Author: RebWhite

Started off the day, waking up and realizing I’d slept! Wow! What a great start to the day. Then when the taxi driver came, I asked him to please slow down just a bit. And he did. He was fun to chat with as much as I could. Mostly he talked about how tired he was, that he’d started the day at 6 am and would keep going. He doesn’t take a day off from March to October, because after that, there’s no business and things are really expensive here – actually he talked about groceries and necessaries. I’m not surprised because it’s so remote. He said that crazy road he was driving is closed off and on during all of winter because the snow gets too high. Then he asked if I would mind if he smoked. I said yes, because it hurts my head. He said you never smoked? I said nope, one puff made my head explode (word for explosion is the same in both languages). He then said, everyone dies, what does it matter? Why worry? I said I wasn’t worried about dying, I just didn’t want my head to explode!

Then I started my hike. Only 12 miles and it took me over 6 hours! Long up and really long down, but oh so beautiful. The mist down below was just amazing and I stayed above it the whole time until it was gone and then I was coming down.

First little town, just tractor, cat, tiny church. Says it all.

Coming into La Mesa, these windmills are on many of the hills and they get a lot of their electricity from them. Good thing because the hydro plant was definitely dead. Getting to it later. There was an albergue that had a cafe and Wise Pilgrim said there’s nothing else pretty much until you get to Grandas de Salime, so glad I stopped.

The little crocus like flowers to the right are the most intriguing flowers for me. First, because it seems like they’d be spring flowers and second because they are in a bunch here, but usually, they’re singular and just seem to randomly pop up in the most barren areas. Really cheerful little bursts of color.

I couldn’t take enough pictures of how beautiful it was.

I saw a woman doing a selfie with a tripod and everything, examining the photos, but she stayed put so I asked her to get a photo. Isn’t it amazing behind me?

And now going down. For hours, but the paths were never as rough as they were yesterday.

Here’s the dammed reservoir, but it looked like a long river.

Ok, I was tired at this point and totally missed getting photos of the defunct ghost town of the hydro plant. I’d come over the ridge at the right, down to the river to cross on the damn and was now going back up the other side. The last photo was across the way. I was trying to get a photo here to show how incredibly high this road was, with seemingly a straight cliff all the way down. Needless to say, I couldn’t get close enough for an accurate picture, but it was really really high.

I had to stop by the side of the road to have a snack, I was listening to “House by the Cerulean Sea” a fantasy book recommended by Kaziah and Eli C and suddenly I was off the road that I’d been following into the sky, onto this beautiful path, that just got prettier and prettier. I was definitely in an altered state and when I saw this pretty little town emerging after a long time on the trail, I wasn’t sure how much was book related. I turned off the book.

Really cool church, giant, actually, at the center of this wonderful little town. Iglesia de San Salvador de Grandas, directly related to the Primitivo Santiago Way. A temple is mentioned in 1186, then it was completely remodeled and extended during the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. However, the front door, gargoyles and the font are from the original building.

Town building, the bell rings the hour and the church’s bells seem to chime in for longer ringing. Love hearing the bells.

There is an ethnographic museum here, showing the cultural anthropology history of the Asturian area. It was a really impressive museum. I had to take a picture of the schoolroom, of course, and then appreciated how they wrote about it in the guide: This area, however, is more than the sum of the objects it contains; it is the place where a universe of knowledge and learning enabled children to open their minds to goals and horizons which were formerly only open to a few, to the wealthy.”

“General dissemination of rural schools arrived with the 2nd Spanish Republic, and although General Franco used them as indoctrination centers for his regime, education was able to prise the door open and help to bring freedom to the people.”

Isn’t that great?

And here are those shoes. They were clogs worn to manage the wet and mud that was (and still can be) ever present. They made my shoes look SO comfortable.

Ach.

From my hotel room!

I had another wonderful day. These days of wandering through the country are just a dream and it is so beautiful. I don’t know if I mentioned it, but arriving at both Tineo and Pola de Allande were surprises, walking, walking, turn a corner and there it is. I think it’s because of how the towns are nestled into the mountains. So started off out of Pola de Allande and first thing I see is this view with kale set up as a border.

This arrow pointed straight to the farm. Ok. And sure enough, you could go through the space between the house and barn or to the left. I went to the left, but a guy riding a bike towards me went right through their space. I’m realizing that when a mosaic shell is embedded in the side of the house that it’s both directly on the camino and that it’s also probably quite old. This was a beautiful farm, saw her on the way to collect eggs and the he was just going out on the tractor.

This is maybe one of the biggest differences from the Camino Frances. All these little towns are lived in, if the house is falling down, no, but if not – someone’s there. Last year, it seemed like a lot of the houses on the Camino might be second homes, or traditional ones that they just come back to occasionally.

And now I’m off on another truly beautiful hike.

I marveled at this. Obviously, the rocks are there to work with, but there were only 2 houses at the end of this valley! And the walls for both holding back the rock fall and to border the road were extensive and beautiful. So generations?

And I’m at the top of the pass. This was a marker for human rights and I loved the little music note next to the star.

According to the Asturias site – the area that I’m walking through until I hit Galicia – The Route to Human Rights along the Camino Primitivo of Saint James launched a pioneer program to present and promote the values of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in schools along the Original Way of Saint James.

I also learned that the Camino de Santiago in it’s Primitive Way itinerary was declared in 2015 a “World Heritage Site” by the UNESCO. There are 30 artistic bronze plagues along the 13 stages of the Primitive Way for the Human Rights Route.

Hmmm. I’ve seen two. I’ll have to start paying attention.

Yup and it went down and down. I walked DOWN and DOWN a steep side of rocks for quite a while. My toes had a lot to say about it that night. After a long time, I saw this beautiful farm or something in the distance. I really really hoped there might be a small cafe.

Nope, but it was a beautiful farm with a tiny chapel. It used to be a hospital on the route many, many years ago. Now a farm, though not many buildings looked weather safe. Evidently there was someone in residence because there was a dog sleeping ON the trail who blended in, I almost stepped on him even though he was really big. The chapel was the Capilla de Santiago de Montefurado. So pretty inside, but I was tired and really wanted tea, so forgot to take a picture.

Then, the most wonderful surprise. I came around a corner of an ancient church a bit further on and two men were there, “want some lemonade?” Really? Yes!! It was completely delicious and they were so nice. One spoke some English and they told me about the huge tree next to the church. Teixo is the Asturian spelling. The tree is over 1,000 years old and is treasured. It was used by the Celts for their spiritual practices when they were here back then. I couldn’t really get an accurate picture because how it was hidden behind the tree.

Hiked on into the woods and then to Berducedo. I think there’s a group Albergue and at least one small hotel, but not much so I had to call a taxi and wait for about an hour to go back to Pola de Allande. That was ok with me because it gave me 2 nights in a hotel, time to go to a lavanderia and then hang things in my room to dry. Plus the hotel had a great restaurant and super nice people.

Then I got in the taxi and I thought this was going to be my last day. The paving was great, but the road was pretty crazy, like Trail Ridge Road going through Rocky Mountain National Park, but more. At one point, I clutched the door handle which caught the drivers eye.  Didn’t make him slow down…

I made it back safely.

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.

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.

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.

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. 

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 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.

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. 

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. 

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. 

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.”

Hi yáll,

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.

Last morning – sunrise over Castlerigg Stone Circle.

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. 

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…

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!

Standing Stones Video

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.