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??? Laurie, please give me a bit more info if possible.worth it to see the capital of the slaughter of the innocents
DUH! Nevermind...the images explained what you referred to.??? Laurie, please give me a bit more info if possible.
Well as we were sitting in the bar yesterday evening, a (very inebriated) guy came in. I did not engage but let Alun practice his Spanish. The guy bought Alun a drink, wanted to talk, and asked him if I was his mother. So I guess I didn’t look too great.The last photo is very nice - happy pilgrims after 37km!!! Wow!
Wonderful day today. Just great. Up to the Velilla sanctuary with its Santiago Matamoros, then up through the mountains. A short 23 km or so.
We took our time and had a few rest stops. Glorious.
Great little story. Two peregrinas seduced some monks. The abbot found out and turned the peregrinas into mermaids and threw them in the river. Then he made the monks build a church with stone mermaids to remind them of their sins.
We are now in Cistierna, where the private albergue is closed for renovations. We could have gone to the municipal but opted for the 25 € rooms in the Hostal Moderno, where we have just finished an excellent menu Del dia.
I have been here on other Caminos.
When we walked into the hotel, the woman checking us in said —I remember you—you were here a few years ago with a tick in your back. Yes that was me.
Tomorrow Boñar.
Buen camino, Laurie
The new Camino Guide(https://caminoolvidado.com/etapa12A/?eng) offers 2 routes for Cistierna to Bonar (12A and 12B) only about 3kms between them. Do you know which route you took? Do you know what the difference is between them?Monday, June 17. Cistierna to Boñar. About 28 km. No challenging terrain ( except for the rocky path where I took a hard fall —so far as I can tell, the only thing damaged were my pants). Not an exhilarating day—more of a grind it out kind of day.
Nothing much to report except that Ender drove over for lunch and that perked me up quite a bit. It’s funny—this was kind of a down day for me the last time I walked this route.
We are taking the mountain alternative through Vegacervera tomorrow. Weather is changing. Too bad.
@alansykes talked about it in his post. We saw the road sign for San Pedro de Foncallada (?) but no arrows. So we just stayed on the camino. It wasn’t the most magical of stages but the standard on this camino is awfully high.The new Camino Guide(https://caminoolvidado.com/etapa12A/?eng) offers 2 routes for Cistierna to Bonar (12A and 12B) only about 3kms between them. Do you know which route you took? Do you know what the difference is between them?
Was just about to ask you, how your new pants were faring. Needle and thread or duct tape?...so far as I can tell, the only thing damaged were my pants...
Just an inarticulate 'wow!'
Thanks for sharing so that we can sit here and enjoy the view without having to do any of that huffing and puffing!
Just happy to know that you are all in one piece.Vegacervera to Pola de Gordon —the longest 24 km EVER.
We left at 7:15, never thinking it would be nearly 2 pm when we checked into Pension 15 de Mayo.
You should read @alansykes’ account of doing the first half of this stage in the pouring rain. I simply cannot imagine it. The descent in the first half into the gorge is like nothing I have ever done, and it makes the descent from San Juan de la Peña to Santa ?? De la seros look like a walk in the park.
The first six or seven kms are on a totally untraveled road. When the turn off comes, you start down. First going through lots of very long grass, which makes your feet, socks, shoes, and pants very wet. But then comes the fun. It is a rocky descent like nothing I have ever seen. I gave Alun one of my pools, and together the two of us went step by step, frequently sitting down, frequently looking nervously to the right to see if we are going to plunge down to the river below. It was really pretty scary. Now, the truth is, it takes you to a beautiful place – a gorge with a small river running through it. And then the beautiful beach forest. But I think that if I were sensible, I would not walk it again.
The stop in Ciñera was very nice. The town was clearly a mining town, and now not much is going on. The monument to miners in the square has a clear and loud complaint attached.
We went into the bar where Alan had gotten a ride months earlier (owner and Ender remembered him well), and we sat outside to wring out our socks and try to dry out our shoes. I foolishly thought that the rest of the day would be a piece of cake.
It turns out that there is another ascent, nothing too strenuous, but then the descent to Buiza is through a scrub Forest/meadow with no obvious marking.
Because my GPS tracks have a maximum of 500 points, the track is hard to follow at the micro level. We wound up weaving around, up-and-down, back-and-forth, until we finally made our way to Buiza. Very wet, very slow going.
We then took five more kilometers along the side of the road, very lightly traveled, and made our way into Pola De Gordon. We have had a good menu Del dia in Neson de Miguel and each have a 20€ single room with private bath in 15 de Mayo. All is well, but I think future peregrinos should think twice about this stage.
I can’t really sew this high tech material. I think it will be fine till I get to Santiago and can find a patch to put on the hole. Just a little tear near the left knee. But far more importantly, my knees seem to be fine. Knock on wood.Was just about to ask you, how your new pants were faring. Needle and thread or duct tape?
Buen Camino
Well I am not sure the weather is going to cooperate. Looking like rain. But we will see.Tomorrow, for me, was la reina de las etapas on the Olvidado, possibly of any camino I've ever walked. It'll take you to nearly 1700m up, probably in near total solitude, with fabulous views on every side, and then through the utterly spectacular gorge of Los Calderones.
Disfrutan.
It was one of the toughest days I've ever walked, and I don't know how I could have carried on had angelic Ender not miraculously emerged at Ciñera and taken me on his magic carpet (or possibly SEAT car, I forget) to La Pola de Gordon.Well I am not sure the weather is going to cooperate. Looking like rain. But we will see.
But Alan, how in the world did you do that descent to the bosque in the rain? It nearly did me in in good weather.
Thank you very much for the extra info - 12B it is then!It was one of the toughest days I've ever walked, and I don't know how I could have carried on had angelic Ender not miraculously emerged at Ciñera and taken me on his magic carpet (or possibly SEAT car, I forget) to La Pola de Gordon.
My weather forecast says you should be cloudy but dry for tomorrow's wonders. Hope it goes well, it really is beyond my superlatives.
And to answer @MikeJS ' question above, Ender's new 12B trail from Cistierna takes you down the lovely Esla river for an hour or so, then sharply up to the pretty, almost depopulated village of San Pedro de Foncollada, then down to La Ercina and on to the slightly dull countryside that Laurie describes. A bit longer, but I had a nice day and Laurie clearly didn't, although I had almost perfect weather, which also makes a difference.
Thank you very much for the extra info - 12B it is then!
I plan to use the Olvidado app (https://apps.apple.com/us/app/camino-olvidado/id1446000436) so should be OK!I had planned to go the way Alan went, but I didn’t have the GPS tracks and thought I would see the arrows at the split. I later learned that the two alternatives leave from different spots in Boñar, so you have to know where you are going.
MAke sure the stages all open on your phone. A couple always crashed on my phone.I plan to use the Olvidado app (https://apps.apple.com/us/app/camino-olvidado/id1446000436) so should be OK!
Thank you for all of your info, I am sure it will come in handy when i walk in Sept.
Thank you for that info. I have just checked and stage 15B crashes on the app! However, that may not be a problem as I will probably turn right around La Robla onto the Camino de San Salvador and then follow the Camino Primitivo to avoid the crowds.MAke sure the stages all open on your phone. A couple always crashed on my phone.
Thank you for that info. I have just checked and stage 15B crashes on the app! However, that may not be a problem as I will probably turn right around La Robla onto the Camino de San Salvador and then follow the Camino Primitivo to avoid the crowds.
I don't know how I missed your last post on Olvidado and coming into Ponferrada... Only read it today....
Tomorrow Peñalba, can’t wait. Looks like the weather is changing for the better.
@KinkyOne I thought of you today!
Look at the bottom line of graffiti on the metal fence.I don't know how I missed your last post on Olvidado and coming into Ponferrada... Only read it today.
How come I was on your mind?
Your opinion is most welcome. It was really my rush saying I would turn right at La Robla as i just glimpsed at my wall map! I intend to walk the ‘mountain’ route and go via Boñar to Vegacervera, and then to Buiza. At that point I will decide if I will head for the Salvador/Primitivo option. As you noticed, I walked the Invierno after my camino on the Sureste in 2017 and don’t really want to repeat it and I am not sure I want to face the hordes on the Frances! I quite like walking by myself, which is a good thing given that I did not see another pilgrim on the Sureste until I got to Astorga.I have told Ender to check the app. I know you didn’t ask my opinion, but I will say that the stages from Boñar to Vegacervera, and then Vegacervera to Buiza are really great — Boñar to Vegacervera has many incredible 5 star views. The Boñar to La Robla stage is quite ho-hum, unless you like flat roads and coal mines.You could also pick up the Salvador in Buiza or Pola de Gordón instead of in La Robla. That would add a day to your Olvidado but take away a day from your Salvador. And the best part of the Salvador is after Buiza anyway. OR... you could also continue on the Olvidado, take it to Ponferrada, and finish on the Invierno. But I see you have already walked the Invierno.
But the Salvador/Primitivo combo has got to be one of the best out there, too. None of my business of course, but I am in the Camino Olvidado Fanatic group now that I have done the mountain alternatives.
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