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!
Gorgeous. There were scenes on both sides of the path that were so green and beautiful that it didn’t feel real. I’d stand on the path and take photos of both sides because it was just amazing.
We walked out of Lancet House, up the road, then onto the path and we were on our way to Grasmere. We’d hardly gotten a head of steam going when we came up to Rydal Hall. A bit of history: The Fleming family can be traced back to 864AD and were related to Baldwin, Earl of Flanders. When William Duke of Normandy (William the Conqueror) mustered his troops to invade England and claim the throne in 1066, the then Earl of Flanders joined him and brought with him his kinsmen in armour. One of these was Sir Michael le Fleming who was also a kinsman of Matilda wife of William the Conqueror. Amazing. This manor house was the adaptation from the first building, built in 1409. Amazingly, the family lived and owned it continuously until 1973. The main reference people make to it though, is that Rydal Mount was the house Wordsworth rented from Fleming until Wordsworth’s great granddaughter bought it in 1969.
Rydal Hall
Rydal Manor
Wordsworth
So then, we went to see Rydal Mount, a modest house where Wordsworth, Mary, his wife, and Dorothy, his sister, lived with Mary and William’s children. For someone who loves personal history and house museums (me) this was a wonderful house to explore. William, Mary and Dorothy all lived, studied, and died there. And the best – because it’s still in the Wordsworth family – most of the furnishings are the same. Things that had left or been given away are still coming back, there were notes of art or books or furniture that were found at auction as recently as 2020. So cool.
Kaziah was very patient and let me explore and read to my heart’s content.
Then we kept walking on into Grasmere, another dream of a Lake District village. Not a long walk and we’re looking forward to climbing up to the crags tomorrow, but it was a wonderful walk. We found our hotel, Inn at Grasmere, bags already dropped off, and left our little backpacks and went out for lunch/tea. Went to a great place just down the way and had a wonderful lunch with tea and Victoria sponge for me and Bakewell for Kaziah. Both of which we’ve seen made on the Great British Baking show. Both of which Kaziah remembered and I did not. For me, really more about the personalities than the food watching that show.
After lunch we went to a really well curated small book store, left with 3 more books. So – walk, tea, books. And we’re not done yet!
We then went to Dove Cottage where the Wordsworths lived, first Dorothy and William, then Mary joined, and then the first 3 of their children. Again, well preserved, wonderful to see and more stories. Pretty cool to sit in their garden on benches in the same place where they would sit and listen (via QR code) to a wonderful English voice quoting Wordsworth’s poems written that exactly described what we were seeing. I do love history made intimate – seeing what he saw, listening to what he wrote, and wondering how hard was it for Mary that William and Dorothy were nonstop best friends, both intense, both writing. The guide said one of their good friends said that William and Dorothy were the two most selfish people he knew. At the same time, they had friends that lasted all their lives. Amazing family.
Dove Cottage kitchen
Wordsworth and Mary’s bedroom
Kaziah and I have a great little room, on the corner so two windows, looking out over the hills one way, trees the other and old stone buildings both ways. On the road again, but that’s probably just how it is since we walk to our hotel and it’s easier if it’s on the road. We had some time to read, then dinner at the pub in the hotel and then relaxing. A perfect day.
Kaziah and I are off for our Lake District walking trip, 3 summers after first planning – COVID delay.
Day 1 – We landed in London and both of us had slept enough on the plane to keep us going and we just started walking. 6 miles our first day and we hadn’t started our walking tour!
Our first stop – no surprise to anyone who knows Kaziah – Daunt Bookstore in Marylebone. A wonderful store. Our carry on luggage was crammed and we still came home with 5 books between us and that was only because we made ourselves stop knowing packing limitations.
Then – I remembered that I had cleverly included a very thin, but decent sized bag that I’d brought in my bag. When Rick bought it, I couldn’t understand its value. Now I do! Kaziah and I immediately realized that meant we could check our main carryons going home and have that bag for overflow. Oh boy! We’ll dive into more bookstores on our journey.
After the bookstore we walked back through Hyde Park and went to an art exhibit centering around the climate and renewable resources. It was MUCH more interesting than I’d thought it would be. We ended up taking our time, reading, experiencing the different modalities expressed by the artists.
Then home to Number Sixteen, a repeat hotel that I love, for tea in the garden. Doesn’t that sound wonderful? The garden was great, the weather perfect and the tea was fine, not a repeater, but still a treat. Made me long for Brown’s hotel’s tea, actually. Next trip.
We then went walking again for a bit, but quickly wore out and came back to the hotel to read. I picked up something little to eat in and then we both actually slept – jet lag going east is just much easier to deal with – at least for me.
Day 2 – a full day in London – how cool is that?! And we…walked. 10 miles today, definitely getting in my training for my next Camino walk. We started off with the Portobello Road market. Fun to see, got a coffee and then kept walking through back neighborhoods around Notting Hill. Gorgeous. We took the Tube, happily running – they’d been on strike yesterday – over to Black Friars bridge, walked over to the Tate and thought we’d see an exhibit that looked totally cool, a Japanese artist and mirrored rooms. Sold out for a LONG time. So used the bathroom and kept walking .
We went to Southborough Market – Kaziah knows food and had already lined up a few things to do in that arena. I’d never seen this market, though I’d actually walked around it several times, within a block! Good grief. And it was a fantastic market, all kinds of food booths and a ton of people enjoying the weather and the day. I had a Vietnamese dish and Kaziah had Indian and they were both great. And the people watching – fantastic.
Then walked back by St. Paul’s, to Twinings because Kaziah had wanted to go to a great tea shop. She decided nope, that was too common in the states (I argued saying it’s been in this spot for over 300 years! Started here in 1706!) Nope, she wanted something different, so kept walking through Covent Garden – I want to go there every time I’m in London because of My Fair Lady. Then our feet were very tired.
We took the Tube home and rested a bit, cleaned up, and then off to find the kind of tea shop Kaziah had looked for. And she was right, totally cool place. Postcard Tea. I wish I could drink more caffeinated tea.
Then to one of Otto Lenghi’s restaurants in Fitzrovia – Rovi. So fun. Small plates, all vegetarian for us, and each one had a distinct flavor. I should travel with Kaziah more often. We then walked back through Mayfair and to the Tube at Green Station and home again to the hotel.
Day 3 – Whew, the trains were running. They’d been on strike Thursday and Saturday, but were back on Sunday. And it was very full. We got there fairly early and I wondered why people were running since we had assigned seats. Turned out that because of the strikes, they’d double booked a lot of seats. We were lucky and got ours set and no one had ours doubled up.
Easy trip, transfer at Lancaster – 5 minute wait – then to Windermere and about a 2 minute wait before the bus showed up. How easy can this be? The bus dropped us off at Ambleside about 200 feet from our B and B. Amazing. Then – we walked. Of course.
Ambleside is a beautiful little town with a lot of restaurants and every house seemed to be a cottage for rent or B and B or Inn. One sign said there are 20,000 residents around Windermere (largest freshwater lake in England) with an additional 20,000 coming in the summer.
We got SO lucky because it was supposed to be raining all day and it stayed nice all day. We first got lunch at the Copper Pot – really fresh wonderful food, and of course, ended with a scone with clotted cream and jam. We then checked out the ferry where we were going the next day, walked more finding the bookstore, another cake and tea place we might go to and just explored. Finally, we went to an Italian place for dinner, but were really tired, couldn’t eat much and were happy to come back to our room at Lacet House.
Kaziah got to hear my river noise machine all night because we needed the windows open for air and coolness, but we’re right on the road for traffic and the random pedestrian railing at midnight about her girlfriend stealing her guy. She was VERY upset and we ALL got to hear about it. Hope she feels better this morning.
Day 4 – We’re off! Our first day of walking and it was wonderful. We got so so lucky because the rain didn’t start until 2:30 so we had hours of dry exploring. We took a ferry across Windermere – how cool is that to start a walk? Got dropped off at the foot of Wray Castle. A Victorian folly built by Jame Dawson, a wealthy surgeon from Liverpool and his wife Margaret in 1840. Amazing.
It was actually quite beautiful and they’re in the midst of restoring what they can with limited funds. They had to start with the roofs which will cost millions of pounds, the guide told us. So – the main thing to see was the photos taken by Beatrix Potter’s father, Rupert Potter in the empty drawing room. And they were really good – set the scene for us. Plus young and teenage Beatrice looked wonderfully happy and mischievous.
Then we started walking. On a totally groomed path, easy walking, didn’t bring my poles. We walked down the side of the lake for 4 miles and then up to the partially restored Claire Viewing station. Amazing – it was a late 18th century banqueting house with dancing and yes, views.
This area has been a retreat for people from England’s cities since the late 1700’s. I can see why, so pretty.
Village
Then we kept walking to Beatrix Potter’s house, Hill Top. I was NOT prepared and we had to have reservations in order to go in, so missed on that front. Plus we were getting tired, it had been raining for a bit, and we were ready to go back. But – it’s kind of like going to Prince Edward Island and missing Ann of Green Gable’s house. Rick and I will just have to come back and stay in the town and then visit Hill Top. It was a completely wonderful small town, we did get a few photos…
House of a friend that Beatrix used frequently in her illustrations
Back to a second ferry that was a car ferry and actually used a pulley system and pulled the ferry back and forth with cables. Walked another 15 minutes to a third ferry which was the best yet. Nice wooden benches on top, the rain had stopped for a bit and we came all the way back up Windermere seeing amazing old stone mansions on the shore and in the hills. Most of which are now hotels and inns.
One of the amazing mansions turned hotels (VERY different from where we stayed) on the lake as we took the last ferry back.
Back to Ambleside and went straight to a bookstore that we’d seen earlier, but didn’t find anything this time, got a pastry to hold us until dinner. Back to room, quick shower, and out to Thai dinner that was really good!
Tomorrow – we’re walking to Grasmere – Wordsworth’s home. I’ve learned my lesson. We have tickets to both his first home and his second where he died. Oh boy!
(supposed to be 10, but we just kept walking to the end and back…) My Last Day.
Today was a wonderful day. No rain until late at night, so walked in the cool with the sun and a bit of breeze. Through forests and towards the ocean.
I walked onto the beach – what a wonderful way to finish the Camino. I talked with a Swedish woman (Rick had stayed on the real path to save his ankle), she and I had both started in St. Jean. She felt the same as I did, we had completely loved the journey and there were more Caminos in our future. She was collecting scallops to bring home. I hadn’t thought of that, but had already taken this photo of front and back of a scallop. It still had it’s animal, so didn’t collect. I collected after. All these scallop shells! Maybe St. James really did fall into the water and come out covered with scallop shells.
Rick and I had a hot chocolate with this view and saw one more church:
One more pilgrim statue:
Then we were there!
Camino Frances to Santiago per my certificate, 779k. Santiago to Fisterra, 83k. Extra walking in towns 30k. Total 892k, 554 miles.
And when I finished, it actually didn’t feeling like an ending, it felt like a beginning. Rick asked how I felt with such an accomplishment, but that didn’t feel like the right word. Truly, felt like I’d just gotten started and I’m going to keep going. Guess the Camino worked its magic and it hasn’t stopped. I have loved this journey.
Reb's Walks! 