Slowing down to Santiago

Boente to O Pedrosa 28kms In 2023, an impressive 404,175 pilgrims embraced the Camino on foot, showcasing the enduring allure of the traditional approach. The most up to date statistics indicate the popularity of the main routes as follows with the Camino Frances being far and away the most popular with 220,000 (but with over half of those walkers at 130,000 just doing the last 100km from Sarria).  Next most popular is the Camino Portuguese at 88,000 followed by its compatriot the Portuguese Coastal at 53,000. Trailing way behind in the popularity stakes are the two that I have undertaken the Camino del Norte at 20,500 and the Camino Primitivo at 20,000. Approximately a 10th of the Camino Frances Keep that in mind as you read on. Today the little stream of tightly knit pilgrims that formed the 'Primitivo Possy' flowed into the full force of the Camino Frances river; those that had spent 30 days walking it's entire length from St Jean Pierport (and who looked as if th...

Ponte de Ferriere to Boente 26km Okay I'll give you a moment to Google that. And to be honest that's what I had to do as I've been struggling for the second day running to find or express a word for today, so I thought there must be a word for that. And there is. For the purists amongst us, today is the last day on the Primitivo, last not because I have reached Santiago (still 40 plus km to go) but because it is the point at which the pure Primitivo route from Oviedo merges with, slips into and is absorbed by the Camino Frances. (more tomorrow). As such it's been an interesting stage but at the same time as this is stage 28 it's not really stood out for any particular reason. Another 25k plus day despite a start that was delayed by the need to grab breakfast at last night's albergue because of a lack of refreshments points on route.  Misty beginnings, country roads, forest trails, wooded paths, past wind turbines,  crossing streams via stone bridges, someti...

Lugo to Ponte Ferreirre 30km Today's word around which to base my musings hasn't been the easiest to decide upon. Sometimes it just drops into my consciousness without too much mental effort, today it has been more of a wrestling match. Lugo was in many ways a jolt to the system, coming into a large town/city so close to Santiago. It also marked the milestone of 100km left, but more of that in a day or two. It's a point where some people are pausing on their Camino for a day's rest / chance to explore.  It's also been the moment where people's plans and timetables for reaching Santiago and what they might have time to do / visit after that has been thrown into sharp focus, with even the die hard non bookers now booking shead. Even I have been forced to plan for Santiago, plan for bus journeys to Porto and check in on line for flights back home in exactly a weeks time.  And perhaps understanderbly having walked in step with others over the course of this C...

 O Cadavo to Lugo 30km Back in the 8th century, the prophet Isaiah proclaimed 'How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!” Maybe, but I am not so sure that the same could be said about the feet that walk the Camino. They could be described as battered, bruised, blistered and generally buggered yes, but beautiful no. Forget your knees, hips or back, feet are without question the part of your anatomy that takes the most brutal pounding. Step after step, mile after mile, day after day, week after week. If your feet are good, then the walk is good. If not...ouch, aagh. In albergues across Spain, everday after slipping off shoes, hobbling to the shower and easing some of the immediate discomfort, almost everyone can be seen beginning their trotter treatment. Tape and plasters are attached, lotions, ointments and unguents are applied, toenails inspected ...

  A Fonsagrada to O Cadavo 24km Again I could have chosen chance, coincidence, fortune, luck or even divine intervention for the title of today's musing. At one point the reflection was going to be about feet but events during the day took over. I began pondering...what if? What if I hadn't started walking when I did. What if I hadn't walked the stages I have. What if I hadn't walked at the speed I did and stayed in the places I have stayed. What if I hadn't caught the Metro to Portgalete or taken that bus ride to Uquera. What if ferry's hadn't only started at 9am to Sonata. What if I hadn't had some slow days or changed plans at the suggestion of others. What if I had stayed on the del Norte and not switched to the Primitivo. What if...the list is endless. Then the particular serendipitous series of events that has made this camino, my camino, would not have unfolded as they have. Instead I would have walked one of an unlimited number of parall...

  Grandes de Salime to A Fonsagrada 28km I guess I could have used the word boundaries or barriers. I've been pondering those things today and how they shape us, help define us, give us a sense of belonging, maybe even a tribal identity. And the reason for this is that during today's rolling 28km walk we left behind the region of Asturias and entered Galicia.   And whilst there was no official border point, no checkpoint Charlie or defining moment in time, what might have alerted those with eyes to both look and see was the now official looking, identikit Camino route markers (see today's picture) with the shell, the arrow, the distance to Santiago and the word 'Galicia ' visible on all of them, where apparently they take Camino markers pretty seriously. This walk will have taken me through 4 different and distinct regions of Spain. The hills of the Basque region, the coastline and concrete of Cantabria, the streams, rivers and green valleys of Asturias and now ...

 Berducedo to Grandes de Salime. 23km Having already earned myself the reputation as 'the one from Nottingham who did Hospitales backwards', perhaps it's no surprise today that on a very twisty switch back walk my thoughts have been around the concept of 'back" Today's later start at just after 7am, a consequence of a hard day for everyone yesterday, meant the sun has risen a little bit more by the time we left Berducedo. Normally the focus is head down and concentrated on moving forward towards the top of the first climb, the initial coffee stop or even destination for the day, but pausing to look back revealed valley after valley filled in a sea of mist and cloud, with the hazy sun bouncing off its surface creating the impression that the surrounding hill tops were islands floating on an ethereal sea. Just beautiful. Continuing on a switch back path, that dropped over 3,000 feet to the Salime reservoir , my thoughts and memories drifted back to the past a...

  Pola de Allende to Berducedo. 20km (plus 3hrs) Sometimes its good to have your cake and eat it. Today I think I managed to do just that.  Although the stages of the Camino Primitivo are pretty set given the location of villages, the distance between then and the facilities ( or lack of them), the major decision point people have to make is whether to do the 'Hospitales'' route or not.  Hospitals is the high, up and over, spectacular views (depending on the weather,) take everything with you as there are no villages/drinkable water available for 8 hours option 1. I had decided not to take this option for a variety of reasons, I would have missed the day with Robert and Bryant for a start and so 'enjoyed' the almost 2 1/2 hour, nearly 3000 ft forested climb up from Pola de Allendes. Arriving at the high point where this trail met the Hospitales trail the weather was pretty grim, misty and cold enough to require my rain jacket making an appearance for on...

  Tineo to Pola de Allende 29km Since moving over to the Primitivo one of the things that's caught my attention has been water. Now that might seem strange given that parts of the del Norte were by a whole expanse of water called the Atlantic ocean but there you are. It's been water trickling underfoot as it finds its way via gravity along rocky paths and atbthe side of teacks, It's been water gushing and spurting from roadside fountains, spouts and taps. Lovely cold water under which I could place my bandana, my hat even my head for a cooling respite. And if it was safe to drink refill an emptying water bottle. Water collecting in large stone vessel where people once gathered to do communal washing, or pouring from fast flowing streams into natural pools; perfect as nature's very own ice bath for tired and aching feet.   Water in the early morning mist and finest of rain that has greeted the day until the sun has burnt it away or when it hasn't has hung he...

 Salas to Tineo 19km So what does a pilgrim on the Camino do when not walking? Because in reality, perhaps  contrary  to common misconception about a long distance  pilgrimage walk  some days have had more not walking than walking. Days have varied between a leisurely stroll for 5 hours and a real slog for over 10hrs. When walking it's a case of one foot in front of the other, observing what's underfoot, looking out for direction signs either physically or digitally, and remembering to stop and see; see the magnificent in the majestic and the outstanding in the ordinary. But with the walking over what then? Well assuming you have a place to stay, and many people don't reserve but walk on a wing and a prayer, and have checked in, then it's out of sweat sodden clothes and into what is a pilgrim's dream, a shower with power.  Scalding hot or ice cold the choice is yours perhaps alternating the blasts at various areas of your body but ALWAYS , always at...

  Grado to Salas. 22km It is the single word question that can and does generate 1001 different answers. Why...why are you walking the Camino? For some it is their 1st Camino whilst others are veterans, having walking various caminos that I have never heard off or even knew existed. Something draws them here and/or draws them back time after time. But what? Many talk about the ethos of the camino, it's spirit, the lessons it teaches, the temporary family that gather, walk together and then disperse, the j'e ne said quois' that can't be captured by words. Many are here to find space, to think or not to think, to engage with something other than their 9-5 life they appear to temporarily disengaging from. Some seem lost and in search of something even if they don't know what. For others it's simply something on their bucket list, a simple holiday or just a nice long walk For Ernesto and Stefano, who although living in the same country, albeit at different end...

  Oviedo to Grado 26km There's an often quoted line from the film Casablanca in which Humphrey Bogart's character says 'Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into mine. On Tuesday morning I could have paraphrased that quote by saying "Of all the bus stations, in all the towns, in all the world, they walk into this one" as who should appear very unexpectedly, Ernesto, Stefano and Rocco. What a delightful treat!!    Having had an emotional farewell yesterday , they had stayed outside Villaviciosa but their early start and my delayed departure means our paths intersected. It was so nice to be able to have a quick coffee, and grab a team picture before 'the boys' headed off to Gijon whilst I shared a bus journey with Rocco to Oviedo from where he begins his week long journey home to Toronto.  It was lovely to see them all and the tsunami of emotion that had caught us all ...