La Vuelta - arrives in Santiago de Compostela

[Kanga]

Tonight all along the Camino del Norte. Today’s stage started at Laredo, through Santoña and Nona, now headed towards Santillana del Mar. Tomorrow they are headed into the Picos. Beautiful pictures

 

[gns]

There is a nod to the Primitivo with a start in Salas later in the week and the Invierno with a finish in Montforte De Lemos.

It is not clear if they will qualify for a Compostela after they ride from Padron to the the cathedral on Sunday!

 

[Kanga]

There is a nod to the Primitivo with a start in Salas later in the week and the Invierno with a finish in Montforte De Lemos.

It is not clear if they will qualify for a Compostela after they ride from Padron to the the cathedral on Sunday!

Maybe not a Compostela but they surely qualify for a Limonada Casera or two!

The live feed comes on here at about midnight, so I tend to fall asleep half way through, but while watching I love the glimpses of Spain, and especially when the path crosses a camino I have walked. It was the same with the Tour de France.

 

[jocairns]

Tonight all along the Camino del Norte. Today’s stage started at Laredo, through Santoña and Nona, now headed towards Santillana del Mar. Tomorrow they are headed into the Picos. Beautiful pictures

Hey Kanga, I'm about to start in Irun in 2 days, the weather shows rain and thunder... is that your experience? does it rain all day or just in little increments? I'm feeling scared about the rain, would love your advice! I have the option to walk a different part of the camino if you think the rain is too much. thank you!

 

[Kanga]

Hey Kanga, I'm about to start in Irun in 2 days, the weather shows rain and thunder... is that your experience? does it rain all day or just in little increments? I'm feeling scared about the rain, would love your advice! I have the option to walk a different part of the camino if you think the rain is too much. thank you!

Welcome to the forum Jo. The Norte is green, beautiful, and yes, it rains. I think on my Norte Camino it started raining in Bilbao and continued for days. After that the weather cleared up and was glorious for weeks. So you can never tell. I would not have missed it for the world. But I do think that for a first camino my preference is always the Camino Francés, not the Norte. Certainly there is less chance of rain on the Francés - at least until Galicia (it always rains in Galicia!), but no guarantees. The weather is always changeable.

The thing about rain is that - you will be ok. Walking in the rain is part of any camino. When it rains - put on your rain gear and head out. You will be fine. As long as there is a warm dry place at the end of the day.

Take rain gear, of course. I use an Altus which I purchased in Spain - a cross between a poncho and a raincoat (it covers my pack). Others prefer a rain jacket and rain pants and a cover for your backpack. I also take an umbrella - if you like that idea you can always buy one in Spain.

If you do decide to stick with the Norte, Irun is a lovely place to start. Try to book yourself into Pasajes San Juan for the first night - then you will only have a short walk on the first day (and San Juan has some great restaurants! and is very beautiful, rather like a fjord) so if it rains - so what?

 

[naplesdon]

The rain this morning reminds me of what I hate about getting up at 6:30 and setting out to walk. I usually call it quits after about 10k and find a cozy place for huevos fritos y bacon con pan and of course a vino rosado

 

[naplesdon]

The only time I walked the Norte was in June. It rained and sleeted for days, so I quit and took a train from Santander to Fromista and walked along the Canal de Castille to Valladolid, then picked up the Camino Madrid. I hate walking in the rain and the quote I always hear from my friends in Biarritz is, "Why do you think the Basque Country is so green?" September can be lovely or very wet, the major storms that happen in the US cross the Atlantic in few days and get jammed into the Bay of Vizkaya.

 

[jocairns]

The only time I walked the Norte was in June. It rained and sleeted for days, so I quit and took a train from Santander to Fromista and walked along the Canal de Castille to Valladolid, then picked up the Camino Madrid. I hate walking in the rain and the quote I always hear from my friends in Biarritz is, "Why do you think the Basque Country is so green?" September can be lovely or very wet, the major storms that happen in the US cross the Atlantic in few days and get jammed into the Bay of Vizkaya.

Thank you for your feedback! It could still be beatuiful, but maybe depressing

 

[Helena Litherland]

Hey Kanga, I'm about to start in Irun in 2 days, the weather shows rain and thunder... is that your experience? does it rain all day or just in little increments? I'm feeling scared about the rain, would love your advice! I have the option to walk a different part of the camino if you think the rain is too much. thank you!

We did Norte in 2019 started Sept 5. We had a bit of rain the first few days but after that the weather was good until the last week. Obviously every year is different but the Norte route was spectacular even in the rain. Just bring rain gear and enjoy.

 

[Eugene Carroll]

There is a nod to the Primitivo with a start in Salas later in the week and the Invierno with a finish in Montforte De Lemos.

It is not clear if they will qualify for a Compostela after they ride from Padron to the the cathedral on Sunday!

Well, only if they don’t take their bikes on public transport or taxi

 

[naplesdon]

I am really looking forward to comments about the Individual Time Trial finale in Plaza del Obraidoro tomorrow. It should be interesting if not chaotic.

 

[grayland]

Hopefully, we will see some video of the time trials. Hard to visualize the scene.

 

[naplesdon]

In the US it is on the Olympic Channel

 

[jcat]

I'm rooting for Enric Mas......I'm related to someone that works for the Movistar Team.
Busy morning with Formula 1 followed by La Vuelta tomorrow.

 

[Kanga]

I've been enjoying the whole ride, watching here in Sydney in the middle of the night. It has actually been a fabulous Vuelta this year, very exciting and much improved coverage from the aspect of seeing the countryside and the landmarks. Was delighted with last nights stage along some of the exact same roads that I walked on the Portuguese (in Spain).

I, of course, am cheering for Jack Haig in the general classification and Michael Storer seems to have secured the King of the Mountains. They must feel very isolated without the usual Ozzie tourists to encourage them.

 

[Roz.K]

Thoroughly enjoyed watching stage 20 of the Vuelta last night. Wonderful visuals of the coast fom A Guarda, Oia and beautiful Baiona. Memories of our Portugues camino, coastal route in 2019. We had a rest day in Baiona, the scenery was stunning. Tonight's final stage of the bike race, is a time trial from Padron to Santiago, finishing at the magnificent Cathedral...how apt. Ah, one day again soon, we live in hope.

 

[Kathar1na]

They are getting ready for it on the Praza do Obradoirio, you can watch the preparations live on the webcam:

https://www.crtvg.es/crtvg/camaras-web/praza-do-obradoiro

 

[Kanga]

Cafe Tertulia gets a grandstand view as they go past.

 

[ivar]

The pilgrims office is closed after 13.00 today due to that street being closed off for the bike race.

Tomorrow normal hours again.

Horario solo matinal en la Oficina del Peregrino durante la jornada de hoy

xacobeo. Según informaba ayer el Arzobispado de Santiago, el Centro Internacional de Acogida al Peregrino de la rúa de Carretas solo estará abierto pa...

www.elcorreogallego.es

 

[Kanga]

I'm in your city tonight @ivar ! In spirit and soul, and watching on the screen, if not physically.

 

[Kanga]

Thoroughly enjoyed watching stage 20 of the Vuelta last night. Wonderful visuals of the coast fom A Guarda, Oia and beautiful Baiona. Memories of our Portugues camino, coastal route in 2019. We had a rest day in Baiona, the scenery was stunning. Tonight's final stage of the bike race, is a time trial from Padron to Santiago, finishing at the magnificent Cathedral...how apt. Ah, one day again soon, we live in hope.

Yes, I agree, the last week has been magnificent, and lots of traverses of Camino's I have walked, the Norte, the Primitivo, the Portuguese, the Sanabrés. I've absolutely loved it.

 

[Kanga]

Who would have thought I’d learn something about Santiago de Compostela by watching a bike race? Just heard a “fun fact” that the building San Martin Pinario was bought by the monks for an annual payment of a basket full of trout! Is that true?

 

[miguel_gp]

Who would have thought I’d learn something about Santiago de Compostela by watching a bike race? Just heard a “fun fact” that the building San Martin Pinario was bought by the monks for an annual payment of a basket full of trout! Is that true?

Sounds a bit fishy to me.

 

[naplesdon]

Kudos to the organizers of the La Vuelta and RTVE for the the coverage of the race this year. In years past it was slightly ho-hum, but this year it was was terrific and the aerial exposure of historic site certain parts of the Camino was top notch. Thanks to RTVE for the coverage.