And on the Levante again!!

This camino has been my nemesis but I am determined to finish this time, so here we go!
Day 1, 13th February - to Requejo 12kms of walking.
Up early for the train to Puebla de Sanabria, I was glad to get off the train as it was really hot and stuffy. I had time for a second breakfast and then on the road. The beginning was well signed but then the signs led me onto the road and left me there. When I came to the point where I expected to turn off there were no visible signs, worse still there was a stream to paddle across so I opted to stay on the road.

Fortunately it was only 3k in total on the road because the next turn off was well signed, at least it was well signed initially, but suddenly the signs stopped. I continued on, what had all the appearance of being, an old medieval road, with walls on either side, and soon, a stream in the middle. The stream was bad enough but there was also lots of mud, it has rained a lot this winter, but I managed to do it without getting particularly wet.

I got to the albergue to find that I have company, a Spaniard who has walked from Asturianos. I expect we will be together for the next 2 nights but then we will split as I am taking the alternative route.  We are in the private albergue as it has heating and a kitchen, there is a bar close by but it gets very busy with workers from the construction sites for the new high speed train.

Day 2 - Requejo to Lubian 16 kms

Up for breakfast in the bar, a very busy bar and then 9 kms up the road, the camino has been obliterated by the constructions. Today is very much about up, from 900 metres to 1,300 metres at Padornelo. It wasn't too bad as the road is not very busy, mostly construction traffic. There is a broad path at the side of the road and whenever a heavy vehicle passed I stopped and hung onto the crash barrier so as not to be blown over by the 'down-draught', it means a lot of stops. 

As it is only a short day I was not in any hurry. At about 7k there is a great viaduct, there were signs leading off the road at his point and I turned off, but the path seemed to go down a long way and then up a long way, I didn't fancy it and I had been told to stay on the road until after the tunnel so I returned and braved the viaduct. It was scary as there was really nowhere to walk but, fortunately, no traffic came, then a while later there was a 400 metre tunnel, this has a footpath but I was glad that no lorries came. After this it was only a short walk to the village and a lovely little bar where I had a coffee and wasted half an hour chatting to the owner, he gave me instructions on how to continue and it was well signed. The path went through woodland and up and down so it was wet and muddy in places but not as bad as yesterday, though it slowed me down, this wasn't important as I had loads of time.

 I got to the albergue to find no-one there except loads of workmen, I thought that they were building a patio but it transpires that they are making new washrooms etc., currently there is only one small bathroom, this must be a big problem in summer.  I showered and then went to find the shop and the bar. When I got back I found that Manuel had only just arrived, I really had thought that he must have continued onto A Gudiña as I hadn't seen him anywhere and he says that he walks quickly. In fact he had ignored the signs because someone in Puebla de Sanabria had told him to stay on the road all the way to Lubian so he walked well out of the way. 

I had had one hairy moment when I had to cross a rickety bridge, strategically placed over a waterfall and with no handrail, I re-assured myself that if it had taken Manuel's weight it would take mine, little did I know that he had not walked this way.

Day 3 - Lubian to A Gudiña 25kms

A beautiful but very hard day. It started with a descent to a sanctuary and then an ascent, steep and very wet. Full of water features. To begin with mud was not a problem as there had been a heavy frost but the recent heavy rains and snow meant that all the streams and water spouts were going full tilt. The worst one was when I had to take off my boots and paddle, fortunately I carry my crocs on the back of my bag.

a nice cold paddle here!

The top of A Canda was the dividing point between Zamora and Galicia

Looking back

The first village I came to had a bar, this was a lovely surprise and all the better because the village that was supposed to have bars didn't have any to see. I fondly imagined that this was the last of the steep hills, I should have known better, this is Galicia.

Day 4 -  A Gudiña to Trasestrada +/- 24kms

Kind of a strange day. The albergue at Trasestrada would not open until 17.00 so I was keen to waste time during the day as I felt that it was a short day!! The bar near the albergue opened at 08.30 so I endeavoured to wake up later, and I managed to stay asleep until 07.30, I left the albergue a little too early and wondered up the road to waste time, then a taxi stopped, it was the owner of the bar coming to tell me he was opening up.

I started at 9.00, the day was a mixture of countryside and road and much of it within sound of the motorway. I don't think that there had been a frost and it got warm very quickly. I stopped for a coffee at Erosa, still sure that I had loads and loads of time. I had fairly detailed instructions but distances were not included and the 'mojones' were totally unreliable, for example the one in A Gudiña said 226k to Santiago and 4k later the mojon said 224k!

I got to a tiny village at the same time as the bread van so the ladies of the village were out. I had decided to take a rest here and was really pleased to see picnic tables, I had just got my bag 

off when one of the ladies invited me in for a coffee and a large spoonful of honey to give me energy!!

From here the route went onto an old road that seemed to wind round and round in circles, I started to realize that the day was longer than I had thought. I got to a point near the main road and I opted to take the road round the hill, rather than climb over it, as I was sure that the end was just around the corner but it was another 3 or 4 km before I got to the bar at As Vendas. It had taken me 6 hours to do, what I had thought was, 18kms. After a beer and a sandwich, in a bar where there were people smoking and they overcharged me for the beer, I had to walk downhill then back uphill to arrive at my destination. I got there at 16.30 so not long to wait. It is a lovely place, an old rectory which has been renovated, the owners are lovely and can't do enough to help. I was shown around and then spent the evening in the bar. 

Day 5 - Trasestradas to Verin 18kms

The owners offered to get me breakfast but I declined, I prefer to be independent and I had a chocolate drink and a muesli bar in anticipation. 

It was easy to get back onto the camino without back tracking, it went through lots of little villages all with dogs barking. I felt guilty about waking up the inhabitants so early on a Sunday morning until one of the dogs attacked my calf, after that I decided that they were getting their just deserts and ought to keep their dogs under control. The first 6 or 7 km were much longer than I anticipated, actually I thought that it would only be 4k, lots of ups and downs through nice countryside.

I was hoping for a coffee in the bar at Fumaces but being a Sunday morning the bar was shut. The signs, arrows and mojones were very frequent, much more so than in Zamora, but the distances on the mojones continue to be rubbish. My guide said that there would be 10k on the main road but this was not so, it was the ancient main road, still with tarmac but crumbly and there was no traffic. I found a lovely bar just on the outskirts of Verin so I had my coffee and a lovely big bit of cake and then I continued straight to the albergue. This was supposed to open at 13.00 but last time I tried to stay here it did not open at all, this was a bit of a worry but fortunately today it opened. It has been totally renovated recently, the showers are ultra modern but there are 2 together and the doors open to face one another, I can never understand the logic of architects who think people want to shower in public! There was also a washing machine and drier so I decided to get clean. The place is very warm, the kitchen is useless, I didn't expect to find pots and pans but there is only a  microwave so I had to rethink my meal, but I managed, not for nothing am I carrying a plastic bowl!

I took the afternoon off to be a tourist and visited Monterei and the Parador and had a cup of tea, it meant that I could climb up without my back pack and saves me doing the climb in the morning.

Day 6 Verin to Viladarei 18 kms

I woke up to heavy rain so it's wet gear. the bar near the albergue was open early and it is a nice bar. I opted to go along the road and avoid the climb to Monterei, it was as well that I knew where I was going as I saw no signs, and I had seen no signs on Monterei either. I saw the first arrow at Albarellos (4k). The day was difficult with some very steep climbs. After Enfesta it was all in the countryside and the mimosa is almost in flower, it got very cold and also foggy and it all seemed to take forever, I was very glad to get to Viladarei.

The bar was warm and welcoming. The albergue is very modern, not actually open when I arrived but a phone number was on the door and the hospitalera came instantly, no-one has been here since November, a great shame. There is no shop in the village but it is only 1.5k to the next village and even less to the petrol station which has a little café and a little shop.

Day 7 - Viladarei to Sandias 20 kms

Up and a 1k walk to the petrol station for breakfast, a very cold morning, there were clouds but of the type that burn off later in the day.

The camellias are in flower, Spring is coming, yesterday I saw wild crocuses on top of the hill but I was too tired and dispirited to take a photo. The walk today was virtually all on the flat, a big change from yesterday. I suspect that my guide is giving me the distances from one town, or village, to the next and ignoring the distances across the town. The walk out of Xinxo de Limia seemed interminable.

church in Xinxo

chapel in Vilariño

When I got to the next village 'Vilariño das Poldran' there was a bench by the road so I sat in the sun and rested for 5 minutes, then I went up the hill and found there was a bar, so I stopped again and had a beer, only 2k to the albergue from here.

I dropped my bags outside the albergue and went to find the keys at the bar, fortunately the bags were still there when I returned. I had done a shop in Xinxo and carried it but there was no need as there is a shop here. I turned up the thermostats but there seemed to be no heating, it didn't get any warmer and there are no radiators or anything so I went to bed early in thermals, fleece and with 2 bed covers folded over.

Day 8 - Sandias to Xunqueira de Ambia 18 kms

Well there was heating! I don't know at what time it came on, not a very sensible time really, it would have been nice to have a warm evening. I turned off most of the thermostats before I went to bed but left on the one in the room I was in, I also left it on at full whack. I realised during the night that I was a little over dressed and took off my socks and my fleece, the covers fell off anyway. I discovered, when I got up, that the heating is under floor, that explained the lack of radiators.  I went to the bar to return the key, have breakfast and point out that the albergue has no loo rolls and the cistern of the toilet is broken, the guy was a total moron, one of those ignorant, miserable gits who should never work in a bar.  He didn't want to know anything and told me to tell the Town Hall. So I had my breakfast, whilst I was there the bread girl came in, he treated her with equal rudeness, I'm not sure if it was only females he treats that way!

I walked to Allariz along the road and discovered that I am not walking particularly slowly so I don't know why, sometimes, I get the impression that I must have stood still for an hour. When I got to Allariz I phoned the Town Hall in Sandias but they didn't want to know either so I gave up. It is strange, Sandias has a super new albergue but no-one seems to want to take any responsibility for it.

I spent some time doing touristy things, looking at Allariz.

Then it was on to Xunquiera as the albergue in Allariz is now closed. When I arrived I met the hospitalero in the street, he was lovely, introduced himself, assured me that the albergue was open, the heating on and the water hot. What a difference a smile and a nice manner makes.

Eventually I was joined by 3 Spaniards and 2 Australians.

Day 9 -  Xunqueira to Ourense 22 kms

Well! Everyone was sleeping when I left at 07.45! Not much to say about the walk, it was mostly on the road, the upside to this is that there is more chance to find a bar. I expected to find a bar at 11k but I found one at 8 so I stopped for another coffee, just as well as the next one is closed, up for sale. When I arrived in Ourense the sign for the albergue was pointing to the old one, I thought I knew where I was going but I got within inches of the new albergue and turned off. I found the cathedral instead and the girl there gave me a map, not far.  The new albergue is really well situated, right in the centre and next to the new thermal pool at As Burgas.

new albergue

Day 10 - Ourense to Casasnovas 19kms

I ended up on my own in the albergue. I got up very early as I have changed my plans. I have realised that I can no longer do long days. Last time I did Ourense to Santiago in 4 days, this time I will need 6. I don't have time to do 6 days at the moment so I will return to finish. Today is kind of cheating as I have left my back-pack in my car and will walk to Casas Novas and get the bus back. I walked the northern route as I walked the other route last time. I stopped at the station for breakfast and carried on. The first 3 to 4 km were awful, along side a busy road, then there was the inevitable hill to climb, but then the path was all through countryside.

After about half an hour I realised that I was not carrying my stick, I must have left it at the station. This didn't matter initially as it was all asphalt but once it was earth it was more difficult. Fortunately I found a bamboo stick which helped me round the various water features. I stopped for coffee in Mandras and got a stamp, this is a lovely little village, really welcoming to pilgrims.

I got to Casasnovas in time to sit and have something to eat and then get the bus back. I called in at the station on the way back and the bar manager recognized me immediately and said; 'Oh your stick' so I got it back.

Next week I am going to Portugal and will walk a few days of the Caminho do Mar and then return to complete the Levante.