at last -finished the Levante

Casas Novas to Dozon 19kms
Here I go again, determined to finish. A drive to Ourense and then a bus to Casas Novas where I finished 2 weeks ago. Straight into Cea for a coffee and a stamp on my credencial.

It is strange that I remember virtually nothing of this walk though I have done it before. In my mind it was a lot of road out of Cea and then a long walk across the top of a hill to Dozon. In fact the road walk was not long at all and the top of the hill was only the last 1 to 2 km. The rest was mainly through countryside and villages, plenty of opportunities for pit stops.

A vast deal of money is being invested in renovating the camino!

The weather forecast said rain but, though there was the occasional fine drop, the day was generally dry and cloudy and walking was warm. 

I had a companion in the albergue but she was not friendly so I was better alone.

Day 2 Dozon to Laxe 18 kms

A pleasant days walk, some road but mostly through countryside. Although it is the 3rd time I have walked this stretch the only thing I could remember was the bar in Botos and the walk away from there.

I got to Laxe to find that the albergue is having serious construction work done, I was fortunate that it is open but the outside area is completely off limits. It was difficult to find somewhere to sit and it was very noisy. In the evening I was joined by a lovely Spanish couple doing the Invierno.

Day 3 - Laxe to Bandeira 17 kms

It was a broken night, the lights go on and off automatically by sensor, this is supposed to stop at 22.30 but it didn't, the Spanish lady must have been right under the sensor and the lights went on every time she moved! I was also a bit cold, I was under-dressed. The week in Portugal had made me forget how cold albergues can get at night. 

We were all up early, the others were continuing to Outeiro but during the morning our paths kept crossing which was really nice, we also stopped for coffee together.

Another pleasant day of walking, once again there was a threat of rain but nothing materialised until late in the afternoon. I got to Bandiera in time to shop for food before having a beer and going to the albergue. This albergue is prefabricated and very modern but it has everything needed except pans in the kitchen, but that is why I am carrying one!

Day 4 - Bandeira to Santiago 33 km

I went to bed sure that today would be another short walk to Outeiro but when I got up I decided to probably walk the whole way.  The probably depended on the time I arrived at Ponte Ulla but I really didn't want to arrive at the albergue too early, afternoons and evenings become very long when you are alone.

The morning went well, I was walking well and got to Ponte Ulla at 11.00. I had a coffee and bought a sandwich to have for lunch later. The owner of the bar was a lovely lady and we chatted as I went to pay, she offered me a 'sello' and off I went. I had walked about 10 minutes when I realised that I had not actually paid so I had to retrace my steps, fortunately she hadn't realised either! After this it really was onwards and upwards. I passed the albergue at Outeiro before it opened and carried on to the cross at Lestedo where I stopped for a picnic, it was trying to rain but not too badly.

I arrived in Santiago at 17.30, very tired but I got my compostela and my certificate for my 1242 kilometres from Valencia. I've finally done it.

Interlude - Caminho do Mar

This a short interlude, before finishing the Levante, as I had planned a few days in Portugal. It started with a few days in Lisbon.

Day 1 Cascais to Sintra 27+++kms

Up early to get to Cascais, breakfast at the station and on the way. The walk started along the sea front.

I kept hearing bangs that sounded like guns but soon realised that it was waves crashing on the rocks. 

It was all very flat, then I realised that the hills I could see in the distance was Sintra! That was were I was going to have to walk.

The first 1/3rd went very well, it was exceptionally well signed, first the sea front and then the sand dunes.

There was a bar at the end of the dunes, an ideal opportunity for a second coffee! Then inland to a little village, there was lots evidence of last years fires around. An elderly gentleman stopped to chat, he had come out to see the evidence, as he normally lives in London, he told me how the villagers had been evacuated.

The walk started to go uphill and uphill, the scenery was lovely. I wanted to get to the 2/3rds mark in order to stop for a picnic lunch. I had the idea that I may find picnic tables at about 20k, but no such luck and the signing virtually stopped, the signs I saw were so faded I often wondered if the route had been changed and these were old signs. I was following GR signs for quite a while and it all seemed further than I expected. It was re-assuring that I occasionally passed other people, it would have been worrying with no-one around but this was Saturday and the Cascais/Sintra National Park.

 Eventually I came to the road, I hadn't seen any picnic tables, I had thought that Dos Capuchos would be on the road and be a little chapel with, maybe, a seat, but no such luck so I found an uncomfortable stone and sat at the edge of the road to eat.
A young girl came passed and smiled, then she dithering around for a while before coming back to ask where I was going. Apparently she was looking for the furthest point in Europe. What came to my mind was Finisterre, but this was Portugal, not Galicia, so I suggested heading for Cascais, at least she would be heading for the coast, so off she went but I kind of worried about her for a while after that.
I continued along the road, following signs, until I came to a gate, with arrows, but also with a sign saying 'private property, keep out'.

So I continued along the road, then I made my big mistake, I came to a road junction, one road leading down and one road leading up. The up road was signed for Sintra but I didn't realise that it was a one-way system for cars, the down also lead to Sintra and was shorter, I went up, and up. Right up to the entrances for the

various palaces. the road was cobbled and narrow and crowded with people and cars and busses, then it went down and down. When I got to the bottom I missed the sign for Sintra and turned the wrong way and walked another half hour, finally very weary I made it into Sintra. It had been a beautiful walk so I did not really regret it. My hostel was near the Camara Municipal and on the camino.

Day 2 - Sintra to Mafra ???kms

I started by getting lost and finished by getting lost. Today really backs up the fact that I can no longer do long days. I was very tired from yesterday's long walk and I didn't sleep well as the guy in the bunk above me not only turned over frequently but bounced about for several minutes each time he turned over. 

My first mistake was stupid because I really knew where I was supposed to walk but I got put off by a sign which, I think, said 'no entry except for garage', I could see the garage and it seemed to block the road and I didn't attempt to check, a very rooky mistake for someone who has walked as much as I have. I walked 20 minutes in the wrong direction then returned! After that that things went smoothly for a while. For about 13kms!! After that I think I made a mistake again, to start with the path seemed to be blocked,

The yellow and blue flags are barely visible under the red sign

it wasn't and I continued but I soon found myself following red and white GR signs, it was a long walk and a very steep climb down, I think the walk was longer than it should have been and, of course, having had a steep climb down I then had a steep climb up again. I could see Mafra on a hill but it looked a very long way away. It was a Sunday and I had promised myself to be in Mafra before 14.00, so that I could have a Sunday lunch.
I got back on track and was following arrows but then I lost them again. I got onto the road for Mafra but I think it was the wrong one, I'm sure there would be a better one and signed. It became a case of, one foot in front of the other, I even tried hitch hiking, but no-one wanted to know. I passed one small town where everyone was having their Sunday lunches but I was still too far from Mafra to want to stop.  When I did finally arrive the restaurants were shut, I found a café that did food but it was not very special, but it did make me feel better, by this time it was 16.30, too late to visit the palace and I was too tired anyway.
I had originally intended walking a third day, to Torres Vedras, but this was the end. A good nights rest and a visit to the palace next day was now the plan.

The end of the interlude, next week finish the Levante, short days only🙏