16th June Magnus

 Duesso to Villaviciosa 18km

One of the highlights of Sunday night TV back in the 1970"s was settling down to watch Mastermind and to see if we, as a family, could manage to get any of the questions right by the end of the program. The answer was normally no. 

Now there are several people I have encountered during the past couple of weeks whose specialist subject on Mastermind would certainly be 'the Camino del Norte". Some Camino "experts" are very low key in the tips and advice that they offer, others are how shall I put it. 'more keen' to share their experiences and advice which I have listened too but also taken with a liberal pinch of salt.

The host back in the day was off course Magnus Magnussun, famous for his catchphrase "I've started, so I'll finish', something that has been playing on my mind in recent days. Leaving the UK the plan was to walk the Camino del Norte to Villaviciosa and then jump across to walk the Camino Primitivo, thus giving me what I hoped would be the best of two Caminos, with both coastal beaches and mountain views.

Then Magnus Magnussun got in my head. And the question he has been asking is if I've started should I actually finish the Camino del Norte in its entirely because if not I can't really see myself retuning to do the last bit anytime soon,. Whereas I could come back and do the Primitivo as a separate entity. It's been a Catch 22 that's been running round and round my head.

Prior to leaving the UK I did reserve accommodation on the Primitivo but don't have a physical guide for the route (even though it's pretty set and there are innumerable on line apps available). I could off course cancel those reservations but that's a real pain in the backside and so over the past few days I have changed my mind about what to do more than Tyson Fury has about fighting Anthony Joshua or retiring (again).

Everyone I ask, who has done both routes and are thus able to offer an informed opinion, says to stick to my original plan. So here in Villaviciosa its decision time, take one path and complete the del Norte or go in another direction and go 'all primitive'. Hopefully  Magnus gives me time to consider my answer.


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