Lots of damage on the Ingles

[peregrina2000]

More bad news from the Spanish forum about the impact of the winter storms on the caminos in the north.

A Spanish pilgrim who just got back from the Ingles described hundreds (maybe thousands, he said) of huge trees yanked out of the ground, with roots exposed to the air. He described a sense that the whole thing was unreal, as if a giant had marched through hell bent on destruction.

The camino is apparently still passable, but the pilgrim warns of huge amounts of mud caused by the tractors and other machines that are pushing through to try to clean up the damage. Maybe this isn't the year to walk the Ingles, hey, Susanna?

Buen camino, Laurie

 

[Susannafromsweden]

Ok that doesn't sound fun. Let's save that to next year. I'm sure we will be busy anyway.

 

[Tia Valeria]

Maybe not being able to walk this year will not be such a bad thing after all. There must be damage along the coast too, there is here in the UK. I am sure it will be OK later in the year as things dry up etc.

 

[Camembert]

More bad news from the Spanish forum about the impact of the winter storms on the caminos in the north.

A Spanish pilgrim who just got back from the Ingles described hundreds (maybe thousands, he said) of huge trees yanked out of the ground, with roots exposed to the air. He described a sense that the whole thing was unreal, as if a giant had marched through hell bent on destruction.

The camino is apparently still passable, but the pilgrim warns of huge amounts of mud caused by the tractors and other machines that are pushing through to try to clean up the damage. Maybe this isn't the year to walk the Ingles, hey, Susanna?

Buen camino, Laurie

Thanks Laurie. We will keep an eye on this forum for more information. Still 7 weeks to go from now. alternative is to Fisterre and Muxia or a part of the caminho Portuges da Costa from Viana do Castela to Caminho or Vigo. We will see we are flexible and have our caravan house with us. Preparing now all the odd things and training some miles almost every day.

Thanks again and best regards from the Netherlands and have another pastel de nata.
Albert

 

[andy.d]

but is there not also something very special in a pilgrimage through such conditions?

 

[Stephen Nicholls]

but is there not also something very special in a pilgrimage through such conditions?

You may well be right!
I'm been planning the Ingles for almost a year, and will be starting in Ferrol or A Coruna on May 16th.
Hopefully things will be better by then, with a wonderful Spanish sun drying all the mud...
Can you guys please keep this forum/subject up-to-date with conditions?
Many, many thanks!

 

[whariwharangi]

but is there not also something very special in a pilgrimage through such conditions?

Um ... No.

 

[Travellingman]

Ok that doesn't sound fun. Let's save that to next year. I'm sure we will be busy anyway.

I'm surprised you haven't said, "maybe it's a blessing in disguise".....

 

[Rebekah Scott]

I walked with Andy through the damage-causing storms in early February. I think the trees went down along the Ferrol - Bruma section. I know we faced some wild wild weather, and saw a lot of branches down, and heard some scary noises from the trees above, but I don´t remember seeing any uprooted ones between Coruña and Santiago... But then the view was not so good from beneath my hood...
Sounds like Santiago was watching out for us Mad Dogs and Englishmen!

 

[Camembert]

I walked with Andy through the damage-causing storms in early February. I think the trees went down along the Ferrol - Bruma section. I know we faced some wild wild weather, and saw a lot of branches down, and heard some scary noises from the trees above, but I don´t remember seeing any uprooted ones between Coruña and Santiago... But then the view was not so good from beneath my hood...
Sounds like Santiago was watching out for us Mad Dogs and Englishmen!

A Dutch proverb says and maybe you know the english equivalent.. The soup will not be eaten that hot as it will be served out...

We had the same situation about the same time last year when we were about to go for the caminho Portuges. Indunations just north of Lisbon. When we arrived in May no bother at all.
The plan is to go to Ferrol so far.

 

[Al the optimist]

Maybe not being able to walk this year will not be such a bad thing after all. There must be damage along the coast too, there is here in the UK. I am sure it will be OK later in the year as things dry up etc.

Where in the UK are you Tia?

 

[Al the optimist]

I walked with Andy through the damage-causing storms in early February. I think the trees went down along the Ferrol - Bruma section. I know we faced some wild wild weather, and saw a lot of branches down, and heard some scary noises from the trees above, but I don´t remember seeing any uprooted ones between Coruña and Santiago... But then the view was not so good from beneath my hood...
Sounds like Santiago was watching out for us Mad Dogs and Englishmen!

Well I know you are not English , so that makes you ... ...? BTW I enjoyed your blog about the trip, sounds like a great time despite the weather.. The Ingles in summer is lovely, especially as it has the beach at Pontedueme to enjoy!

 

[Tia Valeria]

Where in the UK are you Tia?

Way back we lived very near where the railway was washed away. We used to walk along that sea wall. Still in the south after a brief time northward.

 

[NoQ]

Not put me off. Still looking forward to setting out on the 20th of April. A little mud won't dampen the spirits of this Englishman.

 

[Rebekah Scott]

Well I know you are not English , so that makes you ... ...? BTW I enjoyed your blog about the trip, sounds like a great time despite the weather.. The Ingles in summer is lovely, especially as it has the beach at Pontedueme to enjoy!

Kathy and I have walked many caminos together. One of our mutual nicknames is "Mad Dog..."

 

[andy.d]

So, there were two mad dogs and two Englishmen. But where was the midday sun?

Or were we in the bar then?

 

[BlackDog]

This mad dog is still going in August. It should have dried out by then

 

[alkie_traveller]

i am doing the camino ingles starting 2 april. anyone on it now?
hows the weather now?

 

[roving_rufus]

Hoping to set out from Ferrol on the 14th May. But having problems with my boots and was kind of hoping I would get away with hiking shoes for this camino, but if there is a lot of mud that may not be such a good idea. (Buying boots for me is a long and difficult process as I find it difficult to get ones to fit as I have super narrow ankles- current boots are ones I wore last year from Leon to Santiago and I got huge blisters on my heels - and those boots took me a long time to find and were the best of anything I could try on)

So how bad is the route after the storms? Can I get away with walking shoes or do I need to bite the bullet and buy new boots?

Thanks!

 

[madrid12]

We have just finished the Camino Ingles and did not have any problems at all, there were a few uprooted trees and very slight sections of mud but everything was fine. But it did rain as usual.

 

[Stephen Nicholls]

Just three weeks to go before I start out from A Coruna, then bus up to Ferrol so completing both 'legs' of the Ingles.
I'll be wearing walking shoes, so trust the mud will have dried up by then
Really looking forward to meeting some of you along the camino ... my back-pack is packed and ready!!
Blessings to all currently on the Ingles ...
Buen camino, amigos!

 

[hampshire!tim]

I'm considering walking the Ingles in August - is there a recent update ?

 

[Balian]

Currently walking the Ingles and we have not seen any damage yet.

Go for it

 

[Camembert]

Currently walking the Ingles and we have not seen any damage yet.

Go for it

This message had to do with heavy storms in the last wintertime hope not you are in the middle of such a storm !

Enjoy your walk

 

[Balian]

Oops sorry. Using forum from internet on camera and it misses a lot out

 

[Theatregal]

Just got back from my Camino Ingles saw no damage due to the last winters storms.

Only damage I saw was produced by an identical one like this one -

Ondo Ibili !

Great to see this video. I grew up in an area supported by the logging industry and I regretted not taking a little movie to show the folks at home! Exactly as it was, standing on the side of the road watching a machine like this a couple of weeks ago! Minus the soundtrack of course!

 

[Pelegrin]

Those trees are the "unpopular" eucaliptus. Difficult to eradicate because in 2013, 1 out of 10 Galegos got money from their eucaliptus crop.

 

[Theatregal]

Those trees are the "unpopular" eucaliptus. Difficult to eradicate because in 2013, 1 out of 10 Galegos got money from their eucaliptus crop.

Yes, we saw huge plots of these that had been planted for cultivation. It was the first time encountering a clear cut operation in progress. Fascinating to watch but disturbing at the same time.

 

[Arn]

Stip logging along the CI when I walked in 2011 was a real pain in the grass but only in one small section of about 2KM long. It was muddy, slick and tiresome. Did I mention it was also a pain in the grass? Though to be honest, I really like walking thru areas of the Camino where the Eucalyptus is prevalent. In the late afternoon, especially on hot, humid days the forest is shrouded in a naturally occurring haze that looks greenish and smells great. And, yes, I know that inhaling the mist can be unpleasant. Then again, so can inhaling a good vinotinto, rather than enjoying it a sip at a time.