Live from the Primitivo Aug 25 2011 (final update Sept 1)

[peregrina nicole]

Hi Everyone! Thanks for all of the pre-camino advice. We are now on day 10 of the primitivo. We are in Lugo, which is the first place we have been able to do internet (on rua Vilaba, just outside of the walls).

We started in Villaviciosa in Asturias and I am using the Confraternity of Saint James Pilgrim Guide number 4. This is dated 2010, but it is quite out of date in places, so I took notes so that it could be updated. After I finish my series of posts, I´ll send the whole lot off to the confraternity. I am using the booklet version not the acrobat download. I noticed that when I downloaded the last update that the pages mentioned didn´t match up to those in my booklet, so I will also mention place names which will hopefully help. I should say something about the distances. These are all approximate. We have the Confraternity guide, info from Mundicamino and info from the hospitalero in Pola. None of the distances given agree with each other. This may be due to slight changes in the route.

Day 0: Fly Glasgow to Ovideo via Easy Jet. From the airport there are hourly buses (on the hour) to Oviedo and Gijon (separate buses). The bus stop is to the right as you leave the airport. We went to Gijon, got dropped off at the bus station and caught a bus there to Villaviciosa. We mananaged to pay for both trips on the bus. However, for the Villaviciosa segment, we were told that we should have bought a ticket at the office. This is on the same square as the buses, on the side where the back end of the buses point (hopefully this makes sense). Toilets are on the left side (bring your own paper!). In Villaviciosa, there is a new bus station, so we didn´t get dropped off where we expected. There is a map which can help you orient yourself and the locals are pretty helpful. A number of people recommended the Hostal el Sol on Calle El Sol (985 89 11 30). We paid 31 euros for a double without a bath. It is a great place, the people are nice and it is on the camino! So thanks for the recommendation. It was suggested that we phone up and book ahead. This was GREAT advice (thanks Mike! as we arrived on the weekend and the place was full. We met some quite desperate people at the tourist office who were looking for a place to stay as all the towns on the coast were full. I managed to get my CREDENCIAL at the Cafe Colon (a lady from the amigos del camino) does the issuing (bring your passport). This is in the plaza where the ayunatmento building is (left hand side of the plaza). This is an offical Asturias credenical. You can get sellos from the Cafe Colon or the tourist info office. While you are here you should at least have one bottle of cider (sidra). The waiter pours you a small amount from a high up in order to airiate the cider. You are supposed to swallow it before the fizz goes. We checked the route out of town to make sure we know where to go. It is pretty well marked with yellow arrows.

Day 1: Villaviciosa to Pola de Serio (27km) (Aug 14)
The Confraternidad info is more or less accurate for the beginning of the day. At Castiello (page 9) the bench is now fixed and it makes a nice sandwich eating stop. From here the route wants you to go to the monastry rather than to Ambas. The monastry in Valdedios has an albergue. It opens at 15:30 and you get kicked out at 8:15. You can get a sello from 19:30. There is a cafe bar just opposite the monastary. The owner was pulling into the drive as we walked by and he opened especially for us. He didn´t have a sello, but somehow managed to insert our credenciales into his cash register to give us a stamp. So 10 out of 10 for effort! At Vega de Sariego (Albergue has 24 places), it was the festa de Carmen Vega (the local Virgin Mary) so we were treated to a procession complete with people in traditiona Asturian dress while we had lunch a Taberna L Casura. We were here around 13:16 and were impressed that the local mini market was open (and had bread so fresh it was still warm). Near the Fuente del Romero after Vega THE ROUTE CHANGES from the description in the confraternidad booket. This is all very well way-marked. You follow the road until you arrive at El Castru. Here you turn right adn then almost immediately left to get into a section that goes on tracks and avoids the road. You come back onto the road for a short section near the sign that indicates that you have left Avero. Ignore the arrows that indicate that you should turn left into a barb wire fence. Continue on for 50m and you will see a turn off to the L. There are LOTS of arrows here. You cross a bridge and go up to the Ermita de Nra Senora de Bienvenir (nice picnic area). You descend on a zigzag dirt road which is followed by a gentle rise and then down to the puente medieval. You continue on the track and rejoin the road just before El Rebodal and its pool (mentioned in the Confraternidad Guide). There is a lovely and new albergue in Pola at the far end of town. Just follow the Confraternity instructions to the round about with the metal modern art sculpture. This is where the albergue is. It opened in June 2010. Juan, one of the hospitaleros was super helpful and gave us info sheets on the route, a map of Oviedo, and info on albergues. The Sidera Restaurant opposite does great meals, is very peregrino friendly and gave us a special discounted menu.

Day 2: Pola to La Venta del Escamplero (29km)(Aug 15)
We left the albergue at 7am and managed to arrive at El Berron 3.5km later by 7:50. The Cafe Cruz, on the route, was open for breakfast. The guide is accurate up to Colloto (note cafe bars on the camino as it winds through town). As you leave Collato there is a new round about and the very helpful arrows seem to end. You have to go to the far side of the round about and go under the motorway bridge and continue straight ahead. You start to pick up the occasional yellow arrow again, but they are pretty sparce here. You soon see the spires of the Cathedral of Oviedo just continue straight. You eventually end up about a block away from the Cathedral (Cathedral is on the left) (17.4 from Pola). Aug 15 is NOT a good time to be in Oviedo. It is a national holiday and most businesses were shut. On top of that, Oviedo was one of the gathering places for the World Youth Day. So the place was crawling with teenage pilgrims on their way to see the Pope. The Camera Sacra in the Cathedral was closed and we really struggled to find anyone who could tell us where to get a sello. All of the priests were imports. We eventually decided to enter the ´restricted`area in the hopes that someone local would be able to help us. We eventually met some guys in suits who took us to a side room to stamp our credenciales. Needless to say, we didn´t even try to get a place to stay in Oviedo, we just pushed onto the next albergue. Getting out of Oviedo is hard as it isn´t well marked. Why such a major pilgrimage town isn´t well sign posted is beyond us, but you think that the local amigos del camino would get thier act in gear here as the rest of the Primitivo is VERY well sign posted. The Confraternity instructions are very helpful here UNTIL you cross over the rail way at Arganosa station. Here some construction blocks the route and you have to do a detour. An arrow takes you left after the rail crossing and you have to loop around left again (essentialy doing an 180). You continue down a dual carriage way with a grassed area in between. You eventually rejoin the route at a part and then you hit the Lavapies stream. The locals here are used to lost looking peregrinos and they kept on pointing us in the right direction. After that, the route is well marked until you hit La Venta del Excamplero. We picked up the keys to the albergue at the Casa Fernando restaurant. You pay at the restaurat (3 euros) and they will stamp your credencial. The albergue was small and adequate but dirty. I gave the floor a good sweep. There were 7 peregrinos in total in the albergue. It sleeps 12 and costs 2 euros. We ate at Casa Fernando. The other bar mentioned in the guide was closed.

Day 3: Escamplero to San Salvador de Cornellana (24.5km) Aug 16
Here the route description in the Cofraternity guide is accurate at the begining of the day. At Permono, we found a very peregrino friendly bar with a sello (open at before 8am). When you get to Cueto you need to take note that there is more than one T junction. You need to turn L onto the road at the second T juntion. In Grado, you can get a sello from the tourist info kiosk. The Auto-Bar on the way out of town (on the Camino) also has a sello and does bar snacks. After Grado there are some changes to the Confraternity description due to road construction. This is all very well sign posted and you find yourself heading up to the pass at El Fresno. After El Fresno, I am happy to report that the original route that desends to the left and goes through San Marcelo (fountain at entrance) and La Doriga (bar-private albergue) is now the offical route and it is well marked. The private albergue, Ca Pacita (684 61 38 61) is very nice and the owner is a great guy. He has a nice sello. We thought about staying here but pushed on to Cornellana. The albergue in Cornellana is in part of the monastry. I have seen one guide book which says this has 24 beds. I didn't do a bed count to confirm this. The rooms are nice and big and there is a washing machine and cooking area. Unfortunately, Aug 16 was the last night of their local festival and we had to endure a rock marathon, which played until 8AM!!! just outside of our room. Even after a full day of walking, with a sleeping pill and ear plugs it was pretty difficult to get any sleep. Just to make things even more fun at 3am or so, some ´drunken youths´hopped over the secruity fence (a brave move given the big spikes on it) and released a fire extinguisher in one of the dorms (not ours thankfully). When we packed up and left, the music was still playing and the bar was still open. At least someone had a good night, but it wasn´t any of the peregrinos.

Day 4:Cornellana to Albergue de Bodenaya (17.4 km) (Aug 17)
Our original plan was to go to Tineo, but after a sleepless night, we decided for a short day and rather liked all of the positive reports about Bodenaya. As you leave the albergue and head to Cornelllana the camino goes to the left, just before the bridge that would take you to town. You walk along the river and from there there is good route marking to Quintana. This seems like a new part of the route which was no doubt put in place as a result of the construction of the new motorway. Just as you approach Salas there is now a signed area where you cross the main road and then you follow a lane until you hit the town. I´m happy to report that the old albergue is now closed and that a new one has been opened. There are signs advertising this as you enter town. After Salas, there are some route changes due to the motorway work. The info is accurate until you hit the main road at El Llanon. The bar mentioned in the guide is now closed. From here, you turn right and follow the main road which loops twice under the motorway and then you get directed onto a new dirt road. At a T juntion, you go L and follow the arrows. It looks like this diversion misses out Porcilles. We were rather wondering how far along we had gotten until we saw the metal shelter. We passed the church and then looped back and arrived at the Albergue de Bodenaya (13 beds). This place was GREAT! Alex was helped out by Antonio from Italy. There is a communal meal at 8 (vegetarian). Alex sells beer but no other food apart from the evening meal. At the mean, everyone has to decided what time everyone will get up. This system works very well. You also get a contental breakfast. The albergue and meals is all run on a donativo basis. This has 16 places and was full. The overflow walked to Espin and stayed in hotels.

Day 5:Bodenaya to Albergue de Borres (26 km) Aug 17
The Confraternity guide indicates that there may be some route changes due to road constrution. We just followed the arrows and managed to get to El Pedregal without any problems and then onto Tineo. There is a slip in the route for those who want to go to the albergue in Tineo. We stayed straight and eventually ended up in the main shopping area of town. We can confirm that the bar at Alto de Piedratecha is now a hairdressers. At this point we decided that we wanted to avoid yet another monastery (we still bore the scars of Cornellana) and that we wanted to shorten our route so we took the suggested alternative in the guide and stayed on the road to Villaluz. We had originally planned to stay in Camiello, but were informed that the albergue would be closed as the mother of the hospitalero had died. Casa Maximo in the guide now apears to be Casa Ricardo. They are very pilgrim friendly and have a good sello. Their shop has a good selection, so this is a good place to stock up for food if you are staying at Borres. We heard bad reports of the Algergue Hermania (´13 euros for a room with 25 others, not good value´). I can´t confirm this but the place did rather look like a warehouse from the outside. At El Fresno-Espin there was a bar with a picnic area across the road. In retrospect, this would have been a better place to spend the night than Borres. We took the road alternative to Borres. There are road works, so you don´t have a straight forward juntion. When you hit the main road, turn L. When we arrived at Borres, the place was packed and people were also on any spare space on the floor. It was also dirty. It DID have a sello, which is about the only good thing you can say about the place. It didn´t have any running water. I managed to get some by walking along the road until I found a house with a water hose that worked. Other people went back to the bar in El Fresno to buy water. There are no shops or facilities in Borres. The algergue has a microwave oven, but that is it for cooking. Thankfully, we had a tent and so stayed outside of the albergue. The hospitalero didn´t show up to charge any of us our fee.

Day 6: Borres to Berduceo (25.7 km) Aug 18
We decided to do the mountain route via Hospitales. This is a very lovely route and is VERY well sign posted. In fact, you would have to have visability down to 20m or less in order to miss the route. Most of it is on a track and the bits that are not on a track have pole markers very 10m or so. It is on a ridge so it wouldn´t be the best place in the world in a lightening storm, but otherwise I think that this route would be fine. In winter, I would probably want a map and compass, but without snow, route finding shouldn´t be a problem. One major issue is the lack of water. We had 2L each and were bone dry by the time we hit Montefurado. I would have been happier with 3L. I think that there must be some mistake in the guide when referring to the hospitales. La Paradella was in ruins byt Fonfaron looked OK. There looks like there is some work being done on the camino just before you hit Alto de la Marta. Once at the Alto, the arrows do indeed point you to the central path. When you hit the Porto del Palo, there is now a path to the left which will eventually take you to Monefurado. This avoids the road apart from the places where you have to cross. In Montefurado, there is water in someone´s yard, just after the church. The chap was quite nice about letting me have some. The guide suggested asking before taking water. One of the Italians said that his guidebook didn´t mention asking. He just took water and got shouted at. The last camino updated indicated that it seemed more than 2.2 km from Montefurado to Lago. There is now a sign that indicates that it is 4.1 km. This is part of an Asturian GR (109) and the camino follows this until just before Grandas. So, you get red and white markers along with normal camino ones. As you come down from Montefurado the path eventually hits the main road. The guide recommends staying on the road to Lagos. The camino indicates that you should take a track to the left. This goes below the road and eventually enters Lago by the cemetary. You pass the church and then zig zag your way up and through the village. Before you leave the village there is a bar-taverna on the left. From here you follow a track which keeps you off the main road for most of the way. Just before entering Berducedo, there was a rope across the route. To the left there was an overgrown track. We started down this, but it seemed to overgrown to be the camino. We returned to the rope and spoted a red and white marker. So we went under the rope. You come into Berducedo near the albergue (10 places according to another guide book and this looked more or less accurate). This was full as was the private albergue. So, we got to use our tent again. Some people walked onto Mesa (4 km later). This was also reported to be full. The restaurant in Berducedo is now closed. The two bar-grocery stores in town only serve sandwiches. We bought some food from the bar to cook in the albergue. Note: There is NOTHING in Mesa, so you have to buy food in Berducedo.

Day 7: Berducedo to Grandas de Salme (19.4 km) Aug 19
As we climbed up an over to La Mesa, we saw and amazing storm rip through on the right. The fog rolled in to Berducedo like something from a Stephen King movie. We got our rain capes on, but the storm passed us by. Then it turned into a nice hot day. Once you get to Mesa, there are changes in the route. Now, just after the albergue, you go up to Buspol via a tarmacked road. Near the church in Buspol, a well sign posted track takes you to the left for the descent to Presa de Embalsas. I didn´t find the descent bad at all, but was glad that I had walking poles. The signs for the GR109 very helfpully let you know how many kilometers you have walked from Berdecedo and how many you have left to Grandas. We checked out the viewing area for the dam. This is covered and would make a good bivy site. However, there was lots of grafitti, so maybe local kids hang out here. After you cross the dam and start your 6.6 uphill slog to Grandas you pass a hotel restaurant. This looked like a very nice place to stay. They are peregrino friendly and have a nice sello with a pilgrim (Hotel Las Grandas 98 562 72 30). You head to Grandas along the road until you hit the 2km road marker. The camino and GR109 then follow a good ziz zag track until just before you hit Grandas. TAKE NOTE. The GR109 turns off to the left down an overgrown track. Avoid this. Just go staight ahead and you hit Grandas. In Grandas, we treated ourselves to a hotel. We stayed at Hotel La Barra, Avda de la Costa number 4 (near the church) (985 62 71 96, hotel@labarrahotel.com. The owner is super nice and very peregrino friendly. He opens his cafe at 7 for passing peregrino traffic. He washed and dried our clothes for 6 euros and gave us a peregrino discount on the room (45 euros for a double with an ensuite, normally high season price is 55). The room was lovely. It had a TV and a balcony and was like a place after nights in albergues and the tent. We checked out the albergue. The hospitalero was very nice. The beds had filed up and he was putting people onto mattresses on the floor when we passed by. Some people continued onto Castro to stay at the Youth Hostel (which had a few spaces left). I can very highly recommend the Museo Ethnografico in Grandas. They also have a sello. One of the highlights is getting to go inside of a horrerro (a grain storage hut that you see all along the route). That night we ate at La Regada. Turn left just before the church. This has a menu for 12 euros. This is one of two places that were recommended. The other was La Paradilla, near the albergue.

I still have 3 more days to report on at this point but it is now time to get something to eat. I´ll continue at the next internet place. By the way, Lugo is a lovely place. We are having a rest day here. More about Lugo later.

 

[TerryB]

Re: Live from the Primitivo Aug 25 2011

Thanks for the detail Nichole!
Valerie and I are looking at walking the some of the Primitivo next year so your comments are most helpful.
Just a thought on your comment -

Just before entering Berducedo, there was a rope across the route.

Often when moving cattle the owner will put a rope (or baler twine) across a road or track to turn the beasties the right way. (I have done it myself in the U.K.) If the cows are taken in for milking etc. every day, the rope is often left in place. In such cases just duck underneath! When I walked in 2009, in a place where the Camino ran between two stone walls, a farmer was using it as a holding pen for his cattle during a T.B. test! He cheerfully guided me through and I went on my way rejoicing!

I look forward to the rest of your comments.
With blessings on your walking
Tio Tel

 

[peregrina nicole]

Re: Live from the Primitivo Aug 28 2011

We are now in Melide! and have finished the ´primitivo´bit. We are now on familiar ground from the Frances. This is the first internet we have found since Lugo. In fact, the Lugo to Melide bit is a bit sparce on services, but some real efforts have been made, as I will outline below. However, now it is back to Day 8.

Day 8: Grandas de Salme to Fonsagrada (26.2 km) Aug 21, 2011
We are happy to report that the bar in Cereijeira is still open and they have a sello. We had no problem following the way marks to Castro. We checked out the Youth Hostel (albergue de joventud de Castro ). It looked very nice indeed and they also do food. It was 11 euros for a bed in a room with 4 AND you can phone to book ahead (16 places). (985 92 41 97) (alberguedecastro@gmail.com). We met people who stayed there and said that it was very good. It will allow you to camp, has food and wifi. Some of the people who pushed on to Mesa, had the idea of staying in Castro. The route is well waymarked to the Alto de Acebo. The way marking now follows the Confraternity option 2, which heads up towards the wind generators and takes you off the road. You drop down onto the Alto. This was closed when we arrived. However, we talked to people a day behind us who said that it was open when they arrived, but locked up as soon as they left. Mundicamino says that there are issues about this staying open as the owner wants more financial support from the gov´t. The bottom line is that you can´t count on this being open, so bring food and water accordingly. My 2L water bag was empty when we arrived. In Cabreira, we didn´t see any evidence of a bar (but it was a Sunday). At Fonfria, there was a chance to refill water bottles. In Barbeitos, there is a FANTASTIC Meson. They have signs on the Camino counting down the kms until you arrive. It is called the Meson Catro Ventos (982 340151). The Confraternity guide says that they have rooms. According to the staff, they don´t have rooms and never did. We looked at the lovely menu, which was a bit much for lunch for us and continued onto Fonsagrada. We were recommended the pulpo at Pulperia Candal at the entrance to the down (they have a great sello with a pulpo). I do have to admit that Fonsagrada doesn´t look all that nice as you enter it, but the bit around the church and fountain is quite nice and has cobbled streets. By this time I had developed a bad cold so we decided to stay in a Hotel. We stayed at the Hospedaje Cantrabrica (982 35 00 35 and 333 44 11 11). When we arrived, three was no one there, but there was a mobile phone number on the door. It is worth taking a mobile with you on this camino if you have a European based phone. We paid 40 euros for a very nice double and the staff were very peregrino friendly. We looked at the other restaurants around town, but kept on thinking of the menu at the Meson so asked the hotel lady if it would be possible to book a taxi to take us back to the Meson. This was very easy. She contacted Antonio Campos Arango at 982 34 01 26 and he charged us 5 euros to go back to the Meson. The trip was well worth it and Antonio is a nice guy. You have to wait until 9 or 9:30 for the grill to be hot enough (they use wood), but Camino Bob said that the Churrasco de Buey was the best meat he had had on this camino. The staff phoned Antonio to bring us back to Fonsagrada.

I had a bad night of coughing which meant that neither Camino Bob or me got much sleep. Aug 22 was declared a rest day. I went out to explain this to the owner, she said that there was no problem with us staying. I went back to bed and slept until noon. We took another look around town and our second choice of a restaurant (the one with the Routier awards on the Camino route out of town) was closed on Monday. So we called Antonio again and went back to the Meson. They were happy to see us again and gave us a free starter!

Day 9: Fonsagrada to Cadavo (24.2km) Aug 23, 2011
We walked past Padron, where the Albergue is (1.5 km out of Fonsagrada). This has rooms with 4 beds and was highly recommeded by the people we met who had stayed there. There was no problem following the route and it seems to not have changed from the Confraternity guide apart from the fact that the reportedly overgrown sections of the route are now clear. In Paradavella, we arrived at a very nice looking Meson-bar. However, the service was VERY slow as a group of cyclists had arrived before us. We met a couple who were still waiting for a sandwich they ordered 30 min previously. The Confraternity guide indicated that there was more than one bar in town, so I just walked into the kitchen and asked the rather overworked single staff member if there was indeed another bar in town. He said there was, so, we went on a couple of 100m and had great service at the Casa Villar. They made us sandwiches, had a sello and even invited us to offer our opinion on some wine that a local dealer was selling (which went very well indeed with my cheese and bread). After Paradavella, the Confraternity guide recommends not following the waymarked path to stay on the road. DO take the path! It is fine now. In fact the path-track is great and we continued to A Lastra. The bar-shop in Fontaneira has a sello. After Fontaneira, the camino takes tracks to avoid the main road and the way markings lead to the Alberge in Cadavo. This pretty much looks like a concrete block. I was still coughing at night, so we decided to spare the other peregrinos and checked into the Pension Eligio. This is sign posted as you enter into town. We had a double with bath for 35 euros and they also do a menu for 9 euros (including wine). We checked out other places to eat in town, but decided to come back to the Eligio. The Confraternity guide mentions that Casa Pedro has a room. We didn´t see this. The Hotel Moneda is still there.


Day 10: Cadavo to Lugo (31km (28 according to some guides)) Aug 24, 2011

The way marking is good on this section. It appears that Castroverde still doesn´t have an albergue. We were told that there is a pension (Pension Cortes, Rua de Torres 46 (982 312 166) but didn´t actually spot this. We did take note of the fact that there are no bars or shop until Lugo is reached, so we stocked up in Castroverde. The Camino organisers have tried to do something about this by installing vending machines along the route. We encountered two after Torres but before Gondar. These are sign posted. They have a selection of drinks and snacks. The second one even had coffee. After Vilar de Cas, the Camino now avoids the Soutomerille detour. In Gondar, there is a vending machine that has snacks, cold drinks (including beer) and coffee. There is even a table and chairs opposite. The price for everything was 1 euro (so make sure you have change for this part of the route). The waymarking from this point is very clear and there are some changes around Bascuas. The Confraterniy guide indicates that there is a vending machine here. There isn´t. I think this must have been moved to Gondar. There is a temporary detour as you exit Bascuas. It takes you on the highway and they just after the 7km road sign, takes you right and then left to regain the route and the stone markers. In Casas de la Vina, there is a vending machine that indicates that you are now 6.6 km from the Albergue in Lugo. The way from here seems a little bit different from the Confraternity guide, but it is very well waymarked. As you enter Lugo and take the steps up to the Ronda do Almirante Carrerro Blanco you pass the Mundicamino Cafe! We had to stop here, given that we had been using the Mundicamino topos. They have a good sello. As you enter Lugo an near the wall, don´t do what we did and take a sharp right to go along the outside of the wall (the way marking is a wee bit misleading here), continue ahead and enter via the gate. We had planned to have a rest day in Lugo and so stayed in a hotel. We stayed at the Pension Alba (Calvo Soteio, 31, 982 22 60 56). This was 45 euros for a double with a bath room. It is in a great location, just inside of the walls and near where you enter through the gate. The owners were super friendly had helpful. We checked out the Albergue. This looked very nice and the people who met who stayed there said that it was great. Lugo is a great place for a rest day. We walked the city walls (a world patrimony site), went to the Cathedral, did internet (on Rua Vilaba just outside of the wall) and enjoyed Gallician wine and tapas on Rua Nova and Rua Da Cruz. The whole tapa scenario in Lugo reminded us a bit of Logrono on the French route. Basically, you ask for a glass of wine. This comes and they offer you a tray of tapas. You can choose one and the tray is whisked away. Then they ask you what racion (larger than a tapa) you would like and rattle off a list. This happens which each glass. If you go from bar to bar, you get a variety of food. We went to one bar that was empty and discovered why: crap tapas. So, follow the locals. On Lugo day 1, I didn´t even bother to have an evening meal. I was very well satisfied with tapas-raciones. The provinical museum is also a recommended tourist attraction. I intended to go there but got caught up with doing email. On day 2 in Lugo, we also caught up with Wolfgang and Maria (from Germany, but live in Vienna), who we had last seen at Borres and first met at Boudenaya.

Day 11: Lugo to San Roman de Retorta (18.3km ) Aug 26, 2011

We have our flight out of Santiago booked for Sept 3 and saw no reason to rush ahead to Santiago (I've been there 4 times). So, we decided to divide the Lugo to Melide section into three days. Many people do this in two days. We managed to convert Wolfgang and Maria to our pace in this section and we all agree that there is a lot to be said for short days, if you have the time.

The tourist info map in Lugo indicates the camino, so this is useful for finding your way out. The Confraternity guide suggests that there is a diversion for Friol (Northern Route) in the suburbs of Lugo. We didn´t spot this. We also didn´t spot the stream that you are supposed to cross on the top of page 56, but we did go through a tunnel and continued forward to cross the road. We didn´t spot the roundabout that was mentioned, so the route must have changed here. However, the route marking is very good and you end up on the LU 2901. You pretty much stay on this. We passed through Alto without seeing any signs and so didn´t really know where we were until Burgo. Note: at km 94.429 before Burgo, there is a fountain. Once you hit Burgo, the bar is very well sign posted. The owners are very peregrino friendly and even allowed Jesper from Holland camp overnight in their yard. They have a sello. After this point, there seems to be a change from the Confraternity guide. They suggest continuing until marker 90.648. The camino markers have you turning right to cut off some road work at marker 87.161. When we arrived at Taboeira (called San Pedro de Mera in the guide) the Taberna Rodrigo (sello) was open. We then arrived at the bar in San Roman. Senor Jaime Lopez is still alive and well and was well chuffed when I pointed out that he had been personally mentioned in our guide book. They have a sello and this is the last place to reliably stock up on food before Melide. He also gave me an ALBERGUE UPDATE. The Confraternity guide recommends two options. If you go to the Albergue at San Roman, you are already on the Roman Road route and so might as well stay there. This albergue opens at 1pm and is LOVELY. It is in a refurbished stone building and has wooden rafters. The bathrooms are modern. It has 12 beds. We decided to camp out side and the hospitalero was OK with this and charged us the normal 5 euro fee to use the facilities. The bar was only 500m back, so after getting cleaned up, a few of us went back for drinks and extra supplies. There were only 7 of us at the albergue, so I guess that our rest days must have allowed us to avoid a peak flow of peregrinos. The news today indicated that many Spanish people were heading back after the holidays and that the motorways were going to be clogged tonight. It was quite notable that while Spanish peregrinos dominated our pre-rest day route, the San Roman de Retorta crowd were all non-Spanish (and all English speaking). Here we met up with Helena from Sweden, who recognised me and Camino Bob from the forum!

Day 12: San Roman de Retorta to Albergue de As Seixas (13.74km ) Aug 27, 2011

The BIG update for the Confraternity guide book is that there is now an albergue publico in As Seixas (pronounced As Sayhas). We were informed that there is no food there, so we bought supplies from the bar in San Roman. This was a delightful day of walking. We were on the Roman Road and so continued with this. It was very well sign posted. At Ferreira, all 7 of the San Roman crowd had breakfast (4 euros for coffee and toast and cake). They had a sello. Some of us had tried to phone the Casa Do Ponte and had problems with the numbers. We also compared numbers in our guide books and had different ones! The card from the Casa indicates that 698 552 329 and 982 183 077 are the numbers, but I had no luck at all with this. A Spanish girl with a different guide managed to get through on 696 631 743. In any case, it doesn´t really matter if you can get through or not, because less than 1km away on the camino there is a private albergue. I talked to an Italian guy who stayed there. He said that there were 17 people there (so popular with the Lugo crowd) and that they were charged 10 euros for a bed. The evening meal was included (only for residents). This was 9 euros. He said that the portions were small and the food wasn´t anything to write home about. In any case, we pushed onto to As Seixas. The albergue is slightly off route, but well sign posted. This was an AMAZING place (35 places). It was a moderninsed stone building. It was stone, hard wood and glass with a modern kitchen. There was pretty much a general agreement that this was nicer than the places where we lived! Maria, Helena and I looked around the place and said: 'forget Santiago, lets just stay here!). It was like something out of a designer magazine. So, well done to the Xunta!!! There was a vending machine outside with snacks. The hospitaleras had cold beer and wine. We arrived at 1pm and shortly after a food van from Melide arrived. The arrival of this van depends on the number of people staying at the albergue. The man phoned the hospitalera later on in the afternoon, but only a few other peregrinos arrived, so he didn´t come back out as it wasn´t really worth it for him. So, bring food from San Roman! The only negative point was the lack of a washing machine. They had washing facilities out back which were similar to what I used when I did fieldwork in a peasant village in Ecuador in the early 90s (i.e pretty basic!!!). Of special note is the fact that this albergue even had a special section for snorers (roncadores). We were in the roncador section. The other peregrinos were in the other room. They all reported a very good night.

Day 13: Albergue de As Seixas to Melide (16.3km ) Aug 28, 2011

This was another nice section. The route is very well way marked. There seems to be a bit more roadwork than is indicated in the Confraternity guide and the ´ill defined´tracks have all been cleared. You are on the road for most of this, so the ´muddy´section reported after Arnande wasn´t an issue. Our first coffee after the albergue was at the far end of Vilamor. This is the Bar Parrillada Carburo (981 504 907). The owner, Saturno Fernandex Vazquez is a great supporter of the Camino and has a nice stamp (and does very generous bocadillos). About 1km before arriving in Melide, there is a Taverna on the right.

You see the parish church as you arrive into Melide centro and pass a water fountain. It would be nice to have a: ´congratulations you have finished the primitivo´sign, but there is noting. Now you just join the hoards on the Frances.

The new albergue is sign posted to the left. The new municipal albergue is on Rua San Antonio and has well over 100 places. We checked this out and it looked well kitted out. It is next to the Albergue O Apalpador which has 30 places and internet. When we arrived, the Fiesta de San Ramon was in full swing and wanted to be a bit out of the centre ( we were still suffering the scars of the Rock Marathon in Corellana). We are staying in the Hotel Carlos 96, which is on Avda Lugo 119 (981 507 633). Camino Bob stayed here when he did the Frances on bicycle. We have a double with bath for 45 euros. It is a great room and the place has internet (2 euros for an hour) but it is where the French route enters Melide, so it is 10 min or so from the centre of Melide. The staff is nice, there is a good bar and the two brothers running the place speak English.

From here we plan to take three more days to get to Santiago. We will probably do a big day to get to Arca and then go the Monte Gozo the next day. This will give us a nice 4 or 5km stroll into Santiago on the 31st. I do think that it is a bit annoying that the Primitivo guide leaves you stranded in Melide. This means that you have to download info from the French route. I have photocopied the last few pages from our Alison Raju Camino Frances guide from when we did this in 2008. I´ll continue my report when I get to Santiago.

Buen Camino!!

I hope people find this useful!

 

[peregrina nicole]

Day 14: Melide to Pedruzo (Arco) (33 km), Aug 19 2011

Our Confraternity guide ended at Melide. I photocopied the last page of Alison Raju´s guide to the Camino Frances. We used this in 2008, so it is out of date with regards to facilities enroute. From Melide to Santiago, the route is very well marked and any diversions are also well marked. However, for the sake of those finishing off the Primitivo, I will give a bit of an up date on facilities en route. The Tourist Info Office in Melide gave me a very useful sheet with the location and phone numbers of all accomodation between Melide and Santiago.

To get onto the Camino from Melide, follow the arrows to the albergue. In front of the albergue, you will see arrows pointing you to the left. At 5.5 km from Melide you enter Boente. The church here as a sello. More interesting than that is the Os Albergue Meson run by Josefina and Mariano (981 501 853) (email: os_akbergyes@hotmail.es). If I had known about this place, we probably would have stayed the night here rather than Melide. It has 28 spaces and has small bunk rooms which can take 3, 4, 5 or 6 people. It is 10 euros. Josephina is lovely and showed me their museum of cameras and other things they have collected through the year. The family has accumulated a rather impressive number of compostellas. Josefina told us that we would look out for her husband Mariano at the Bar Cafeteria Mandala in Arzua. After Boente there is Castaneda and there are three places to stay here. We didn´t check these out: Casa Rural Milia, Portela (981 501 625), Pazo Sedor (981 500600) and Albergue Santiago (981 501 711) (6 beds). In Ribadiso (11 km from Melide) there is an albergue (62 to 70 places according to which guide you want to believe) and also a lovely bar-restaurant just over the bridge. The bar has internet. Apart from the Albergue, there is also the Pension Rustica Casa Vaamonde, Trasiere Rendal (981 500 364). In Arzua (14 km from Melide), there are a LOT of places to stay, including public and private albergues, so I won´t bother mentioning them. Tourist Info in Melide can give you a list. We did pop into the Bar Cafe Mandala to meet Mariano. He is a great guy and they have a very cool sello with a buddah on it. At Calzada (near the k31 marker stone (as in 1km left to Santiago) there is a bar-shop with a sello. There are no supplies in Santa Irene, so people stocked up either here or in Arzua. At Salceda (25 km from Melide) there is a bar-shop and there is also the Pousada Albergue de Salceda (981 502 767) (beds for 8.50 euros). You see the sign postings for the Pousada before you hit the bar. The bar does food. It wasn´t the cleanist bar I have seen in Spain, so we didn´t bother eating here. At Brea, near the 23km left marker, you see signs directing you to the Hospedaje O Meson Brea (981 511 040). It was tempting to stay here, we found the walking pretty easy so decided to push on. Wolfgan and Maria stayed here and said that it was nice. The place does food and has a bar. At Santa Irene (30 km from Melide) there are private and public albergues (Albergue de la Xunta Galilcia (36 places) and the Albergue Santa Irene (15 places) (981 511 000). I don´t know if the private albergue provides food, but there is nothing in Santa Irene, so if you are staying at the public albergue, you will need to bring supplies. Before you hit Pedruzo (Arco) you pass through Rua. There are places to stay here: Hotel O Pino (981 511 035), Casa Rural O Acivro (981 511 316). Pedrouzo (Arca) (33 km from Melide) has plenty of places to stay, including a public (120 places)and private albergue (60 places). The private albergue is called the Albergue Porta de Santiago. It is in the town centre (981 511 103, http://www.portadesantiago.com). There is internet in Pedrouzo. We stayed at the Pension Bule Bic on the main road near the Porta de Santiago albergue (981 511 222). We paid 45 euros for an ensuite room. This was quite a long day, but it is pretty easy going. There are some gentle undulations, but no big ups or downs.

Day 15: Pedrouzo to Monte de Gozo (16 km) Aug 30, 2011

This was a pretty easy morning´s walk. We could have pushed on to Santiago, but decided to stay in Monte Gozo. From Pedrouzo we continued through town rather than go back to where the camino directs you into town. We assumed that arrows would point us back onto the route. This didn´t happen so we asked a local who told us how to get from the main road back to the right where we would see peregrinos on a track across a field. We weren´t the only people who were wandering on the highway, so it would be a good idea for the amigos del camino at this point to put a few well placed arrows as you leave Pedrouzo. Back on the camino, we arrived in Amenal (2.5 km from Pedrouzo. This has a bar and hotel (Hotel Amenal (981 510 421). Further on, at San Paio, there is another restaurant. In Lavacolla (10 km from Pedrouzo) there is a hostal, bar and shops (Hotel Ruta Jacobea 981 888 211). In Vilmaior, there is a lovely restaurant which also has a hotel (Casa de Amencio 981 897 986, http://www.casadeamancio.com). This would be a nice place to stay. We continued on to the albergue at Monte Gozo. We were put in a room with Wolfgang and Maria and paid 5 euros. There is a cafe-bar on site which has internet. There are also washers and dryers, which means that you don´t have to try to find this in Santiago.

Day 16: Monte Gozo to Santiago (4km). Aug 31, 2011

We had a nice stroll into Santiago. From Monto Gozo you go down to the restaurant bar area and follow the arrows between the rows of huts. You eventually hit the main road. From here, everything is well sign posted. There are signs and also metal shells on the sidewalk. When we were in Melide, we booked into the Hotel Susa on Rua do Vilar 65 (981 5866 11)for the 31st. This is a great place. The peregrino welcome office has moved a few doors down Rua do Vilar. The new location is well sign posted and also has a ruck sack storage area (deposito de mochillas). There is also a new system like you see in supermarkets directing you to the next empty counter. I had the most friendly processing I have ever experienced in Santiago and it turned out that the person welcoming me and giving me my credencial was none other than ´Johnnie Walker´. He has givem me some very helpful advice in the past via this forum, so it was great to meet him in person. He had just finished the Levanted from Valencia on foot and really recommended it. That will be a future project. We are now thinking of the Norte or finishing off the Plata.

Overall thoughts on the Primitivo: This is GREAT route. It is very well sign marked. It is a popular route, and the albergues in the villages are small, so a tent is a good plan in the high season. It has enough people on it that you make amigos del camio (like Maria, Wolfgang, Jesper, Helena, Alvaro, Pacho, and Alison). This is the original rooute (i.e. before the French route) and so has lots of churches and ´hospitales´. It goes through pretty countryside, Ovideo and Lugo are cities worth visiting in their own right. Most of the route is on track or quiet country roads. There is a fair bit of up and down, but nothing horrendous. This does mean, however, that on some days 16 to 20 km is more than enough to tire you out. I would definately recommend a rest day in Lugo. There are very few places with internet. There are some albergues that are not near any place to get food, so you do need to be informed about facilities and to stock up. We met a lot of Spanish and Germans on this route. The Germans were using Nordspanien: Jakobsweg Camino Primitivo by Raimund Joos and Michael Kasper. This looks like a great guide and has maps and topos. The Spanish El Camino de Santiago del North published by El Pais Aguilar is also excellent and has a section on the Primitivo that you can pull out. In fact, for some people, this is the new Frances. We met several people who started in Irun on the Northern route with the intention of switching to the Primitivo in Villaviciosa. The people doing this said that they wanted to avoid the crowds on the Frances and that by starting in Irun they had a nice combination of coast before they hit the mountain stages. The Portugues used to be my second favourite route after the Frances, but now the Primitivo is my my second favourite by a mile (or should I say kilometer).

A final word on equipment. I am happy to say that I used everything I carried apart from some of the first aid equiment). I took:
Rucksack
Walking poles (very handy)
2L camel pack water bag
walking shoes (not hiking boots, the trails are VERY easy)
2 pairs of trekking liner socks (Bridgedale)
2 pairs of trekking socks (Bridgedale)
sandals (for after the day´s walking is done)
shorts
light weight trekking trousers (only worn once on a cold day)
two pairs of underwear (quick drying)
two shirts
lightweight cotton skirt
lightweight fleece jacket
lightweight rain jacket
integral design light weight rain poncho (fits over rucksack)
sun hat (tilly)
buff (also good as a blind fold if others have the lights on while you are trying to sleep)
ear plugs (and a spair pair) (essential for albergues)
watch with altimeter
hair ties (long hair gets tangled)
tooth brush and paste
hairbursh
deoderant
sun glasses
sleeping pills
cold medicine
disinfectant
plasters
compede blister plasters
needle and thread
badger balm or vasoline for lightly coating the feet before walking
zinc oxide (for heat rashes)
Ibuprofen (for sore feet)
Piriton (anti histimine for bed bug bites)
mobile phone (if you have a European phone with roaming rights, you need to add 0034 to all of the Spanish phone numbers).
passport
credencial
guide book
thermarest blow up sleeping mat
summer weight down sleeping bag

My feet were OK on this camino. The badger balm, new socks and camino shoes helped a lot. I did get a few small blisters after some of the longer, hotter days, but nothing that a bit of compede couldn´t sort out.

Camino Bob also brought a epigas stove but couldn´t find any epigas canisters. What we did find were the bluet type canisters. In any cases all of the albergues except Borres have a stove. We also had a mega mid tent. This is essentially a pyramid shaped cover (no floor). It has a centre pole, but Camino Bob managed to adapt my walking poles to act as a centre pole and we used our walking ponchos as a ground sheet. This was a light weight alternative to taking a tent and was VERY useful when the albergues were full. We also liked the fact that the poles and rain ponchos were dual purpose. The megamid had lots of space and weighted less than a kilo. People on the route were very curious about the set up.

Buen Camino to everyone!!!