June 2nd 2021
COVID persists, but after many months of being locked down into local areas it is now possible to travel within Spain. So I am going to do a little bit more of the Camino del Norte. I decided to totally skip any 'ballotas' and to start in Luarca. This involved a long day of travel, taking 3 buses. I got up very early as I was worried about being late, I had to drive to Monforte, park at the station and walk to the bus station. I also wanted time for a coffee as the three buses didn't really mesh properly for a lunch break. I got ready and discovered that I was in that silly situation of sitting at home and twiddling my thumbs or going to Monforte and twiddling my thumbs, I opted for going to Monforte. As I left I saw my neighbour's son planting his onions so I went to tell him I was off. He is a policeman and tends to notice when elderly ladies aren't visible for a while.
Once in Monforte I parked my car and just hoped that it would still be there when I returned, and set off for the bus station. I found the station totally deserted and the bar closed but, fortunately, there is a bar close by. Then I just had to wait and wait. We got to Lugo a little late, shortly after 1pm and the next bus was at 1.30pm, with no eating on buses! I was starving but I just managed to eat the sandwich I had brought with me, the next stop was Ribadeo, where I had plenty of time and the bar is open but I would never have survived until 3pm. Finally I got the bus to Luarca, this drove through all the small towns that I will be walking back through over the next few days. The albergue in Luarca is very nice, there were a few other people, all Spaniards. There is a small kitchen, with a microwave. I had a salad and then visited the town.
I managed to get my phone cover in the way of my photos for the first couple of days!!
I was a little worried about sleeping in a dorm as I have a cough. I am fairly sure that I got Covid last year when I walked the Portuguese, I had a temperature for a week but no other symptoms, the doctor poo-pooed the idea and I didn't have a test. Now I have a cough that I just can't get rid of. Someone sprayed themselves with Reflex spray (a very good but rather smelly analgesic) and I nearly choked trying not to cough but eventually I manged to lie down and sleep and I don't think I was a nuisance.
Day 1 - Luarca to Navia 20kms
We were 6 in the albergue and I wondered a bit about the morning rush, with 2 small bathrooms but I needn't have worried. When I woke up, at 06.40, everyone else was up, 2 had already left and the other 3 were well on the way to being ready, so I waited. I wanted to get up at 07.00 as I had found a bar that opened at 07.30. When I got up I discovered how it was that they had been wearing pyjamas! They had enormous backpacks but they were waiting by the door to be picked up by a taxi. I had felt a bit scruffy sleeping in T-shirt and pants but I carry my own back pack!
The weather was damp, it had rained overnight, but was not raining, just drizzling a bit, which was good because I had been so sure of good weather that I was not carrying my waterproof trousers. I had a lovely breakfast, with a lovely fresh croissant, and started walking, straight up hill. It was a very bendy uphill. The road was called Calle La Peña, which was something of a give away if I had been thinking straight, a 'peña' being a hill or rock. The climb wasn't too hard, at least it was at the beginning of the day and not the end.
The rest of the day had lots of ups and downs but none as high, though many were steeper. I soon met another pilgrim, another one carrying just a day bag, later I met another two, one was a very elderly gentleman, who walked very slowly, but obviously very game, not only was he carrying his backpack but he walked on further than me. The camino was well signed. The weather remained damp and dreary, but in many ways this is better than sunshine. It seemed a long 12.5kms to the first village with a bar.The walk was along roads and through woods, with some steep and slippery ups and downs. Villapedre has two bars, right next to each other, and both at the very end of the village!
I had opted to wear walking shoes, not boots, it is the first time I have done this, but I was sure the weather would be warm and dry. the shoes do not have a good grip and the ground was wet and often very muddy.
It was good to get to the albergue, which is excellent. The hospitalero has done many caminos and is a mine of information. He keeps a supply of newspapers to dry wet shoes and there is soap and towels in the washroom, so many albergues don't have these. I was alone here, everyone else seems to have gone on to La Caridad, so I spent the afternoon chatting to Aurelio.
Day 2 - Navia to Tapia de Casariega 20+++kms
The day started well. I got up when I wanted, got ready and went out to find a bar for breakfast. Then on my way, once again it started with an up!
The day went well to start with, though a bit depressing as I had got my info. a bit wrong, I though it was 4kms to a bar, this seemed a bit early to stop but when I got there I discovered that I had done 7kms, so that was very good. Sometimes I get the impression that I must be walking backwards!
All went well until I reached La Caridad, somehow I missed a sign, I thought that it wasn't important and that, if I went into the town I would find an arrow, but I got it totally wrong. If there were any arrows I missed them. I got onto a road which, I assumed, would take me to the main road again, but it didn't, it went straight underneath, I should have gone back but I carried on, and on, till I got to the motorway. I knew this was well off track so I started back, then I saw the road across a field, I couldn't get into the field but I thought I could walk up the edge, through bracken and brambles. When I got to the road there was a fence I couldn't get over so I had to fight my way back through the under growth. I was exhausted and well scratched. I returned up the road towards La Caridad, fortunately I discovered that I didn't need to go all the way back, I asked a lady for help and she pointed me in the right direction. Now I was much later than I had anticipated. I had phoned the Municipal albergue in Tapia and had been told that it was closed and would not open until Monday, this being Friday, however Aurelio, in Navia, had spoken to her and arranged that I could pick up the key from someone. The idea being that I would arrive about 13.00 but now I was not only running late but also very tired and desperate to sit down for a rest. I did not expect to find a bar but I was in luck, in a little village I found their social club and I got a beer and a rest. I got to Tapia just before 3p.m. I was worried that the keeper of the key would be at lunch but he came straight away, he was just on his way for lunch!!
The albergue is just on the way into Tapia, it is an old chapel standing right by the sea.
The town is a bit difficult to get to grips with but I found the port and the supermarket, and, with a bit of help, found my way back.
Day 3 - Tapia to Vilela 18kms
I got up just after 7 and went in search of breakfast. I found 2 bars that opened at 07.30, both on the camino and right next door to each other again. The walk to the motorway, to cross into Galicia, went from one beach to another and was very pretty as the sun was shining on the sea.
I stopped for a coffee in the hotel overlooking the Peñarronda beach, it was really relaxing, then it was onward and upwards to the bridge.
The path is a narrow footpath along the side of the motorway, it is also used by cyclists, who seem to be in a hurry, fortunately none came behind me whilst I was crossing.
I stopped for another coffee in Ribadeo, it was Saturday and there were little market stalls selling artisanal goods, it was tempting to have a bigger look, there are also some nice little shops here. I went to the supermarket where I dropped a €2 coin which rolled under the counter, I bent down to pick it up and found that I couldn't get up again, my backpack was weighing me down, very embarrassing! Then onward. In Asturias I had to keep reminding myself that the shell signs face the opposite way to Galicia, I was expecting to have to keep reminding myself that now they would face the other way but I found that they were facing either way, not consistent at all.
Vilela, where I was staying, is a long village, I saw the first sign long before I arrived and then it was even further to find the bar and the albergue but it was worth it. There were 4 German pilgrims here, having lunch, when I arrived but they left and continued walking, they were going to have a long, afternoon walk to the next accommodation.
Day 4 - Vilela to Vilanova de Lourenza 22kms.
The bar opened at 8 so I got up late enough to have breakfast. When I left 2 pilgrims arrived who had spent the night in Ribadeo.
It was a day of lots of ups and downs, lots of eucalyptus trees and no bars. I had to walk 18kms for my second coffee so I was glad that I had had the first.
Today, being a Sunday, I wanted to get to Vilanova in time for lunch in a restaurant, my Sunday treat to myself, more especially as I haven't had a meal out since October! Fortunately, as Spanish eating times are so strange I had every hope of arriving in time, though the last time I tried this I was far too late, even for Spain.
Entering Vilanova the signs stopped and I ended up going in the wrong direction but a helpful taxi driver set me straight. I arrived about 2 and had time to shower, change and to find the restaurant that I planned to eat at. It was nothing phenomenal but it was a meal out. The Albergue Savior was not my first choice, I though that it was off the camino but it isn't at all, it is really lovely and the owners are very sweet, but mostly I prefer the less personal approach of the Xunta albergues. Having said that it is really well equipped and there is a lovely roof space to sit and relax, and the weather was ideal, warm but not too sunny. There were quite a few pilgrims and some different nationalities.
Day 5 - Vilanova to Mondoñedo 10kms and then home.
I woke up very early so started very early but, in fact, other people were up too. There was no sign of an open bar in Vilanova but I found one after 4kms. Again lots of ups and downs.
I arrived in Mondoñedo earlier than I would have liked. I hoped to get a stamp at the cathedral but it was closed.
So I had a cup of coffee and went to search for the Town Hall, hoping to get a stamp there but signs said appointments were necessary, so no stamp. I just sat and waited at the bus station, this is a building site so didn't bode well for transport, I was very glad when some other people turned up for a bus. The bus went via Abadin and Vilalba so I saw other pilgrims. The walk up to Abadin is very steep.
In Lugo I had time to go for a glass of wine and a tapa and then to continue home. I aim to finish this camino in September.
