Primitivo in winter, impossible?

[Got2go]

Hi,
I need to get out to have some time and space. A friend suggested I'd go walking somewhere on the camino.
Camino Primitivo calls me strongly with its name and from what I have read it seems to be a peaceful route.
The problem is that I need to go somewhere within a few weeks. Is Primitivo out of the question in Jan-Feb? From what I found it seems to be pure madness to go there now. Are there any alternatives in winter time.

 

[amancio]

Cold and wet, but days are getting longer, it will be cold in some albergues, but I am sure it can be done, just beware some mountain crossings may be rough with snow. You have to be well prepared and equipped, that is the only thing.

 

[TerryB]

Not 'impossible' but as always, everything depends on the weather! Can you answer a few questions, then folk will know how to advise.

How much time have you available?

Are you an experienced hill walker?

What kind of accommodation will you be seeking? - Some albergues may be closed.

Just for starters - the snow line in Northern Spain is often round the 500 / 600 mt. mark. The Primitivo has sections over 1000 mts! It will certainly be very wet and muddy, this can usually be avoided by road walking but it will make things more difficult.
From Oviedo to Grandas de Salime there is -weather permitting- a regular daily bus service run by ALSA. (no bus on Saturdays). From Grandas to Fonsegrada there is NO public transport. From Fonsagrada to Lugo there are several buses daily.
If you wanted to experience some of the Primitivo maybe you could fly to Santiago, bus to Lugo and on to Fonsagrada and then walk back from there. That will give you 160k or thereabouts. Lugo to Santiago qualifies for the Compostela.
Read the posts and Blogs to see what others have experienced.

Unfortunately the person who was posting that he was going to walk in winter whatever the weather, never posted a record of his experience!
I was going to say "he never came back to tell us about it"!!!

Blessings
Tio Tel

 

[karenfromcali]

Hi,
I need to get out to have some time and space. A friend suggested I'd go walking somewhere on the camino.
Camino Primitivo calls me strongly with its name and from what I have read it seems to be a peaceful route.
The problem is that I need to go somewhere within a few weeks. Is Primitivo out of the question in Jan-Feb? From what I found it seems to be pure madness to go there now. Are there any alternatives in winter time.

Understand the need to be alone. Hope your camino comes together for you and you are able to enjoy the time and space you need.
Buen Camino.

 

[Rebekah Scott]

Nothing is impossible. Pushing the limits can make you miserable, however, or give you some great adventure stories -- depending on your outlook and fitness!
You can try the Camino Invierno, the old "winter camino."
It is not heavily traveled yet, it has infrastructure enough for you to find a place to stay and eat each night, there is only one comparatively minor mountain-climb and that has a town right over the other side and a road-walking option if the weather is bad. You can reach the best starting points (Ponferrada or Monforte de Lemos) via direct train from Madrid or Santiago de Compostela. You can download a guide for donativo from the CSJ London website. (I wrote it.)
There´s a LOT of mud out there, however. But you pass through three different wine-making D.O.´s, and the people are very friendly!

 

[angulero]

Just for starters - the snow line in Northern Spain is often round the 500 / 600 mt. mark. The Primitivo has sections over 1000 mts! It will certainly be very wet and muddy, this can usually be avoided by road walking but it will make things more difficult.

Y a veces, incluso nieva a nivel de mar, pero no es lo normal. Lo normal es que nieve entro los 800 o 1000 metros. Deber nevar la misma cantidad de días en un invierno entre los 1500 y 2000 metros que a 500 o más abajo.
Yo sólo me preocuparía de la nieve si te concide un temporal en el momento en que estés pasando por los puertos o los días siguientes a una gran nevada.

Eso sí, el mes más propicio para ello es ferbrero.


And sometimes even snows at sea level, but it is not normal. Typically snow entered the 800 or 1000 meters. Must the same amount of snow days in winter between 1500 and 2000 meters to 500 or below.
I only worry about it if you snow concide a time when they're going through the ports or the days following a heavy snowfall.

Yes, the most suitable for this month is FEBRUARY.

 

[Tia Valeria]

....... Yo sólo me preocuparía de la nieve si te concide un temporal en el momento en que estés pasando por los puertos o los días siguientes a una gran nevada.

Eso sí, el mes más propicio para ello es ferbrero.

And sometimes even snows at sea level, but it is not normal. Typically snow entered the 800 or 1000 meters. Must the same amount of snow days in winter between 1500 and 2000 meters to 500 or below.
I only worry about it if you snow concide a time when they're going through the ports or the days following a heavy snowfall.

Yes, the most suitable for this month is FEBRUARY.

Thanks Angulero. The correct translation of 'puerto' in this case is ' pass' so your sentence could read
'I only worry if the snow coincides with going through the passes, or following heavy snowfall.'

Puerto de Palo and Puerto de Acebo, for example, are both over 1000mts with others over 800mts.

 

[Got2go]

Not 'impossible' but as always, everything depends on the weather! Can you answer a few questions, then folk will know how to advise.
How much time have you available?
Are you an experienced hill walker?
What kind of accommodation will you be seeking? - Some albergues may be closed.
[snip]
Unfortunately the person who was posting that he was going to walk in winter whatever the weather, never posted a record of his experience!
I was going to say "he never came back to tell us about it"!!!

Some answers to those questions.
I am not sure how much time I can arrange. But for example the seven days of walk as in http://www.caminodeinvierno.com/ just feels too short for me right now.
I am not a very experienced hill walker, not many hills around here. No problem in hiking up mountains with skis for a week, really up, downhill is more challenging. I should be in decent shape, no problem in running up and down small paths in forest for few hours, or a marathon slowly. Long time and distances at decent pace has always been more convenient for me than speed.
If I take my light weight sleeping bag, I should be ok sleeping anywhere with decent shelter from wind and rain as long as the temperature inside is above zero. I will try to find which albergues would be open. I will need some food every day. Although, carrying two days food with me should not be a problem.

It looks like the only reasonable flights are to and from Madrid and a train from there and back. I could just go and walk some part of Francés.
But maybe I should follow my intuition and feeling (for the first time in almost 50 years) and go to the Primitivo. Maybe I should not try to make everything too prepared, "live and experience" all in my head beforehand, trying to avoid any disappointments, which also prevents from really experiencing and learning anything new.

The plan at this moment would be:
Train to Oviedo. Walking the Primitivo towards Melide or time and weather allowing, even to Santiago.
Due to winter conditions, it may well be not possible to get all the way. But as I keep reminding myself, this is not a sports event. I don't have to get to any specific place, except inside myself, and that happens on the road, not by completing a fixed distance.
I would need to find out about transport in order to know the places where to stop in order to make it back to Madrid in time.

How easy is it to stay on the track if there is some snow? Should I have a gps for safety?
I don't speak any Spanish and there is no time to learn, I hope to be able to communicate all the essential with my limited English and a dictionary.

 

[amancio]

I do not think you will need a GPS, honestly, the route is very well marked up. Be ready for some amazing food, though...

 

[Tia Valeria]

Terry and I used the CSJ guide to the Primitivo. This gives alternative accomodation, heights of passes and also where one should keep to the road in bad weather. Terry had to do this over Puerto de Palo when mist meant that it was only possible to see one 'snow pole' ahead. We were able to walk the track when we went together. The most difficult section would be between Grandas de Salime and Fonsagrada where there is no public transport. Having a room booked in Fonsagrada and a taxi telephone number in both Grandas and Fonsagrada would be a sensible precaution IMHO.
For the rest there is a daily ALSA bus (except Saturdays) which leaves Oviedo and goes to Grandas, weather permitting. Also from Fonsagrada to Lugo there are buses daily run by 'Hervei'. To return to Madrid you will have to get back to Oviedo or forward to Lugo.

If the forecasts are bad when you reach Madrid I could suggest that you travel to Lugo and then bus to Fonsagrada and start your Camino there, continuing on to Finisterre or Muxia maybe to increase your walking time. That puts you out of the highest passes. If the forecasts are good then head for Oviedo and see how it goes.

Some basic Spanish phrases written down would be good, there is very limited English spoken in the area. The CSJ guide too would help as you could point to the places you want etc

You can check out our blogs, links here and on TerryB's post above.
Buen Camino

NB Edited to correct name of bus company Lugo-Fonsagrada

 

[Got2go]

Is this the CSJ guide you mentioned?
http://www.csj.org.uk/acatalog/The_CSJ_Bookshop_Pilgrim_Guides_to_Spain_23.html
Los Caminos del Norte, F: Camino Primitivo, Chris Lennie & Eric Walker

 

[Tia Valeria]

Yes, that is the one. It gives much good advice as well as alternative routes etc. Well worth having in our opinion.
If you want elevations then check out the Gronze site's section for the Primitivo

Also I have put a thread with weather links in the Primitivo section -
http://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/checking-weather-on-the-primitivo.23519/

 

[Kiwi-family]

How does this one compare?
http://tourism.euskadi.net/contenid...os/2011/santiago/Caminos del Norte INGLES.pdf

Would you recommend having the CSJ guide as well?

 

[Tia Valeria]

Having had a quick look at this I would say yes. The pdf guide is full of great information about places, but as far as I can see has only the maps to give guidance. The CSJ guide gives far more in the way of directions. (KSO keep straight on; turnings, distances etc.) If I could only take one then it would be the CSJ, but the other is good reading. Similarly the Cicerone guide but this has more about stopping places too, we used that to add to our CSJ guide, not wanting to cut it up to only take the needed section on the Camino.

Edit:- This is a short section from the CSJ guide (by Johnnie Walker) to the Camino Inglés-

"KSO passing the café bar Poligono on the right. KSO across two roundabouts then pass to the Right of a large walled cemetery. Do not turn left at the end of the cemetery wall - KSO leaving the industrial estate behind and come to a house number 66 on the left with a waymark tile. 13 kms

KSO the road as it moves between houses. After 300 metres pass the Café Bar Miro on the left. At the STOP sign immediately after the bar follow waymarks to the Left and pass in front of the Café Bar Adega Bello. A little further on observe the yellow arrow on the lamp post and pavement and follow the road Right – KSO until at house number 59 Rúa do Tambre in Meixonfrio notice a waymarked turning to the Right. 14 kms

Follow the road downhill slightly passing a lavadero on your left then rising up to the top of the road to the trees with a waymark opposite indicating a Left turn."

This is entering Santiago, but gives a good idea of the detail. Figures in bold are a running total of the kms walked on the stage.

 

[Got2go]

Thank you all for the information. Especially Tia Valeria for the alternative plan instead of full Primitivo. Now that I am getting more positive day by day, I don't feel the need for maximal suffering in the mountain paths any more. I will start from Fonsagrada, walk throug Lugo and Santiago and lighten up towards the and by the sea. If I have the time I will first walk to Muxia and finish in Finisterre (or Fisterra, seems to have many names). This leaves me free from any pressure about getting anywhere in time. I can spend as much time as I need at any point and it is always relatively easy to get back to Madrid.
I ordered the CSJ guide to Primitivo, for the rest I will trust the Gronze site and downloadable guides.
The night train from Madrid will be in Lugo early in the morning but it takes some time to get to Fonsagrada. I will probably walk around for the rest of the day and spend the first night there.
A "pilgrim pass" is required to access the albergues, right? Will I be able to get one in Fonsagrada?

 

[daniele]

Hi there!
I'm just back home from a very short Camino Primitivo: walked from Lugo to Santiago in 4 days, rain, wind, mud, no other pilgrim until Melide, very few bar opened and only Xunta's albergue for the night (on the Frances way too) but a different point of view of the Camino and a unique, wonderful experience.
Try this or others caminos in winter and you can feel what does mean be a Pilgrim.
Buen camino

 

[Deleted member 3000]

A "pilgrim pass" is required to access the albergues, right?

If you don't have one, you MAY be refused entry to an albergue. Private albergues are not bound by the credencial, and municipal albergues may or may not even ask for one particularly out of season. Hostales, pensiones, and hoteles, of course, do not care.

 

[Tia Valeria]

The night train from Madrid will be in Lugo early in the morning but it takes some time to get to Fonsagrada. I will probably walk around for the rest of the day and spend the first night there.
A "pilgrim pass" is required to access the albergues, right? Will I be able to get one in Fonsagrada?

Yes, you will need a pilgrim passport (credencial in Spanish). Lugo is an official start point. If you are arriving in Lugo in the morning then you could ask for one at the albergue, but if it is between 10.00 and 12.00 then the Cathedral Office should be open, and they may have them and your first sello (say-jo = stamp). The office is the building opposite the west door of the cathedral, up the wide steps and through the green door. The office is on the left. The other place would be the tourist office. I would not wait until Fonsagrada because of opening times not necessarily coinciding with your needs and we are not sure whether they would have credenciales there.
If you want to spend the first night in a hotel then we can recommend the Hotel Metropol on Miguel Cervantes which had a special rate for pilgrims last year.
Buen Camino

 

[Got2go]

Thank you again. I thought also it would be easier to get the credencial in Lugo in the morning.
My previous post was confusing, sorry. The plan was to continue to Fonsagrada from Lugo as soon as possible (after finding the credencial). I would then stay the first night in Fonsagrada and start walking early next morning.

 

[Tia Valeria]

These are the buses to (and from ) Fonsagrada:- Note the bus company is Hervei (I have corrected my post above. Freire runs to Ribadeo!)
ALSA, Hervei, Freire etc all run from the same bus station (estacion de autobus)

Lugo to Fonsagrada
10:30h.Lugo-Fonsagrada;daily.
13:30h.Lugo-Fonsagrada;school days.
13:45h.Lugo-Fonsagrada;non-holiday Saturdays.
14:00h.Lugo-Fonsagrada;not school days.
18:30h.Lugo-Fonsagrada;school days.
19:00h.Lugo-Fonsagrada;not school days.
19:45h.Lugo-Cádavo;school days-Friday at Neira de Rey.
19:45h.Lugo-Fonsagrada;Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.

Fonsagrada to Lugo
07:30 h. Cádavo - Lugo; daily, excp. Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.
school days.
07:15h.Fonsagrada-Lugo;daily,excp.Sundays and public holidays.
08:45h.Fonsagrada-Lugo;Saturdays,Sundays and public holidays.
10:00h.Fonsagrada-Lugo;daily,excp.Saturdays,Sundays and public holidays.
14:15h.Fonsagrada-Lugo;daily,excp.Sundays and public holidays.
18:15h.Fonsagrada-Lugo;daily,excp.Sundays and public holidays.
18:00h.Fonsagrada-Lugo;Sundays and public holidays.
09:45h.Castroverde-Lugo;daily,excp.Saturdays,Sundaysandpublic holidays.

Note:Services on Saturday,Sunday and holidays are maintained throughout the year.

You can also check this out here at Hervei's site

 

[Got2go]

Some further questions before fixing the dates.
Is it difficult to get the credencial in Lugo on sunday or should I try to fix to arrive there on a weekday?
I noticed the luggage storage in Santiago. It would be nice (and polite to others) to have fresh clothes for the travel back. I would probably have time to send that either from Madrid or from Lugo. Are the post offices open on sundays?
The current plan is to walk from Fonsagrada to Finisterre via Muxia. Or the end possibly the other way, Santiago-Finisterre-Muxia. Any suggestions which way? Then a bus back to Santiago and either the night train or Ryanair to Madrid.
I could have 13 days for walk. 11 days according to the steps on Gronze site plus two days for additional freedom.

 

[Got2go]

Flights fixed now. Arriving in Madrid at noon Friday 24 Jan, leaving back from Madrid Mon 17 Feb. That will allow enough time even for starting in Oviedo.
If the weather is bad in the mountains, do I have to go all the way back to Oviedo in order to get to the other side to Lugo or Fonsagrada? Or are there other ways around?
If the weather is too bad in the beginning, I can start in Fonsagrada (via Lugo) and just walk somewhere around Santiago if everything goes well and I have spare time.

 

[Tia Valeria]

Between Pola de Allande and Grandas de Salime you have two of highest passes of the route. If you cannot get over these then 'Yes' you will have to return to Oviedo to get round to Lugo, and the bus goes right round via Leon. There is no train either through this part of the mountain range, the train goes from Oviedo via Leon to Lugo.
If the snow line is below 1500 metres it is not wise to try these two passes, if it below 1000 the bus may not be running. The alternative route via Hospitales at 4 (Tineo to Pola de Allande) is a fair weather route with a group, not solo especially at this time of year.

If you are still uncertain when you reach Madrid it might be best to play safe and head for Fonsagrada. If the weather turns good you could take a taxi towards Grandas (no bus) and walk from the wind turbines at Alta de Acebo (mid point on 7) and next highest pass to those of Puerto de Palo and Buspol. If the taxi doesn't want to go there then you have made a good decision, just walk from Fonsagrada on ever decreasing heights.

Stages as given here are from Gronze, with profiles. Weather forecast site for Oviedo to Grandas and Fonsagrada to Lugo and Santiago give the snow line level. By Friday the snow line level should be clearer.
This site gives the state of the roads. Chains, closed etc. Hover over the map to find incidents, or if you can recognise the passes then use the list below the map.
Have a safe Camino

 

[Tia Valeria]

There is only one bus per day each way between Oviedo and Grandas. There is no bus at all on one day of the week, but which day (in each direction) would need checking with ALSA, as would the daily bus times

 

[Got2go]

Thank you again. It really looks like I should forget about the Primitivo at this point.
The next plan is to start from Leon towards Santiago and Finisterre, as far as I can make it in about 20 days I have available.
That _should_ be more suitable this time of the year?

 

[Tia Valeria]

That sounds like a better plan at present.
If the Camino Primitivo is still calling you then you could walk it from Oviedo another time. It is beautiful in May and others love it in autumn, late September-October.
Buen Camino

 

[angulero]

Grandas de Salime ahora.

Grandas de Salime now.

http://webcamsdeasturias.com/asturi...lime/grandas-de-salime/grandas-de-salime/142/

 

[Tia Valeria]

Thanks Angulero. I saw that the snowline was given as down to 700mts for yesterday/today so more to come. Here we just have rain and more rain.
Got2go is walking a different route having looked at the weather etc. I think he might be on the Francés

 

[angulero]

El Palo, Berducedo......

http://www.rtpa.es/asturias:Asturia...oleaje-y-amarillo-por-nieve_111390984298.html

 

[Tia Valeria]

We sat by that pylon and ate our bocadillos on a lovely sunny day. Two hours later when we looked back up the track it had disappeared into the clouds.
Thanks again Angulero

 

[peregrina2000]

Yes, you will need a pilgrim passport (credencial in Spanish). Lugo is an official start point. If you are arriving in Lugo in the morning then you could ask for one at the albergue, but if it is between 10.00 and 12.00 then the Cathedral Office should be open, and they may have them and your first sello (say-jo = stamp). The office is the building opposite the west door of the cathedral, up the wide steps and through the green door. The office is on the left. The other place would be the tourist office. I would not wait until Fonsagrada because of opening times not necessarily coinciding with your needs and we are not sure whether they would have credenciales there.
If you want to spend the first night in a hotel then we can recommend the Hotel Metropol on Miguel Cervantes which had a special rate for pilgrims last year.
Buen Camino

This may be a moot point now, since Got2go seems to have changed plans, but for anyone planning to get a credencial at the albergue, in my experiences there, the hospitalero will not talk to you before 1:00, even if he's there and standing outside and smoking a cigarette. Rules are rules, you know. So, the cathedral possibility might be the only way to go .

 

[peregrina2000]

El Palo, Berducedo......

http://www.rtpa.es/asturias:Asturia...oleaje-y-amarillo-por-nieve_111390984298.html

Thanks for this link, angulero. Makes me feel less sorry for myself, here under the polar vortex -- ah to be back at the Puerto del Palo!

 

[Pelegrin]

Angulero, En el video aparece hablando el chaval del único bar que prepara comida en Berducedo.
Me acuerdo que me dijo que el no hablaba gallego-asturiano.

Angulero, In the video appears the guy (bearded) who is the only one in Berducedo who prepares food.
I remember he told me he didn´t speak gallego-asturiano.

 

[Dean Morgenthal]

Nothing is impossible maybe

3 day on camino primitivo amazing solitude amazing weather snow rain sun rainbows wind thunder and lightning and I feel alive


do it dude

fear is what stops us

Tomorrow snow and i am looking forward to it

 

[Dean Morgenthal]

Thank you again. It really looks like I should forget about the Primitivo at this point.
The next plan is to start from Leon towards Santiago and Finisterre, as far as I can make it in about 20 days I have available.
That _should_ be more suitable this time of the year?

Read my post

 

[Tia Valeria]

Where are you? and where did you start Dean?

 

[Got2go]

On my way from Leon towards Fisterre. IN Melide within a week. I could make a side trip to do the end of primitivo. Is there an easy bus connection from Melide to Fonsagrada? Very limited connection to internet, no devices with me. Occational connections only. Could not find any bus yet, no more internet for a few days now. Tahnks for any advice.

 

[Dean Morgenthal]

Where are you? and where did you start Dean?

We are now in pola de allande I started in Oviedo

alone 3 days with no sign of anybody total solitude did stage 1 and 2 together in first day in timeo surprised to meet another perigrino from Barcelona we have teamed up and are seeing how it goes. House on fire

there is a 73 year Swiss guy ahead of us who we are trying to catch up with but we are hearing of sightings of him and I bet he's some dude 73 this route is challenging no doubt but it's amazing scenery and I love the way it's continuosly changing weather.

Like this dude the primitivo said something to me and I knew it was the route for me scenery and challenge space time alone not to many people great food along the way

Anyway thanks for asking
Dean

 

[Tia Valeria]

On my way from Leon towards Fisterre. IN Melide within a week. I could make a side trip to do the end of primitivo. Is there an easy bus connection from Melide to Fonsagrada? Very limited connection to internet, no devices with me. Occational connections only. Could not find any bus yet, no more internet for a few days now. Tahnks for any advice.

Hola Got2go. When you get to Melide it might be possible to get a bus to Lugo and walk from there (100kms to Santiago). You might have to get a bus into Santiago and out again to reach Lugo.
Weather conditions are not good at the time of writing this. Fonsagrada is above the snow line at present and the buses may not be running. However Lugo is that much lower down with no significant passes to go over so it might work. If you get to Lugo then see how far the bus can get. Walking from Cádabo back into Lugo is a longish day, but can be broken at Castroverde.
If you have internet time then you can check out the weather and road/bus condition via this thread 'Checking Weather on the Primitivo'
There are some extra links there now.
Buen Camino and stay safe. (You too Dean)

 

[Tia Valeria]

Got2go:- Further thoughts re Fonsagrada, depending on the weather. If you get to Lugo check out with the bus company (Hervei) if there are any problems with the road and how far the bus is going. If it goes all the way, great otherwise go as far as possible towards A Fonsagrada. . If you then get off at its turning point you can walk back towards Lugo from there. If walking between Paradavella and Lastres there is a potentially hazardous off road section. Walking the road for a time and then returning to the Camino track could be safest, particularly if you are alone.
By next week the snow level might have cleared, we'll check it out and post info here as it will maybe save you some internet search time.
For buses from Melide to Lugo see here. You should only need to change the date and there are 8 per day. The bus starts in Santiago and goes through Melide on the way to the bus station in Lugo.From Lugo to Fonsagrada there are approx 3 Hervei buses a day but the times etc vary according to whether it is a school day (lectivos) or not and also which day of the week, festival or not etc. so asking is best.
Buen Camino

 

[peregrina2000]

Like this dude the primitivo said something to me and I knew it was the route for me scenery and challenge space time alone not to many people great food along the way

Anyway thanks for asking
Dean

My hats off to you, Dean. I love the Primitivo -- but with the kind of weather you are experiencing, I'm not so sure I could do it. Glad you have found some company, and I hope you will keep in touch and let us know how it's going. If there's enough snow, maybe you can just sit and slide down the long trail that takes you down to the dam, that would be so much nicer for the knees. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[angulero]

En las últimas fotos este enlace podéis ver como una está de nieve una pista que conduce al parque eólico del Puerto del Palo.

http://meteoasturias.elcomercio.es/foro/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=900&start=1566

Ahora, a las 00:35 hay 16,7ºC en la costa, mañana se prevé una máxima de 7ºC y nieve de nuevo a partir de unas 400 metros de altura.


In the last photo you can see this link as snow is a track leading to the wind farm of Puerto del Palo.

http://meteoasturias.elcomercio.es/foro/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=900&start=1566

Now, at 00:35's 16.7 º C on the coast, tomorrow a high of 7 º C and snow is expected again from about 400 meters high.

 

[Got2go]

After some long daily walks, in Melide just now. 35 mins to catch a 17:00 bus to Lugo... could make it to 18:30 bus to Fonsagrada. No food yet today... Not sure. we´ll see,,,

 

[Dean Morgenthal]

We did it how hard was it unbelievable now in lugo resting 36hrs and then going alone to Santiago Carlos going to Madrid returning to finish with his wife in spring (how beautiful is that) my knees are shot and to be honest I did it on the first 2 stages but carried on a shot of anis arturianas works wonders when the hobbling starts at about 2 oclock
With company we pushed each along without it I really don't know if I could have lasted every stage was different and the last 31 to lugo nearly tipped me over the edge it lashed down for the last 3hrs torrential with gusting winds as always the camino provides what you need and nothing more, I wanted this rugedness I wanted to push myself

funny you should say that about sliding down I jokingly said I could snowboard down after learning to snowboard for 12 days last year 42year old snowboarder lol instead I put on Jose Gonzalez/Junip walked through the woods shedding tears of joy after we met the 2 wild mountain goats going up the hill after the dam the black one looks like the devil but is not to be feared fantastic moment while they skipped up the hill jumped over the wall and proceeded to inter react with us when they felt safe.

So the moral of my story maybe we are lucky maybe we were meant to meet each other to get through this, maybe it was our drive our challenge we set out for ourselves that made us go on maybe it was my rabbit foot or maybe it was something else.

It's not over yet 100km to go
Dean

 

[Pelegrin]

Dean: Congratulations!

How was the section Puerto del Palo - Montefurado (because the snow)?

 

[Dean Morgenthal]

Dean: Congratulations!

How was the section Puerto del Palo - Montefurado (because the snow)?

Hospitales they say impassable I wanted to do but not enough time and to go alone was too much I think it was 26km or 16 not sure the snow then came in and we got caught Polle de Allandes El Palo snow came in 50metre visibility could not see signs and had to use instincts drop gear and found fountain heard cars on road and left the path found shelter at El Palo I think it's called rompie Los pies which translated break your legs. It was one of the most exciting hardest times of route we were lost hospitals I wouldn't do alone. Once you get up valley and up to mountains very hard to find route because snow covering signs scallop shell yellow arrows follow tree line to your right and animal tracks up to water fountain you will see it road straight ahead of fountain

Dean

 

[Got2go]

Thanks for the bus information, nobody in Melide knew anything about those.
Back in Melide Friday afternoon. I stayed here for the Monday and took the bus on Tuesday. Started walking from Fonsagrada Wednesday morning. Stopped for nights in Castroverde and San Roman. No snow on ground, it was snowing for while before noon on Wednesday but it melted quickly. Didn´t notice any dangerous parts on the camino. Except the short patrts on the road. Glad I had lunch in Lugo. There were no shops or bars after that before Melide, at least I didn´t notice. Fast non stop walk with minor survival snacks yesterday. Now well fed and going forward.

 

[angulero]

Tineo:

http://webcamsdeasturias.com/webcam.php?id=19&seleccionaCam.x=18&seleccionaCam.y=12

 

[angulero]

Grandas de Salime

 

[Tia Valeria]

No buses or other heavy vehicles allowed over the passes towards Grandas today, cars with chains or winter tyres. No buses either from Lugo to Cádabo, or Fonsagrada. Glad you made it last week Got2go.