- Time of past OR future Camino
- CFx5
Norte
Primitivo
CP
Le Puy-SJPP
Via F
Well, whilst we're not that old..(next non celebration 70) neither are we in the first flush of youth as we descend on the Invierno.
Not sure what the female version of an old codger is though!
It poured rain al day as we travelled from Santiago to Lugo and then onto Ponferrada
We had booked Hotel el Castillo which turned out to be a very good choice.....it's only about 5 minutes from the start of the Invierno.
Met with Laurie, peregrina 2000 ...had a lovely chat and then headed off for something to eat.....as is often usual in Spain, nothing was open before 8.30 so it was back to the hotel.
Luckily we found the best pizza place ever just beside the hotel and open at 7.00pm
For a gigantic pizzeria and a wonderful bottle of wine.....20euro for 2
There is a small super mercado opposite the hotel so got some bits for the day after
Day1 ....Ponferrada to Las Medulas
What a wonderful feeling most of us have on that first day!
We can do this
Full of energy
Full of enthusiasm
No aching legs
No blisters....what are those!! .....
Dressed like a dogs dinner and nobody taking any notice ...
We met Laurie on the way as she went to see the little village in the mountains
A lovely walk through the vines and little lanes
After Villavieja,there is a path up to the Castillo Cornatel but I just took one look up and said...maybe next time.....don't want to kill the old boy off ....well at least until this Camino is finished anyway.
Lots of villages but no bars open till we got to Borrenes at 12.30 as he was about to open...great Tortilla and coffee
The whole..well almost the whole village came to inspect
There's minimal Tarmac on this stage but even then we just hopped over the barrier on the road and walked inside ...
There...we found many wild cherry trees......lunch Alfresco anyone?
Even more of them near the railway line
Ate buckets of them ....so good for the digestive system......not this time!
Stayed at Casa Socorro...30euros bed and breakfast for 2
All restaurants closed on Tuesday so made do with cold tapas from the bar
Day2...las Medulas to O Barco
Left around 0700 ....a beautiful walk with minimal Tarmac again
Got to Puente Florez around 9am ...most supermarkets open and we had a coffee and tostada.....3 coffees and one toast....4euros!
A very hot day with a long stop at Sobradelo
Going through the village of Entoma we found some roadworks as we turned onto the Camino. There a man came from behind a truck and ushered us back onto the main road....so no Camino here.
"That fella should have minded his own business and let us squeeze behind the truck onto the Camino" said Charlie
Yeah, I suppose so..
So on we went on a long stretch of road hopping on any bit of grass we found.
Later....another pearl of wisdom when we checked the map...
"That fella did us a favour you know shunting us off the Camino....saved about 4 km walking"
Well, there you go! ..just as well he didn't mind his own business isn't it?
Well actually, 4 extra km may have just done us in as by then it must have been about 32 degrees
Stayed in Rhe Gran Tortuga, a bit run down but the hospitality was exemplary.
The owner cooked us a meal at 7pm so a good end to the day
Not sure what the female version of an old codger is though!
It poured rain al day as we travelled from Santiago to Lugo and then onto Ponferrada
We had booked Hotel el Castillo which turned out to be a very good choice.....it's only about 5 minutes from the start of the Invierno.
Met with Laurie, peregrina 2000 ...had a lovely chat and then headed off for something to eat.....as is often usual in Spain, nothing was open before 8.30 so it was back to the hotel.
Luckily we found the best pizza place ever just beside the hotel and open at 7.00pm
For a gigantic pizzeria and a wonderful bottle of wine.....20euro for 2
There is a small super mercado opposite the hotel so got some bits for the day after
Day1 ....Ponferrada to Las Medulas
What a wonderful feeling most of us have on that first day!
We can do this
Full of energy
Full of enthusiasm
No aching legs
No blisters....what are those!! .....
Dressed like a dogs dinner and nobody taking any notice ...
We met Laurie on the way as she went to see the little village in the mountains
A lovely walk through the vines and little lanes
After Villavieja,there is a path up to the Castillo Cornatel but I just took one look up and said...maybe next time.....don't want to kill the old boy off ....well at least until this Camino is finished anyway.
Lots of villages but no bars open till we got to Borrenes at 12.30 as he was about to open...great Tortilla and coffee
The whole..well almost the whole village came to inspect
There's minimal Tarmac on this stage but even then we just hopped over the barrier on the road and walked inside ...
There...we found many wild cherry trees......lunch Alfresco anyone?
Even more of them near the railway line
Ate buckets of them ....so good for the digestive system......not this time!
Stayed at Casa Socorro...30euros bed and breakfast for 2
All restaurants closed on Tuesday so made do with cold tapas from the bar
Day2...las Medulas to O Barco
Left around 0700 ....a beautiful walk with minimal Tarmac again
Got to Puente Florez around 9am ...most supermarkets open and we had a coffee and tostada.....3 coffees and one toast....4euros!
A very hot day with a long stop at Sobradelo
Going through the village of Entoma we found some roadworks as we turned onto the Camino. There a man came from behind a truck and ushered us back onto the main road....so no Camino here.
"That fella should have minded his own business and let us squeeze behind the truck onto the Camino" said Charlie
Yeah, I suppose so..
So on we went on a long stretch of road hopping on any bit of grass we found.
Later....another pearl of wisdom when we checked the map...
"That fella did us a favour you know shunting us off the Camino....saved about 4 km walking"
Well, there you go! ..just as well he didn't mind his own business isn't it?
Well actually, 4 extra km may have just done us in as by then it must have been about 32 degrees
Stayed in Rhe Gran Tortuga, a bit run down but the hospitality was exemplary.
The owner cooked us a meal at 7pm so a good end to the day