LIVE from the Camino Aussies Wandering

[Grizzlybero]

Welcomed by a brilliantly sunny morning with not a cloud to be seen, it was time to begin. Having slept soundly at the silent €7.5 Albergue de El Slavador in Oviedo, and with the opportunity already realised to explore the Cathedral and the beautiful old city the prior afternoon, the starting point of this Camino was shifted to the world heritage churches set high above the city at Naranco. So after a delicious croissant and banana bought from the stores near the albergue, it was time to depart. The A2 bus at €1.20 runs almost past the albergue's door, and in under 20 minutes has you just a 5 minute stroll uphill to the magnificent 9th century churches, ready to be admired and explored. With this accomplished, it is an easy route down through a large public park (where the Frisbee Golf tournament was in full swing) to rejoin the Primitivo path as it exits the town of Oviedo. Much had been touted of the lack of concrete to be found under your feet as you walk this Camino, sadly the first 12km do not reflect this to be true, as my own two soles were in contact with either a road or a concrete path the entire way to Escamplero. No doubt this will change tomorrow. Arrived at the albergue de Escamplero at around 1pm after a very easy walk on gentle slopes with expansive views of the mountains to the south, paid the extremely reasonable €6 for a bed, ate a delicious brie and Austrian style pork baguette for lunch with ingredients procured from Lidl in Oviedo this morning, and relaxed the baking hot afternoon away. Whilst keen to eat dinner at the restaurant near the albergue, the opening time of 8pm for dinner was well beyond our patience for food, so a quick shop at the local tienda resulted in a dinner of pasta, sausage, tomato and onion, delicious and served at 6pm.
Total spend for day 1 for 2 people: €28
Total beds occupied in albergue: 7
Total road/concrete walking %: 100

 

[Grizzlybero]

The second day of the walk started with the same cloudless skies as the first. With sunrise now well past 8am at this time of year, we didn't stir until 7:30. The advantage of cooking 500gm of pasta for 2 people the night before is the leftover feast you get to have for breakfast in the morning! After consuming way too much food, the trail began just after 8am as the sky was lighting up. Undecided on where to stay for the evening, the walk from Escamplero was, like yesterday, very easy on gentle sloping roads and footpaths, still with very little evidence of earthen trails. 3 hours after the start, arrived in Grado, where the Sunday market was in full swing, albeit with very few customers perusing the wares (I'd hazard a guess it is busier earlier in the morning). There is one supermarket open in town on Sunday, fully stocked with a deli and even a bar. Bought some food for lunch and dinner, as wherever we were to stay going forward from Grado would not have a shop open on a Sunday afternoon, this being rural Spain and all. After an easy climb up the hill leaving Grado, we decided to push on to Cornellana for the night as it was too early in the day to pull in anywhere else, and the walk had been significantly less taxing than the guidebooks had suggested. A lazy descent ensued for the next 6km, before arriving at the magnificent monastery that houses the albergue in Cornellana. Couldn't have timed it better as the clock struck 2pm, just in time for check-in to start. It's a magnificent property, well worthy of a stay. A fully equipped kitchen allowed us to cook up a delicious meal at 6pm, this dining in restaurants at 8pm for a hungry hiker having walked 20+km in the day feels less and less likely to occur on this walk.
Total spend on day 2 for 2 people: €19
Total beds occupied in albergue: 16
Total road/concrete walking %: 70

 

[CanuckPaul]

Excellent information keep up the great daily post

 

[Sue127]

Thanks for the info. This is one of my next camino choices.

 

[HumanistHiker]

Thank you for your posts. Good to hear about someone's experiences on a different Camino whole I'm walking mine.

 

[GraemeHall]

Enjoyable read - thank you. This is on my short-list for my 2024 Camino.
Can I ask please, what is your tracking app?

 

[Grizzlybero]

Enjoyable read - thank you. This is on my short-list for my 2024 Camino.
Can I ask please, what is your tracking app?

I have a garmin watch on, the picture each day is from the garmin connect app

 

[Grizzlybero]

Three for three on waking to brilliant sunshine and clear skies. A great rest at the monastery, woke at 7:30, and got moving at 8am as that's when food became available in town. Had a tuna empanada for breakfast, was very tasty and powered the next 4 hours of walking well. A short and sharp climb out of Cornellana got the blood pumping, and the next 12km to Salas went through a mixture of quiet backroads (with requisite concrete) and beautiful unpaved trails through gorgeous forest. Arrived in Salas at about 10:30am, raided the large supermarket for jamon, queso, barra and chocolate for a later to be had lunch, and enjoyed looking around town, the most scenic since leaving Oviedo. The rest of the hike to La Espina was up a slope taking you from 200m to 650m in elevation. The first half was a very gentle incline along a beautiful river with shade provided by the forest. The 2nd half of the climb is where the Primitivo starts to live up to its name, with a few km of steep climbing. Once gaining the ridgeline, a lunch celebration was had, with gigantic fresh sandwiches. It is then a very easy and flat 5km into town. Based on the number of people staying at the monastery the night before, and the number of beds in this off-stage section, I had rung ahead at 8:30am and booked 2 beds at El Cruce. As we passed Bodeyana at 12:30pm with a 'sorry, we are full' sign in the window (October!), was very glad that I had. We arrived about 1:30pm, warmly welcomed and shown to our reserved beds. By 3pm the albergue was turning pelegrinos away, as all beds had been reserved with calls like my own. Post covid travel surge is a very real thing, with an off-stage, non-Frances, October walking schedule of the Primitivo being under pressure with numbers. A fabulous day of walking, ended with a 6pm dinner of chorizo, pasta and tomato provided by the supermarket underneath the albergue.
Total spend on day 3 for 2 people: €32
Total beds occupied in albergue: 13
Total road/concrete walking %: 40

 

[sunflowers]

Great to see that each passing day brings a lower percentage of road walking!
So much easier on the knees and feet (and all joints, really).

 

[Grizzlybero]

The streak was broken this morning as looking out the window of the albergue revealed a pea soup fog, accompanied by steady drizzle. Fortunately, it was a very short day of hiking planned (12km), as walking a 30+km section to reach the beginning of Hospitales was never on the cards for 2 lazy Aussies. So the morning was spent watching the fog slowly thin from the safety of the albergue, whilst munching on the cookies and cakes provided by the thoughtful owners. By 10am the drizzle had eased, and it was time to set off for Tineo, last town of any note before the Hospitales / Pola De Allande hotly debated way to proceed. The walk to Tineo, albeit lacking in any views due to the inclement weather, was very pleasant, spent mostly on dirt tracks through small tracts of forest. A few gentle slopes both up and down, all in all a very easy walk, and by 1230pm we found ourselves outside the municipal albergue. The door were not due to open until 2pm, so we divided and conquered as I left my pack and wandered to the supermakret to find lunch. We enjoyed the very best bread of the hike thus far (and that is saying something as all of the bread has been amazing) smothered in chorizo and cheese. At 130pm the owner arrived to check us all in (the numbers had swelled to 9 people in the first hour of waiting for the doors to unlock), which was swiftly done, a bunk secured, and resting time resumed. More supermarket delights, including fruit and donuts, were consumed throughout the afternoon, and then another quick trip to the supermarket resulted in a delicious microwave prepared dinner (it's all the albergue had) of 3 egg omelette containing tomato, onion and chorizo with rice.
Total spend on day 4 for 2 people: €28
Total beds occupied in albergue: 16
Total road/concrete walking %: 20

 

[Grizzlybero]

The fog greets us again for the beginning of the day, mercifully without any accompanying precipitation. 18km to trek, all with the aim to position for a wonderful mountain top crossing tomorrow on the Hospitales route. Leaving Tineo a little after 9am as check in for the next albergue does not begin until 2pm. A beeline is made for the large supermarket in town, the last to be seen until a small store in Berducedo, 43km hither. Fortunately the albergue at Samblismo provides dinner and breakfast, so supplies are only needed for lunch today and tomorrow. With provisions secured and stowed, an easy climb awaits out of Tineo. Winding through beautiful forest, the first half of the walk is very enjoyable, as a misty forest always makes for a enveloping environment to get lost in your thoughts. As the fog clears toward lunchtime, the walk unfortunately spills on to a fairly busy road, and 6km of passing cars, tractors and the occasional truck make for a less pleasant tramp toward the end of the days proceedings. Fortunately lunch lifts the spirits, as more of Spain's fine produce finds a home in our stomachs, the freshness of the bread, and the flavour of the ham and cheese always brings a smile to the face. A short climb away from the road brings us to Samblismo albergue, a peaceful haven just metres from where the trail splits between the high and low routes for tomorrow. We had used WhatsApp the day prior to book in to this small hostel in the middle of the forest, and fortunate that we did as only 1 bed remained unoccupied. An easy afternoon relaxing and reading ensued, and at 7pm a rare treat for us on this hike as we were fed a 3 course dinner, complete with soup, paella and ice cream. Most of the inhabitants are heading for the high route tomorrow, it is shorter and easier than the low route, and the weather forecast is enticing, with no fog, wind or clouds to inhibit the exposed crossing. We will see...
Total spend on day 5 for 2 people: €59
Total beds occupied in albergue: 11
Total road/concrete walking %: 35

 

[Sue127]

Thank you. I love the way you write, could almost be there myself. Buen camino

 

[Grizzlybero]

There is really only one significant option along the entirety of the Primitivo when planning the hike, and that is whether to take the traditional and time honoured Hospitales high route, or stay low and pass through Pola de Allende. My 2c is unless it is a very rainy day (torrential) to head for Hospitales. The reasons are simple, the distance is 4km less, the terrain is easier (less steep and less up and down), there is no road walking and the views are sublime. The day began at 715am with a simple breakfast at Samblismo albergue consisting of toast and jam. The stars were in full view and there was not a breath of wind, which boded well for a great day of hiking. At 8am as dawn broke, the walking began. Up gentle slopes that slowly revealed beautiful panoramas, replete with misty valley views, the trail meandered up 600m of elevation until you reached the tops a little above 1200m. From there it was a smorgasbord of 360 degrees views for the next couple of hours as you traverse the tops passing the ruins of the four refuges (Hospitales) that would have served pilgrims in centuries past. Wild horses were also on show as they roam around this last little vestige of nature in northern Spain. The descent is steeper than the ascent, and all too soon you are out of the views and tramping happily along to the next town of Berducedo. A few km short of town we dug into our well earned lunch before finishing the day. As there are few towns with hostels along the next few stages (making it impossible to enjoy quiet off stage accommodation as we had been prior to Hospitales), those like us that are happy to stay in the municipal albergues are now part of the infamy of the camino bed race (in October on the Primitivo!). We arrived at 1:30pm and secured beds, for those that arrived after 3pm that was no longer possible as the albergue was full, and the pricier private hostels would have to avail. A quick visit to the one small shop in town in the afternoon armed us with supplies for dinner, consisting of pasta, tomato, chorizo and onion, which was promptly eaten at 6pm.
Total spend on day 6 for 2 people: €18
Total beds occupied in albergue: 24
Total road/concrete walking %: 5

 

[HumanistHiker]

Beautiful view!

 

[Grizzlybero]

Well if it seemed like a bed race yesterday, it was on for young and old this morning! I woke to the soothing sounds of many men and women scrambling about the dormitory at 6:30am (keeping in mind the sunrise at this time of year is 8:20am), doing their best to cram their belongings back into their packs so that they could greet the inky black outside with a head torch and a skip in their stride as they made their way to the next albergue town, namely Grandas de Salime. Never in my wildest dreams (nightmares?) did I believe I'd see this type of behaviour on the Primitivo in October, and it illustrates how much numbers have swelled this year. The energy was palpable, as frenetic people headed for the door into the darkness. At 7:30am we rose to face the day, finding ourselves alone in the albergue as the last occupants, a mere 1 hour before sunrise. We enjoyed the leftover pasta from the previous nights dinner, and at 8am as dawn broke we were on our way. The day was then spent cruising along, with a fairly significant section of road walking early on, albeit on a very quiet stretch of road, with nary a car to be seen. We began to pass some of our compatriots from the night before on the first significant climb of the day, as hills tend to slow the progress of all. At the end of the first climb we were treated to outstanding views down to where we believed a dam to be, completely covered in cloud many hundreds of metres in elevation below us. A steady descent to the dam follows, enjoying being above the cloud and the morning sunshine. Once on the dam wall, the last section of the day is a very long, tiring stretch of monotonous climbing, mainly on the road once more. By the end of the climb we had rolled in to town, and joined a queue of 7 people waiting for the 12:30pm opening of the municipal albergue. Needless to say, the full house sign was up by 2pm, including a tent in the yard. We enjoyed lunch and dinner procured from the local supermarket, which enjoys a notorious reputation (along with some of the other businesses in town) of being less than delighted to have peregrinos roll in each day to buy their products. All in all a funny old day on the trail, with a mix of crazy bed race energy, superlative views and too much walking on the road.
Total spend on day 7 for 2 people: €30
Total beds occupied in albergue: 28 (+ 1 tent)
Total road/concrete walking %: 45

 

[Sue127]

Thank you for your updates: love your style of writing.

 

[HumanistHiker]

Worth your early starts for your beautiful early morning photos. Good luck with tomorrow's bed race!

 

[jalluisi]

Thanks. We are thinking of walking this one next. Currently, on the camino portugues in Redondela today. Beautiful day!!

 

[Grizzlybero]

What a difference a day makes. Also, what a difference when the next town's municipal albergue has 42 beds instead of last night's 28. Nary a person stirred until 7am, and the crazy energy that took over the dormitory yesterday was nowhere to be found. It appeared that there would be no bed race today, and what a pleasant respite it is, to be savoured like a fine wine. We arose at 7:30am, enjoyed eating 2 huge bowls of leftover pasta with chorizo (always fun to watch the Spaniards reaction to such a breakfast, certainly a far cry from the traditional Cafe con Leche and a pastry), and left the albergue at 8am, just as dawn was breaking. The first half of the day was spent making a gradual climb from 550m to 1100m in elevation, the path mostly off road and passing through some pretty forest. Eventually we gained the top, and crossed out of Asturias and into Galicia. We celebrated this milestone with a hearty lunch, before undulating along to our destination of A Fonsagrada, one of the larger towns we have passed through on this walk. Upon arrival, we discovered what the difference of changing provinces really means. Our greeting at what is a very beautiful municipal hostel was to be told in no uncertain terms, "no laundry, no kitchen utensils". The Galicia council, in their infinite wisdom, have decided to remove all possible ways of using the kitchen for pilgrims. Another sad example of the original intent of these world heritage, 1000 year old paths being converted from what they were, to the commercial, profit turning model of the 21st century. Of course, necessity is the mother of all invention, so a quick trip to the supermarket resulted in a fabulous charcuterie / antipasto type dinner, although how we will survive without our leftover pasta breakfasts remains to be seen...As it is a Sunday tomorrow, and Spain is, well, Spain, there will be no opportunity to buy food so a 2nd trip to the supermarket hopefully has us stocked enough.
Total spend on day 8 for 2 people: €41
Total beds occupied in albergue: 33
Total road/concrete walking %: 15

 

[sfouracre]

Hi Grizzlybero
Just on the coach to oviedo ready to start the Primitivo tomorrow. My first Camino so will read your posts an try to get some printers.

 

[HumanistHiker]

I was talking to a Korean peregrino this afternoon, and he said the scenery on the Primitive was better than the Portuguese. I only put 2 and 2 together (that your fab photos are of the Primitivo) when I got back to my accommodation & read your latest post.

Do the Xunta really expect peregrinos to lug pots & pans & plates around the camino between albergues shiny but unequipped kitchens?

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

Do the Xunta really expect peregrinos to lug pots & pans & plates around the camino between albergues shiny but unequipped kitchens?

Sadly... . No fridge or kettle either, but if you're lucky maybe a microwave. (Castroverde). Excellent laundry facilities there though.

 

[Lindsay53]

I was talking to a Korean peregrino this afternoon, and he said the scenery on the Primitive was better than the Portuguese. I only put 2 and 2 together (that your fab photos are of the Primitivo) when I got back to my accommodation & read your latest post.

Do the Xunta really expect peregrinos to lug pots & pans & plates around the camino between albergues shiny but unequipped kitchens?

When you are paying 10 euros a night you take what you are given.

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

When you are paying 10 euros a night you take what you are given.

The price is irrelevant. It can be the same in a Private Albergue, too. I see it as more a case of why, if you’re not prepared to equip it, go to all the expense of installing a kitchen ?
Unless of course they originally were, and it became too costly for them.

I love being able to cook, however having run a hostel I am very aware of the issues providing a kitchen brings, let alone equipping them - regrettably, theft of utensils for example is a very real issue.

I do value those that seem to have reached a happy compromise - sink, microwave, boiling water dispenser or jug; plus well priced vending machines for coffee and snacks.

 

[Grizzlybero]

When you are paying 10 euros a night you take what you are given.

It's certainly a view Lindsay, not one I subscribe or agree with of course. A kitchen is provided all over Spain (and in any other countries) on every Camino in municipal albergues with the basic necessities to be able for a pilgrim to make a simple meal, subscribing to the idea that not all are equal in wealth when enjoying their walk. One small minded provincial council have made a conscious decision to bow to the lobbying of bars and restauranters that wish to maximise the profitability of the passing pilgrim by forcing them to eat in their establishments. This strategy clearly flies in the face of a 1000 year old practice of pilgrimages being available to all regardless of the size of their wallets.

 

[Grizzlybero]

Another beautiful day dawns on the Primitivo. Some early risers in the dorm this morning, as the first opportunity for many days surfaces for those that want to stretch their legs further than the next on-stage stop at O Cadavo. It has been a bottleneck in regard to accommodation options since Hospitales, and some of the fitter hikers are licking their lips (metaphorically) as they can hike an extra 8km today to lengthen their leg and charge on to Santiago. And then, of course, there is the opposing Aussie strategy, of shortening legs where we can, and a great desire to get off-stage once more in the easiest way possible, and away from the surprisingly large number of people hiking this supposed less trafficked hike in October. So, steady as she goes, on to Cadavo we say. Today's stage was the most physically demanding thus far, and I'd suggest looking at the remaining track, it will be the hardest day of the Primitivo in its entirety. Elevation is gained and lost all day, and in the latter stages there is a significant (by Camino standards) and very steep climb. Our stocks of food held up well, as we started the day aided by a magnificent bakery that opened at 7:30am,serving the most delectable and delicious pastries we have had so far. A banana for morning tea, a baguette with ham and cheese for lunch, and a charcuterie board of barra, wild boar, tuna, brie, chorizo and asparagus saw us finish the most religious of all the days out in style. Our food held up surprisingly well in the pack, even on a hot day, we were pleasantly surprised not to suffer any ill effects from our unrefrigerated produce. The municipal albergue did fill by the end of the day, with the last of the hungover younger brigade hobbling in just before 5pm after a tough afternoon in the hot and sunny weather.
Total spend on day 9 for 2 people: €23
Total beds occupied in albergue: 22
Total road/concrete walking %: 15

 

[dougfitz]

One small minded provincial council have made a conscious decision to bow to the lobbying of bars and restauranters that wish to maximise the profitability of the passing pilgrim by forcing them to eat in their establishments.

This is nothing more than nasty, entirely speculative, conspiracy theorising. It shows little respect for local community members that I have generally found to be genuinely supportive of pilgrims. I can think of other, much more credible explanations, for the removal of kitchen equipment from Xunta and other municipal albergue kitchens. In pre-COVID times when I stayed in Xunta albergues, the kitchen equipment provided was largely unsuitable for individuals or even small groups, which would indicate that community use of the kitchen was was also contemplated in its fitout. If equipment suitable for small groups had ever been provided, it wasn't present in places that I stayed even in 2014 and 2016 when I walked.

I think it is much more credible to suggest that the effort required to properly maintain a working kitchen and its movable equipment when pilgrims are less than conscientious about that, and to replace broken or missing items, would be beyond the budgets of these albergues.

 

[Grizzlybero]

This is nothing more than nasty, entirely speculative, conspiracy theorising. It shows little respect for local community members that I have generally found to be genuinely supportive of pilgrims. I can think of other, much more credible explanations, for the removal of kitchen equipment from Xunta and other municipal albergue kitchens. In pre-COVID times when I stayed in Xunta albergues, the kitchen equipment provided was largely unsuitable for individuals or even small groups, which would indicate that community use of the kitchen was was also contemplated in its fitout. If equipment suitable for small groups had ever been provided, it wasn't present in places that I stayed even in 2014 and 2016 when I walked.

I think it is much more credible to suggest that the effort required to properly maintain a working kitchen and its movable equipment when pilgrims are less than conscientious about that, and to replace broken or missing items, would be beyond the budgets of these albergues.

Appreciate your thoughts Doug, and feel we may have to agree to disagree. Your credible working theory that one province in an entire country is financially destitute to the point that they cannot maintain utensils in a kitchen whilst other provinces seem to be finding a way may not hold up to significant economic scrutiny. Of course it is unlikely the Galician council will open its books for us to conclude the speculative argument, so we can both continue to have our own differing thoughts on the conondrum.

 

[Lindsay53]

Appreciate your thoughts Doug, and feel we may have to agree to disagree. Your credible working theory that one province in an entire country is financially destitute to the point that they cannot maintain utensils in a kitchen whilst other provinces seem to be finding a way may not hold up to significant economic scrutiny. Of course it is unlikely the Galician council will open its books for us to conclude the speculative argument, so we can both continue to have our own differing thoughts on the conondrum.

Privately run albergues aside, Galicia is unique in that the provincial government runs an extensive network of albergues. Elsewhere they are mainly run by local councils, community and religious organsiations, not the provincial government. The Galician Xunta has no doubt decided that while kitchens are available, utensils are not part of the service and those pilgrims who wish to cook for themselves can provide their own. Maybe it's because of the cleaning/replacement costs and an effort to keep costs for Pilgrims as low as possible.

 

[dougfitz]

Two points:

Appreciate your thoughts Doug, and feel we may have to agree to disagree.

That's fine, but I would rather live my life thinking that generally other people are well intentioned, and are not out to rip me off. When given the choice, I wouldn't be inventing some explanation that relies on others avarice or greed.

Your credible working theory that one province in an entire country is financially destitute to the point that they cannot maintain utensils in a kitchen whilst other provinces seem to be finding a way may not hold up to significant economic scrutiny.

The Xunta albergues are not the only places I have been where there hasn't been any kitchen equipment, so its not just Galicia where this happens. And I note that I didn't suggest the Xunta was financially destitute, but might have decided against cleaning, maintaining and replacing the kitchen equipment. It might be this was in the face of pilgrims not taking good care, and they decided it was just not worth it. Did I see any of this? Not directly, but I have come down to enough kitchens in the morning where there was considerable work required to get the kitchen to a clean and tidy state where one could even contemplate starting to cook in it or use the dirty equipment left behind from the previous evening.

 

[dbier]

Grizzly, thanks for posting. Two notes:

1. While it is a private Albergue ( and, given the amount of people on the Primitivo, might have needed a reservation), Albergue Cantábrico in A Fonsagrada (assuming I have my notes right) had a kitchen with utensils and the well stocked vending machines Doug mentioned) for 15 euro a head. Wouldn't appear to be a budget breaker, if you can get a reservation.
I watched 3 people cook and eat steaks with broccoli, as I very wearily munched on a snack from the vending machines.

Also, I did O Cádavo to Lugo in one go. Although terrain wasn't as bad, length and heat and lack of cafés made that stage the physically hardest.

 

[Kathar1na]

Do the Xunta really expect peregrinos to lug pots & pans & plates around the camino between albergues shiny but unequipped kitchens?

You may want to read up on this discussion .

For example this post which was posted on 9 April 2010 - more than 13 years ago:

Very nice kitchens in Galicia but NO pots and pans or utensils. Otherwise we cooked wherever we could.​

To my knowledge, Galicia is the only Autonomous Community that maintains a large net of publicly financed albergues on their Caminos de Santiago. They have created and maintain some 70+ albergues. They invest millions of euros in renovating and in maintaining ancient buildings to have pilgrim albergues installed in them. Staying in such a public albergue was initially free of charge. Currently, it costs €10 per bed and night; it was only €8 until recently. They contract the daily running of these Xunta (Regional Government of Galicia) albergues to subcontractors.

In the other regions of Spain, certainly along the Camino Frances, public albergues are owned, financed and maintained by the local municipality and daily management is usually the job of volunteers, from either a local Friends of the Camino Association or a national or international Friends of the Camino Association - who don't need to get paid for what is often a 24 hour daily presence.

 

[David Tallan]

Do the Xunta really expect peregrinos to lug pots & pans & plates around the camino between albergues shiny but unequipped kitchens?

I see there has been some discussion around this already. That was certainly my thought when I encountered those kitchens. Why build the kitchens if you weren't going to stock them with what is necessary to use them?

In the discussion, we read:

One small minded provincial council have made a conscious decision to bow to the lobbying of bars and restauranters that wish to maximise the profitability of the passing pilgrim by forcing them to eat in their establishments.

There has been lots of discussion in these forums on the topic of Xunta kitchens. There have been various theories posted as to why the situation is the way it is now. There hasn't been any evidence provided to support this one, and those whom I consider more likely to know, active in Spain in pilgrim organizations, with a long history in Camino affairs don't seem to be proposing this explanation. So I don't think it is likely.

I think it is fair to say that the autonomous region (not province, as my Spanish friends are forever correcting me) has invested more in supporting the Camino than any other autonomous region or province in Spain. I haven't always agreed with their decisions but I'm not sure I would call them small-minded.

 

[astronwolf]

After reading this thread, I am reminded of these intrepid young folks on the Camino Primitivo.

 

[Grizzlybero]

If you are a purist of the camino's, please stop reading this post now. I do not want to cause you to explode with outrage at at the travesty that was our plan for this day of our journey. For those of you who are ok with flexibility in approach to a wander, feel free to enjoy the following. We awoke to another beautiful day on the Primitivo, the weather has been the best of friends (thus far). Our plan for the day defies convention and the general need for people to complete a task that has been laid out before them. As travellers from far away, we were intrigued to see that our destination for today was Lugo. Having never heard of this small town in Spain, we were delighted to find out that it has two extraordinary world heritage sites, being the only intact Roman Wall left standing globally, and the imposing Cathedral. Reading many blogs, we discovered that many a hiker takes a rest day to enjoy these sights, spending two nights in Lugo. The idea of a rest day on what has been a very easy hike held no appeal for us, at the same time, we were very keen to arrive in Lugo with plenty of energy to enjoy the sights. Our compromise (look away now purists) was to wander from O Cadavo to Castroverde, a paltry 9km of walking, hop on a bus to Lugo, and then spend the day being tourists (I know, I know, 20km of the trail is forever lost to us). And so we did. A very nice early morning walk took us through some nice pieces of forest (take the right fork deviation to enjoy the views and distance yourself from the road), and before we knew it we had walked into Castroverde. Our chariot was sitting awaiting us, and after a €1.55 investment per person, we were whisked in 30 minutes to Lugo. Upon reflection, it was a master-stroke of deviations, as we walked the entirety of the ancient wall, spent over an hour in the Cathedral, saw the wonderful underground mosaic, and knowing ourselves well, we would have done none of these things had we walked the full 30km stage. The municipal albergue, nestled inside the walls, was clean and tidy, and for the first time in many days, did not even go close to filling. We have now reached a point post Lugo where there are many options to get off-stage once more, which we are glad about. The nearby supermarket supplied dinner, the purchase of a small tupperware container and two forks, combined with a working microwave created omelettes filled with mushrooms, onions and chorizo, served on a bed of rice.
Total spend on day 10 for 2 people: €55
Total beds occupied in albergue: 24
Total road/concrete walking %: 20

 

[HumanistHiker]

Not sure that Lugo has the only intact Roman wall on the planet - at least parts of Hadrian's Wall, along which I walked at few years ago, are still standing. Sounds like you made a wise decision to take a bus and actually see something of the town you were staying in, especially if you've flown from down under. It would seem a waste for every town to simply be a name on the map and a bed for the night if there are sights worth seeing.

 

[Grizzlybero]

Not sure that Lugo has the only intact Roman wall on the planet - at least parts of Hadrian's Wall, along which I walked at few years ago, are still standing. Sounds like you made a wise decision to take a bus and actually see something of the town you were staying in, especially if you've flown from down under. It would seem a waste for every town to simply be a name on the map and a bed for the night if there are sights worth seeing.

Yep agreed, was a great day. Maybe it's the only intact Roman wall completely surrounding a city? Not sure, I do know it was amazing to circle the city from the top of the wall.

 

[dbier]

In Spain at least, yes, Lugo's is the only intact city wall. Not the same as Hadrian's Wall at all, and somewhat later in construction, I think. There was a free museum there, which I quite liked.

As for your choice of transportation... Given how much of a struggle the rest of that leg was to me (you skipped the stairs!), I was seriously considering flagging down a taxi. Luckily (?) for my religious purpose, God made sure I wasn't tempted past my strength. No taxis visible.

Glad you had a good day. If you indeed want to cook each night, considering reserving a private Albergue at your intended destination the night before. They were reasonably full when I went through in late September. To me, there's not a lot of decision difference between planning your walk to arrive at the municipal in time, and just reserving your destination a day ahead.

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

Not sure that Lugo has the only intact Roman wall on the planet - at least parts of Hadrian's Wall, along which I walked at few years ago, are still standing.

I think what they mean by intact, is it’s in one piece, whole, complete - which as you pointed out, Hadrians wall is not.

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

@Grizzlybero , good call. I took a rest day in Lugo because I was a day ahead of what I'd planned, but if you didn't want to at least you still got to see the city. Those wall's are impressive!
If you want a Compostela you can't do that from Lugo onwards of course but that to me is very much a personal choice. We all walk the camino for our own reasons and in our own way.

 

[dbier]

Hmmm...actually, if Grizzly just wants either the Compostela or the distance credential and does 2 stamps a day from here out, he can have both. The distance certificate will just read Lugo.
The text on the Compostela doesn't change.

(Believe me, I am *very* familiar with the requirements, since at one low point I was considering bussing to Lugo and "starting over..."

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

Hmmm...actually, if Grizzly just wants either the Compostela or the distance credential and does 2 stamps a day from here out, he can have both. The distance certificate will just read Lugo.
The text on the Compostela doesn't change.

(Believe me, I am *very* familiar with the requirements, since at one low point I was considering bussing to Lugo and "starting over..."

Sorry, I wasn’t very clear - I meant he can’t skip ahead anymore (from Lugo onwards).

 

[Grizzlybero]

So, onward from Lugo. Reading many other blogs and forum comments on the last 100km, an underwhelming picture is painted of dreary road walking, an uncomfortable merging with the Frances and the inevitable crowds this will bring, and flat ground after the wonderful ups and downs of the first 10 days. We woke early due to, well, middle aged Spanish men who are unable to contain their words from 6:30am onward until they pass out at 10pm again. This will be our last night of sharing space with this especially cumbersome group that have been stuck in the bottleneck with us since passing Hospitales. We won't miss them. An easy day was planned, so we laid in bed until 8am when dawn breaks at this time of year, and then headed to a nearby panaderia for some pastry goodness to kick off our day. Our plan is to get off-stage, and knowing that we will not see another supermarket for 2 days, we have stocked up on 48 hours worth of food and stowed it into our packs. Fortunately we only have about 4kgs each as a base weight, so the food loading sees us still very comfortable. We spent the morning walking to San Roman de Retorta, a distance of 20km, and unfortunately we confirmed what many others have said. It was the worst day on the trail so far, with nothing but bland, highway walking for km after km. We spoke with others along the way, and the feeling was shared. Our misery ended at about 1230pm when we arrived at the municipal albergue, a magical peaceful haven nestled in some gorgeous forest in the middle of absolutely nowhere. With time to wait until the 1pm opening, we dig into some magnificent sandwiches coated in ham and brie that bring considerable joy after a disappointing morning. We watch more disconsolate faces stream by as the on-stagers stream past heading a further 6km down the road to Ferreira. Six of us check in to the 12 bed albergue at 1pm, and then while the afternoon away on the peace and quiet that has been lacking over the last few days. At 6pm we delve into our packs once more, and enjoy a charcuterie spread of wild boar, chorizo, brie, tuna and olives accompanied by some artesian bread. I've been remiss is not responsibly reporting our chocolate consumption each day, 100gm of Europe's finest has been finding a home in each of our stomachs at the conclusion of dinner. Looking forward to a much lighter pack tomorrow and a silent night's rest.
Total spend on day 11 for 2 people: €22
Total beds occupied in albergue: 6
Total road/concrete walking %: 90

 

[Grizzlybero]

Sorry, I wasn’t very clear - I meant he can’t skip ahead anymore (from Lugo onwards).

Thanks to you both for the information, there will be no collecting of any pieces of paper on arrival in Santiago, our aim in life is to accumulate as little materially as possible

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

I respect that, I don’t collect a Compostela when I walk either. It’s very important to some.
I’ve enjoyed your journey until Lugo, I split off there and took the Verde. Read too many stories such as yours today!
Hope you enjoy the rest of your walk nonetheless

 

[dbier]

Congrats on getting peace and quiet.

 

[Grizzlybero]

Maps are incredible. The development of online mapping tools has transformed our ability to navigate an ever increasingly complex world, and maps changed our fortunes for today. We woke about 7am to a near silent environment, as the other 4 people respectfully and quietly packed up their belongings and headed out the door. We were left alone in the albergue, and had our first lie in until 9am as we only had 16km to traverse to our next destination. With our breakfast banana consumed, we headed out for the day. The gpx file we had downloaded onto our brilliant mapping software (openandromaps) showed a deviation from the albergue that I was keen to follow today. The reason was that we could not face another day of monotonous road walking after yesterday's session, and this alternate path appeared to take more paths and less road. I could not find any mention on blogs or forums of the deviation, which of course made me even more keen to wander the road less travelled. Turned out to be a great decision, as the next 10km delved through beautiful forest along overgrown paths, across ancient stone bridges not marked on any map I have, and past stunning country homes that appeared to be centuries old. We saw 2 camino tiles and one yellow arrow along the entirety of the detour, suggesting it may have once been the original path and has since been rerouted (perhaps to aid people rushing to finish the primitivo inside a 2 week window?). It was a magnificent walk, and we felt fantastic as we merged with the trail proper a few hours later. The next 6km were also very nice, as the trail stayed away from the road, and took some nice dirt tracks. We arrived at the municipal albergue in As Seixas at around 1230pm, and ate a delicious chorizo and cheese sandwich in celebration of an excellent morning tramp. We checked in to our accommodation, a truly stunning albergue of incredible architecture, where clearly many hundreds of thousands of euro have been spent to transform an old estate into a functioning hostel. The afternoon was a relaxing one, waiting to see if any other walkers would arrive in our off stage haven. Eventually 3 other souls joined us for the evening, making for another extraordinarily peaceful environment. Dinner was another excellent omelette with rice prepared in a kitchen that would have cost an extraordinary amount to refurbish, another example of a tremendous waste of government funds
Total spend on day 12 for 2 people: €20
Total beds occupied in albergue: 5
Total road/concrete walking %: 15

 

[Grizzlybero]

National holidays. I've lost count of the amount of times I've been caught out in a foreign country by a sudden desire by the local population to stop doing many of the things they normally do for a day or two, by order of public decree. In this case, it is Spain's National Day that has disturbed the norm. We woke to a silent dormitory, as the other 3 occupants had all left in the darkness to continue their journey. We departed at 7:30am ourselves, still in pitch black conditions, as we were keen to get to Melide for some breakfast and more provisions, a quick 14km down the road. We believe we walked through some nice forest for the first hour, but will never know for sure due to the lack of light. When the day finally dawned, we were in some agricultural land, with fine views of some wind turbines (there have been many to gaze upon throughout the walk). The way continued very pleasantly along a mix of dirt and small country roads, before eventually depositing us In Melide, the confluence of the Frances and the Primitivo. Suddenly our senses were overwhelmed by the hundreds of peregrinos flooding the small town, descending on their bars and cafes in a raucous manner, quite the shift from the peaceful Primitivo. As it was a public holiday, we walked past one closed supermarket after another, despairing of finding food for our day. A fortune would have it (the Camino provides), a small convenience store was open, doing a roaring trade as it was the sole purveyor of raw ingredients open in town. We grabbed lunch and dinner, and set off for our next port of call, the municipal albergue in Ribadiso. We chose this location, our first on the Frances, as it was off-stage and only had 1 restaurant nearby, thinking this would provide a quiet environment. We arrived at 1pm, and the volunteer workers said that our choice was logical, and they only had 14 people the night prior, which was good for a 70 person space. And what a space it is, magnificently refurbished 15th century refuge, next to a river, and with a kitchen to absolutely die for, with magnificent high ceilings, incredible stone work and a giant fireplace, and....no utensils . The public holiday brought in many more than the 14 people who had stayed last night, and swelled to well over 50 by 6pm, with muliple local families and their many, many children apparently becoming peregrinos for just one evening, an event I would not have thought possible given the rules governing stays in the municipal albergue of Galicia, of course many mysteries remain to be solved in regard to the running of these amazing spaces. We cooked our now legendary omelette and rice meal for dinner in the empty 15th century kitchen, which I did not see used all evening. Of course, the restaurant next door was filled to the rafters...
Total spend on day 13 for 2 people: €32
Total beds occupied in albergue: 57
Total road/concrete walking %: 40

 

[dbier]

So glad you got to stay at Ribadiso!

My husband and I had a great pulpo lunch at that restaurant (Meson de Ribadiso, if I recall) in July 21, and I ended up treating a pilgrim with a bad blister at that muni. It was such a lovely setting.

I had a lonelier tortilla at that same place Sept 27th(?) 2023 in memory of that first camino, as I passed through on my way to Casa de Horreos - which was the only accomodation I could book and ship to that wasn't completo between Boente and Amenal.

Good luck for tomorrow - it's been noted elsewhere on this forum that many Spanish businesses also give their employees the Friday off as well, when a national holiday falls on a Thursday.

 

[Grizzlybero]

Finally, we met a downpour of Galician weather. Woke up around 730am when the lights were switched on, and pushed out the door by the happy volunteers at the albergue at 8am. Pitch black, pouring rain, on we went, drawing inexorably nearer to our final destination. Not much to report really, head was down, rain jacket on, and the kms melted away as we passed hundreds of pilgrims all enjoying the same weather conditions, some more stoically than others it has to be said. We found breakfast in the form of chocolate pastries in a bakery, and a supermarket supplied the necessary items for our lunch and dinner the rest of the day. We arrived, somewhat bedraggled, at our off-stage albergue in Santa Irene at around 1230pm, and were met with a handwritten sign that simply said... Cerrado. No explanation forthcoming (could hazard a guess that the psuedo long weekend had something to do with the absence of an employee), so we unhappily trudged on to the on stage nightmare that is O Pedrouzo. We arrived at 1255pm to the municipal albergue, to a queue of over 50 soaked peregrinos, and it's fair to say that wasn't a lot of pilgrim love in the air, as all waited while carefully guarding their place in the queue. The doors were swung open at 1pm, and the laborious process of checking in the now near 80 people waiting for a bed began. We were in by about 130pm, and the full sign was posted well before 3, October is not a quiet month no more. We enjoyed a late lunch in the kitchen, which was not being used by anyone. An afternoon of drying then commenced, as clothes were carefully rotated on bed frames to give them the best chance of not being wet to put back on the next day. Dinner came all too soon, and we used an empty kitchen once more, as others braved the conditions to head to restaurants and bars. Soon all 150 of us were snuggled down, and ready to sleep, for most tomorrow it is their final day on the trail, whether that be 50 or 5000km after they began.
Total spend for day 14 for 2 people: €34
Total beds occupied in albergue: 150
Total road/concrete walking %: 50

 

[dbier]

Yeah, nothing says, "Welcome to Galicia" like rain. My last day of rain (3 in total) was the day i arrived in Santiago.

Good on you for making it into O'P.

Interesting that the municipal in Santa Irene was closed...I knew the same named private albergue had been closed for a while, and on Sep 27th and 28th, everything else was completo. I wonder if Santa Irene was what a different poster had in mind when he said that he'd found closed municipals...

Either way, sleep well, and thank for posting. Much to my husband's eternal amusement, I've forgotten enough from "I will never, ever, do that again," to... "Ya know, if I commit to backpack shipment from the outset, and do shorter and more stages like Grizzlybero....maybe....?"

 

[Grizzlybero]

Edging ever closer, today was a very relaxed day. It began at 9am when we left the municipal albergue in O Pedrouzo. We were the last of the 150 guests to depart, and many had made their move very early in the morning, I can only assume in the desire to attend the midday mass at the Cathedral, some 20km distant. Our plan was normally unconventional, as we moved to position ourselves for a very peaceful early morning approach to the finish line tomorrow morning. So, a leisurely pastry was enjoyed at the panaderia in town, and then off to the supermarket for the requisite supplies needed for lunch and dinner as it would be the last supermarket we would see for the day. Fully loaded, we wandered the 15km to Mont Gozo, the mount of joy, to our final municipal albergue. We've thoroughly enjoyed the standard and comfort of the public albergues across Asturias and Galicia, some of the buildings have been astonishing. We of course enjoyed Asturias more, as the kitchens were well equipped for those like us that prefer to self cater, and the prices of the dorm beds were more reflective of what is supplied. We checked in at 1pm after arriving the hour before, and throughout the afternoon the beds around us filled up. The capacity of 400 was never in any danger of course, still a substantial number continued to enter the doors right up until the 10pm curfew.
Total spend for day 15 for 2 people: €33
Total beds occupied in albergue: 86
Total road/concrete walking %: 40

 

[Sue127]

Nearly there! I've really enjoyed following your camino. Have a great final day.

 

[Grizzlybero]

And just like that, it's over. A stroll down the hill and along the urban streets of Santiago, and before you know it, the Cathedral looms large before you, and the walk is done. It was a pleasure to cover the last 5km at 8am in the morning, far away from the clattering of pole tips as they are ruthlessly smashed into the paved streets for no perceivable benefit to the user. The square was all but empty as were the streets surrounding the Cathedral as the bells tolled 9am for the mass.

So, how do we sum up this jaunt? For framing the perspective we have, I've spent 40 years of my life hiking, and been fortunate enough to stretch my legs on all 7 continents. The primitivo would rank firmly as the easiest mid to long distance walk I've done, to the point where I struggle to see how it could even be classed as hiking, it really is more like urban walking with a few forests thrown in for good measure. The terrain is close to 50% paved, and that which is not made of concrete is a firm, even surface. The elevation gains are super mild comparative to any other hike I've done, with less than 8k gained and lost over 300km. It's the first mid to long distance hike I've finished without any sign of a sore muscle, and our feet have been mint tucked nicely into our trail runners. The only degree of difficulty I see created by other pilgrims, is to follow the advice of guidebooks and walk ludicrously long stages (to squeeze the walk into an appropriate length holiday) and carry crazy amounts of luggage where none is required and all that you need is readily available in the multitude of towns you pass through. Definitely an excellent walk for a first time wanderer, as the scenery on the first week is excellent, the infrastructure is extraordinarily good, Lugo is a real highlight and you could not get lost unless you really, really tried. Buen Camino.
Total spend per person per day: €16
Total beds occupied in albergue: generally very busy in October
Total road/concrete walking %: 50

 

[MikeJS]

The only degree of difficulty I see created by other pilgrims, is to follow the advice of guidebooks and walk ludicrously long stages (to squeeze the walk into an appropriate length holiday) and carry crazy amounts of luggage

Frankly, I would not know what to do with myself for the rest of each day if I walked less than around 30km. My natural walking speed is around 5km/h. I also wake up naturally around 0630-0700 and hate hanging around in the mornings. So 30km would get me to the next destination around 1330 - still much too early for most places.That is why I like 35 to 40 kms day, its simply comfortable for me. Moreover, I have not weighed my pack since my first camino as I simply pack what I know I need and want and carry 3l of water. Plus I have no hesitation in adding food and wine when necessary!

 

[Trish K]

Thanks for the great posts as you wandered along the Primitivo. I begin from Oviedo on 26th. I've completed the Primitivo previously as part of the Norte route in April/May 2019, which I loved, but only have 2 weeks available this year. I'm currently musing over whether to bring my 3 season sleeping bag or my lighter 2 season which has a comfort rating of 12c. The weather is def going to get chillier as I move into November so I was wondering how you found the situation with blankets in the municipal Albergues - are they generally available or non-existent?

 

[Grizzlybero]

Thanks for the great posts as you wandered along the Primitivo. I begin from Oviedo on 26th. I've completed the Primitivo previously as part of the Norte route in April/May 2019, which I loved, but only have 2 weeks available this year. I'm currently musing over whether to bring my 3 season sleeping bag or my lighter 2 season which has a comfort rating of 12c. The weather is def going to get chillier as I move into November so I was wondering how you found the situation with blankets in the municipal Albergues - are they generally available or non-existent?

Generally no blankets in the Galician municipals, personally I'd bring the 2 season bag, as all buildings were very warm through the night, enjoy the walk.

 

[Saint Mike II]

Hola & G'Day @Grizzlybero Thank you for an incredible description of your adventures on the Primitivo. I have not really had this Camino on my bucket list but maybe that might change, but only after I walk the Porto to Santiago and those 3 or 4 days to Finisterre and Muxia and the sun setting into the cold North Atlantic. A very special Buen Camino.