Have walked the Napolean twice both times in April. The first time was fine not too warm, not too cold and dry the whole way. Second time was early April and I started off in glorious sunshine. Stopped in Orisson for the night during which the bad weather moved in. as I came to the end of the...
There are two routes down to portomarin. First two times I walked it, it was fairly decent descent. Third time, I got kinda lost in fog and came in by a different route. Because of the fog, I don't know where the second route deviates from first. Find my first trail and you will be grand. The...
Bottled water readily available. Spain is a modern country after all. There are a couple of stages where there are no villages or fountains so you need to carry more water than usual. I would advise against filling bottles in albergues in towns/cities. Water is perfectly potable but I found the...
Also somewhat older and also found the downhill to El Acebo one of my worst days on whole Camino. Ahead of you, you will have a tough climb up to O Cebreiro and then again shortly after up to Alto do Poio but no problematic down hills. Onward to Santiago no great problems
Not a rumour. That is what happens. Think how high it would be if the stones were just left there. In the Bay of Kotor there is a church, Our Lady Of The Rock, built on a man made island. The local villagers and fishermen have, for a couple of hundred years or more, rowed out to the spot and...
I could have written this myself. I found my moment disrupted by an almost football crowd experience by cyclists being extremely loud and standing on the mound waving their bikes in the air. Same cyclist knocked me over on the path down from the cruz going at breakneck speed on a path with the...
Did the train once, went to mass in cathedral then walked up to virgin. Had I not, then I would never have met a great friend, Mees van Der sluijs now sadly departed, with whom I walked into Santiago. Regretted missing out on that section ever since though
I always aim for albergues outside the normal stops. From Sarria, I would stop just short of Portomarin. There are a couple of good albergues and if you can time your walk to arrive around lunch time you should get a bed. Try places further along like Ligonda before Palas de Rei or Xan Julien...
Don't know about all bars but one I slept over, and I use that term lightly, did not close until 3am. 6am in Estella and there were still people partying from the night before. Invited me to join them so earliest beer I ever had followed by earliest wine at Irache. I often was on the trail by 6...
There are lots of traditions some I have heard of others not. This falls into the 'not' category. Personally I have my own tradition. Never walk back unless you have left your water bottle under an overpass 😂😂. Enjoy whatever comes your way but I would not recommend going barefoot at any time...
You could not choose a better place to stop. If you go into the bar in the square down on the main road, be wary of the lady if she asks if you like your tapas spicy. I said yes and it near burnt the mouth of me. I went back in for another beer and she laughed at me as she produced a glass of...
I always prefer to stop just short of Portomarin in Mercadoiro, my favourite, or Vilacha. Easier to get a bed and a meal. Pass through Palas de Rei and stop in lovely little albergue in San Xulian. Once again easy to get bed and meal. Boenta before Ribadisio another good bet. O Pedrouzo has no...
There were 4 ladies. I was about to approach them when the hospitalero called me back to say he just had a cancellation. Have often regretted not going with the ladies
Your reasons all apply to me too but I have never pre-booked anything other than the first night. Your negatives are mine too. I walk till I feel like stopping. One time I walked just 8k, stopped for a bite at a very welcoming albergue and thought, like this place so I stop here. On another...
Stayed there twice in September and once in May. It was busy all three times. Make sure you add your pack to the line when you arrive as they have been operating a queue since 2013. That particular year, it was so busy they put pilgrims up in the chapel. In 2016 they were not as busy but an...
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