bit of a theme here.
Another great day, though did get tired in the last miles. Happily, had David Sedaris’ latest book on Audio and that was completely distracting. Laugh out loud and you forget about hot and hungry and tired 🙂
This is definitely going to be a different Camino. I’ve heard 2 Americans, and 3 British in passing, but that’s it. No one speaks English and so there are no casual pick up conversations. I’m starting to settle in to it!
This is Marta’s home that she converted to an Air B&B. She said it has 14 rooms and she converted 8 to guest rooms. She does everything, it allowed her to keep her house and she judges how much she can handle. All wood is the original chestnut and she showed me the stones on the side that were dug from the nearby hills with shells and fossils in them.
These stone pieces are what hold up the granary and the square at the top is designed to keep mice out. These granaries aren’t legal as houses because they’re designed to move where the farmer needed them to store grains and other produce.
Marta was so proud of all the details, she’s showing me the Celtic knots that were carved into the doors for protection. These thin lines are from 200 years ago – there are no nails in these buildings, they all slide together and each wall has 1, 2, 3, or 4 lines on them drawn on a diagonal to help people reassemble them when they were moved.
Whole thing is made out of chestnut, huge beams going the length of the building. Rectangle buildings are female, square male. Rectangle indicated a wealthier family.
In addition to running the B&B, gathering vegetables, taking care of chickens, goats, dog, cat, Marta also runs her family’s cider press. These are where they store the cider, all used up now, sadly. Just another month and they’ll collect the apples and start up again.
This is downstairs, this is the cow room, below shows the goat room, the doors were brought down from upstairs when it was converted and the animals had long been out.This is where the chickens were kept. She said people always think it was for arrows, but they had an outside door and when it was closed and the chickens inside, this let in air, but not foxes or any other predator. Starting my walk and this is the first thing I saw after Marta dropped me off. How cheerful is that? They’re flower pots both for flowers and designs. Don’t know what this little building is for, storage? But so cared for.Little cafe in the midst of a town of maybe 10 houses. View on other side of the road from the cafe. Dogs on Camino…This sign was obvious – fish without death. But what? Maybe it means catch and release.
This is the Monasterio San Salvador de Cornellana. It’s a 1000 years old, continuously running, now Benedictine and much smaller. Cornellana has a population of 796 and the small, but beautiful chapel was pretty well populated for the Sunday service. They didn’t seem to mind peregrinos walking into the chapel, but no one took photos and I didn’t either. Right next to the chapel was a window looking into the very large cloister and it was a shambles. Man, keeping these things up – maybe just enough so it doesn’t fall down.
And this is the town where I’m staying, Salas. This church was built in the mid 1500’s by the guy who lived in the castle below. And I’m staying in the castle below! Kind of – I’m in the building attached to it, has an open courtyard in the center with balconies running around it on the 2nd and 3rd floor. I like my simple room, upper floor, looks out over the courtyard. This is the description: The Castle of Valdés Salas is a sober building from the 16th century, which is linked to the 15th century Torre de los Valdés and with which it forms a whole, by means of a lowered semicircular arch bridge where the family coats of arms are displayed. Valdes-Salas. The construction is made of masonry and stonework, a sample of the civil architecture of its time. It was the home of the noble family of the Valdés Salas, whose best known member is Fernando Valdés Salas, religious, inquisitor, politician and founder of the University of Oviedo, buried in the collegiate church of Santa María La Mayor and who was born in this palace.
Inquisitor does NOT sound nice, but at least he started a university. I also found this note about the town on the Wise Pilgrim site: Salas is the setting for the dramatic capture in the year 1586 of Bartholomeus Cassandra, an Italian pilgrim and habitual thief. Having successfully stolen from a Church in Zaragoza he tried to repeat the effort in Salas. Unfortunately for him he was caught with the loot in hand and sent before the judge. No leniency was granted to Bartholomeus. He was first hanged, then quartered, and finally displayed along the camino.
When I was talking to Marta this morning during breakfast, she said Spaniards aren’t so upset if you lie to them, but steal? Oh no, definitely don’t do that and rarely will it happen. You can leave your phone and wallet on the table and you’ll be fine. Usually.
The nice thing is that since the window looks out into the open over the courtyard, I can hear everything in the town, including the guys who are all cheering for the soccer game going on. I don’t know what it is about the Spanish, but they sure do seem to enjoy each other. Walking with family and friends, chatting, laughing, a lot.
There’s another open space on the other side of that arch where the rest of the castle is – where I’m staying and that’s most of the town.
As Dad used to say in his later years, “happy, happy!” I had a fantastic day, a big grin on my face for the first many miles and happy for all of it. That feeling of walking, listening, enjoying, came right back from last year’s Camino. So lucky to be stepping out again.
Summer and I got maps, All Trails, everything I could download last night and Wise Pilgrim ended up being the one to get me out of Oviedo. There were only random shells, no arrows and their directions worked perfectly. Above was the first certain direction without my phone and they stayed steady on the rest of the way.
The directions said look for the cubist buildings (11), they were serious cubes.
These guys were typical of who I saw today. Almost everyone is carrying a pack, some looked big, I was perfectly happy to not be doing that. The guy on the left and I leap frogged a lot. At one point, there was a pretty little fountain that was not potable and he warned me. I said I knew, just looking and he asked if I was ok, tired? Nope, just slow! Need water? Wow, so nice of him. I asked him where his friend was and he said they separated so that they didn’t talk. A man after my own heart! And all in Spanish, I was so pleased with myself.
Actually, I was just pleased with myself all day. My hikers wool and hikers goo worked perfectly, my food planning made a huge difference, never ran out of energy. Nutrition shake, nuts, seaweed and I didn’t even touch the almond M&M’s (thanks Kaziah for that suggestion).
These were the mountains I came through on the train, so far my mountains seem much more manageable. My hostess tonight told me wait for 2-3 days ahead. Ok, but today was good.
Love the drama of the warning – that guy is so gone. Not nearly as many bikers, none were on Camino and all were cheerful, sending out “Buen Camino’s”as they went by.
Isn’t this cute? I thought it was a wonderful carriage house, but turns out it’s a granary like what I saw last year, but much bigger. Marta, my hostess said that they’re typical for the Asturia region, but that you’re not allowed to live in them or make them into housing.
This sign says so much about Spain’s history. The bridge was built in the 13th century and destroyed in the Spanish Civil War in 1934. I love these little bitty churches for such small communities – the cemetery to the right was bigger. The sign said 20th century, rebuilt from 15th century. Reminds me of some Rick and I saw last year.
Happy happy! There were a bunch of little vignettes from the day, but one stands out. I walked for three hours happily in silence, then listened to a dharma book for a few hours and then started listening to the playlist Kylie made for me. I’m singing along with John Denver as I walked between a row of houses – maybe 15 that made up the town. I saw a car with two women stop ahead of me, the small car taking up the whole street and one of the women got out. Then the other waved to me and pointed me the right way. I would have missed and I realized that the other woman was pulling the plantings away that were covering the Camino sign. So nice!
Can you believe? The view from my bathroom. I got to Grado and realized that Maps said I had another 1.45 hours ahead of me to get to my hotel. Hmm. I actually was ok to do it since it was only 2:30, but thought it seemed odd. Turns out that I was supposed to call the hotel to come pick me up. So I did and Marta came to pick me up and said she was driving to the top of the mountain. On the first night on Camino, I may have hit the highlight of the trip. She’s just lovely. Her house is great – I’ll get a picture – and is where her father was born. With her father’s urging, she reshaped it into a B&B. She said it was incredibly difficult and wouldn’t do it again, but is super proud of what she has created and so she should be. It’s beautiful. Marta lived in England for 10 years and has beautifully accented English and every once in a while slips into it, but then stops herself. “No! Just Spanish!”
And it was such a treat to hear English. I’ve heard 2 guys were who American, everyone else is Spanish, German or French. This is a hardy lot hiking this Camino!
I made the train! Not surprisingly, I was up at 3, but figured that was pretty good and they actually had tea/coffee and some pastries in the lobby from 5-7 when breakfast opened. So – I was there at 5.
Then on the train, I wrote, listened to a lecture, read and then thought oh my, what am I getting myself into as the mountains got bigger and bigger, mist/clouds surrounding the train. Beautiful, but oh boy. Especially because Camino Ways, the organization I used doesn’t set up maps the way that MacsAdventures does. I’ve tried and tried to download the Google maps they say are their resource. I know I’m gifted in this area, but this really is a challenge.
Happily, I do have the app Camino Primitivo by The Wise Pilgrim and that’s what I’ll use. Plus a lot of luck and hopefully, decent signage once I’m on route. And, though I had read that only 4-5% of Camino walkers do the Primitivo, I definitely saw people who were walkers. That’s a relief.
Oviedo seems like a really nice town. I first found something to eat, always feels like a triumph in Spain, then went to the Cathedral. This is where the Camino all started with Alfonso II The Chaste. The first building was from the 8th century and was added on to over the years.
Alfonso II was the first to walk the Camino in 820 and this route was considered the safest route to get to Santiago. Impossible to really get photos, but the cloister is always my favorite part of a cathedral. This image of El Salvador (The Savior) who the Cathedral is named after is from the 13th century. It is an image of special devotion for the pilgrims (scallop shells on the base), following the “Way of Saint James”.
The Original Way starts at the Cathedral, but there are so many relics that are conserved in the Holy Chamber (no photos allowed) that the Cathedral itself is a pilgrimage destination.
I am going to be doing walking retreat, but the sign also noted: “Those pilgrims who visit us keep in mind a fragment of a French song that says: ‘Whoever goes to Santiago and not to the Savior visits the servant and forgets the Lord.’” Caught my eye. Just a different kind of pilgrim, I guess.
First, just a cool chapel – then the plaque said “In 2012, an altarpiece from 1954 was removed that revealed the wall behind it, part of the Saint Michael tower, dating from the 8th century. Love those historical surprises!Then, because the older the better as far as I’m concerned, I went walking to look at a preserved 9th century church and this, a 9th century fountain.
I had left the Cathedral and old city behind and was in regular Olviedo that was built around these different ancient pieces. It seems like a really nice city, I got to see some of its inhabitants a number of times because I kept getting turned around.
This is the Foncalada Fountain built during Alfonso III the Great’s time. Pre-Romanesque architecture and has an inscription on it that was common at that time, “With this sign the pious are protected, with this sign the enemy is defeated. Lord, place the sign of salvation on this fountain and do not allow the striking angel to come near.”
Then in one of my turn around times, I saw this scene, hadn’t even realized this was a walled city. Loved the contrast of ancient wall, old building, and train. I started to try to figure out what the building was and then realized they’d kept the facade as part of a modern building. That would be a fun address…
I’m continuing my blog via Summer’s skill (thank you, Summer!) as I start on my second Camino. Cannot believe how lucky I am to do another Camino. I should be starting today with a day in Oviedo, but I missed my train. I did get to see it leave the station. Turns out the ones that leave from the left of the posting sign have the platform to the left and the ones that leave from the right, have postings to the right. Now I know. Sigh.
So – happily, so luckily, I’d planned for a full day in Oviedo to explore and have some jet lag recovery. I was able to get another train tomorrow – only one a day – and get a room at the place I’d stayed last night in Madrid. So – I explored Madrid a bit, so cool, love this city.
The map above shows all the Camino’s – so many choices :). I did the red one that goes across the top of Spain last year. This year, I’m doing the Camino Primitivo that starts in Oviedo and is the purple one below.
But – now I’m in Madrid. And I had to start with a church, The San Jeronimo El Real, built originally in the early 16th century and was the royal church, right next to the Prado which is a piece of what was the royal palace. I won’t be posting photos of every church I pass like last year, but had to start the Camino journey with one.
When I missed my train, I decided to do a Rick Steves walking tour and it was great. I’ve walked through these areas before, but per usual, he puts it all into a historical context. This is the Plaza Mayor, oldest part of the city built in the 1500’s and used to be the main gathering place for fiestas, bull fights, political gatherings, etc. Most of the buildings are painted burgundy per Madrid vote – since Franco, they vote on everything. Taking back the power.
There’s a bar in the right hand corner that has bull heads throughout of famous bulls who died in the bullfights here. I don’t think that would make up for their endings…Moors here from 700’s to 1400’s, this is the oldest door in Madrid.Described as “a barnacle on the side of this ancient church” this cool little corner is the oldest continual bookstore in Madrid, started in 1650. Love that! The church, though one of the oldest, indicates temptation. It marks the way to the place below. From the late 1800’s and supposedly best chocolate and churro’s in Spain, open 24/7 to help people recover from the night’s revelry, just up the wee street from the bookstore.
Well, today was our last day hiking here and it was another amazing day of 8 miles. Best breakfast of the week at our B&B and last night was a wonderfully cool quiet night. We walked down from our B&B after breakfast to the ferry to go to the other side of Derwentwater to climb Cat Bells – opposite the crag we climbed yesterday. The photo shows our wake in an incredibly glassy calm lake. Such a nice way to get to your hike!
There were three false summits and then this was the final peak. It was a rare peak for me because there was enough ground on each side of the trail and a rounded top so that I could hike it easily and didn’t have any height challenges – a treat for sure.
View from the top looking back at Keswick and where we caught the ferry.View on the opposite side from the lake.Only a mile, but basically straight up!Looking from right to left our climb, then came down the front side of the leftmost peak and walked back along the lake.On the peak.
History note – one of the islands behind me is Derwent Island. It was bought in 1778 by Joseph Pocklington, who built a house on it, along with a fort, gothic boathouse and mock stone circle. Every year, Pocklington held a regatta, where he challenged the townspeople of Keswick to attach the island whilst he shot at them with his cannons. It’s calmer now…
Waiting for the ferry, these wonderful wooden boats – nope didn’t even think to get a picture.
We were tired enough that we repeated yesterday. We got a late lunch, soup and a scone, then found Cornish Pasties, bought a couple and some treats and walked back up to our B & B. It’s just too far to then walk back down for dinner and back up. We love our quiet evenings, reading, eating when we want, then bed. Not the most exciting travelers, but it works perfectly for us.
Amazing postscript
We’d been back, showered, stretched, read for an hour and I just remembered that the taxi driver who’d dropped us off in Keswick had told us that there was a stone circle just up the road. So off I went. It was amazing. Kaziah is going to go back with me early tomorrow to see it in the morning light. Sunrise is at 6:08, so sadly, don’t think we’ll be able to see the sunrise over it, but still, it will be amazing. What a final gift from the Lake District!
A wonderful stile that I stood on for the video and photo to the west. The large stone on the right used to be outside the circle, when the circle was first reported in written history, but then was moved. Maybe so they could plow around the circle? I guess it has plow marks on it.
Here’s my best attempt to get the whole circle. Incredible scene on a hill top – 4500 years old by “prehistoric farming communities who settled on the fertile regions fringing the mountainous heart of the Lake District. This site was carefully chosen to impress and draw upon the natural drama provided by the surrounding fells.” And it was just up the road from the B & B. Now I’m SO happy our home away from home was well outside town.
Kaziah and I had breakfast at the hotel. We sat in the pub and watched dogs whine, bark, brief fight, lie calmly. Amazing. Dogs are invited almost everywhere, with some places having a note saying NO WET DOGS, but other than that, come on in. There are so many dogs here, the majority are small, but we saw a couple with 3 giant golden retrievers outside at the restaurant we went to last night. Maybe they’re local…
So – breakfast, then we had a taxi waiting for us, prearranged by MacsAdventures and he drove us over to Keswick, our next and last town in the Lake District – or Lakelands as it’s called locally. This is a much bigger town, but just as great as the last two. Our B and B is an 1844 refurbished home and is beautifully done. Drawback is that it’s a mile outside of town, which is a bit dismaying since, yes, we’re walking everywhere, but we’re good to go!
We dropped our bags, then walked into town, got a tea and scone (starting to see a pattern?) and then started our planned walk. Oh, so so beautiful (another pattern) and the day was gorgeous. We did the Derwent Water Loop via Walla Crag.
Heather – I don’t think I’ve ever seen it before, but have read about it SO many times. Truly a beautiful plant.
Kaziah, surrounded by heather.
This is Derwent Water below Walla Crag. One of the islands is named St. Herbert. Here’s my history note for the day that I found online when I got back:
All we know of Herbert’s life comes from Bede’s History of the English Church and People (written around 731 AD) and Life of St. Cuthbert (720s AD)
Bede tells us that Herbert lived in prayer and solitude on an island in Derwent Water, but once a year would make a pilgrimage to Lindisfarne to visit his friend, St. Cuthbert.
One year, Cuthbert predicted that he would die before the year’s end (687 AD). Herbert was distraught, so Cuthbert petitioned God to allow them both to die at the same moment, so as to be reunited immediately in heaven. Miraculously, after returning to Derwent Water, Herbert died at the very same time as Cuthbert.
Gotta love history!
Crossing a stile – I have read so many times of people walking across the moors, or pastures, or fields – whatever and getting to them by climbing over them and I finally climbed over a couple on this hike!
A view after coming down the Crag on the way to the lake – isn’t it gorgeous?!
And here’s the Derwent Water. The last third of our hike was walking alongside the lake and it was wonderful – every hike has been so different, wonderfully curated – as Kaziah noted today.
Completely wonderful day. We are still in Grasmere and started the day by climbing Helm Crag. Then we returned to town for lunch, looking until I could find a place that had soup and salad, then had scone in another place that’s been serving tea for hundreds of years (though new looking at this point), and back out towards a falls and a high lake that we’d seen from the Crag. 9 miles.
Can you believe how gorgeous this is? And you can rent these houses!
So much work has gone into some of these paths.
So so green and an amazing farm at the bottom.
Here we can see them starting to build another path alongside a run off bed that is the current path. Helicopters carefully deposited these bags, at least 3 times as long a line up as what you can see here, snaking down the hill. And see the ferns? We realized that’s what’s blanketing all the hillsides – not bushes, but incredible banks of giant ferns!
Here’s the start of the new path with rocks from the bags. Incredible.
Later in the afternoon, up the other side across the river – and it’s not raining! We got so lucky, rained all night and some of the morning and we just read, had breakfast, read some more and then started out once the rain stopped. No wonder we’re grinning!
Reb's Walks! 