Irun to Bilbao

I somehow managed to block myself out of blogspot while I was away. The trip is temporarily documented at The Political Vegetable https://jennyfoodlinks.wordpress.com/

Camino del Norte

Well folks I can't believe all that was 4 years ago.  The camino walked us out of the old life to where we are now - very busy 'retirement' with no opportunity to take 3 months out to pursue a personal development programme!

However, every year since then, we have met up with Bernt, a dear friend from Sweden whom we met on the camino, and we have walked somewhere. We have been joined by Bernt's friend Peter, our good friends Richard and Jude, sometimes Ruth from New Zealand and various othe chums. I only wish I had documented our adventures during Refuges des Arts (Andy Goldsworthy trail) in 2011, the Cathar Castles in 2012,  a section of le Chenin d'Arles taking us over le Col de Somport in 2013 and  also in 2013,  our fantastic opportunity  as guests of Bernt  to experience Sweden in all it's picked herring glory!

But this year  our travels have a bitter sweet poignancy. Bernt has ALWAYS wanted to do the Camino del Norte - the route to Santiago via the North coast of Spain.  Ever year he puts a plug in for it and every year we take him somewhere else!  When we walked the conventional Camino Frances, the tales of the wild and windy northern route that reached us suggested it was hardcore.  Accomodation sparse, shops even sparser, weather unpredictable, routes difficult and dangerous.   This is a route for proper ramblers with proper gear, emergency food supplies and bivvy bags.  We will see!

The sad news is that Richard, having put x number of hours in planning, is now unable to join us due to last minute hospital treatment. We will SO miss him for his skills in managing a disparate group of 'never readys' and we will probably get lost.  So this is for you you Rich .....

My old school friend Anna is joining us this year and we have shared the usual agonies about what priorities to put in the pack and what to leave behind. Last year I was constantly wet and cold in the south if Franxe in June so this year I am taking no chances. The Paramos are coming. These days, wimps that we are, we try to get our luggage carried but there is a vague uncertainty surrounding this impending trip. Jude, Anna and I are having 3/4 days in Paris ( leaving by Eurostar tomorrow) before getting the night train to Irun on Monday night.  If all goes according to plan, we should be meeting Bernt, Peter, Mo and Derek in Irun ready to start walking on Wednesday. Watch this space .....

Last day - Finesterre

We walked to the end of the earth

We walked to the end of the earth

But actually we took the bus to Finesterre and walked the last 3 kms to the lighthouse which is where pilgrims traditionally burn their clothes or throw them into the ocean.

Finesterre was a great finale - it's a lovely working fishing town - it was fabulous to be by the sea. Many pilgrims do walk there but there wasn't time left in our schedule and I don't think we had it in us. But it was the icing on the cake and we met up with loads of camino comrades!

The lighthouse

The burning of clothes

The last lunch - Caldo Gallego

And Paella

Danny and Mo - as promised she made sure he ate that day - spaghetti bolognese - as a change from the boiled rice he now eats instead of cornflakes!

We bumped into Hannah and Dish and friends

Doreen with a broken ankle

And Magdalena ...

and Danny - looking good!!!

Day 40 Santiago

That's us at the Cathedral

That's not us!

John in Neville's hat

Inside the Cathedral

Last days walking and a strange mood enveloping the group - mixed emotions, weariness and fatigue, a desire to savour the last moments but a desire to get there and be done with it.

The walk into Santiago was not momentous but I had not built it up to be so - so no disappointments there. If anything it was better than expected - pretty country paths that skirted the airport, the same Galician farming villages. And then leafy suburbs with rose gardens leading straight to the big ringroad network and the city itself. No endless industrial suburbs to walk through.

As the day wore on , there was a competition as to who was the slowest in the group - me, recovering from a cold and no breath or Ruth who became progressively wearied and by the time we were 5 kms away complained of tummy upset. When we arrived at Albergue Aquario she collapsed onto a top bunk.

A pilgrim

Another pilgrim!

Day 39 Arzua - O Pedrouza

Meeting up with John and Mo
after today's walk

I (Jenny) took a 'sickie´ today. Just knew I wouldn´t make the 19km with a streaming cold and no energy and potentially more rain. But ...... the sun did come out finally and it has been rain free at last - hurrah!

John, Mo and Ruth left the apartment about 9am and I had a slow, lazy start. I took the 10.30am bus to O Pedrousa after coffee with 2 Frenchmen - Serge and Jean Claude -who were taking the bus to Santiago. They had done the camino twice before and wanted to miss the last etape (which passess the airport apparently) in order to save time and walk to Finesterre.

I signed in at the Albergue Edreira when it opened at midday and claimed beds in the dormitory for the four of us. It is very new and modern, clean and practical but never the less, sleeping is still communal, albeit in a large airy room. So John will have his first experience of snorers and screamers.

I am sure I made the right decision to rest today as I am starting to feel much better and feel I can tackle the walk into Santiago tomorrow feeling relatively human. With rain, illness and exhaustion, it was hard to keep up the momentum to finish at all. I sense everyone who has been on the road for a long time feels similarly - it is time to go home ......

One of many memorials en route
- not much to thank God for there???

John,Ruth and I walked through eucalyptus woods and pleasant paths today. Thankfully it was dry and cool. There were a number of inclines to cope with, not helped by the mountain bikers who have plagued us. At one point a whole group of them came down the path at speed, shouting ´buen camino´ making us leap out of their way. John was not pleased and swore at them. There was a constant stream of people walking the camino with day packs and some with back up vehicles waiting at various points. It´s difficult for us sloggers to feel that they are doing it right. Also met a group of 35 Irish people doing the last 100km from Saria to Santiago. Nice people but more of a walking holiday than a pilgrimage.

The world cup starts tonight, John demanding a bar!! Mo

......50kms to go!

Day 38 Melide - Arzua

Bread Shop in Melide

7am
I've woken up with a sore throat, cough and cold. Not surprising as I've been so wet and cold for the last three days. Fortunately just a short day planned to Arzua today as there is a long etapa tomorrow with no accomodation en route. We have booked a private albergue for 12 euros each. Seems the best compromise in the circumstances.

I'm not sure if it's still raining but suspect it is.

Last night, we were a group of 6 staying in this hotel planning to have dinner together. But they didn't start serving until 9pm. In most places, despite the normal Spanish late dining, they start serving pilgrims from 7 pm. None of us could face going out in the rain again - it was really torrential - so we stayed here. It was a lovely meal - lots of fish - but I was tired and past it and couldn't wait to get to bed - probably cos I was incubating this cold!


Oh dear! Didn't get far this morning when I realised I really couldn't go any further in the relentless rain.  After setting off dry with cosy feet and best of intentions, I gradually got wetter,colder and unhappier. And I felt so ill! Started to think I was mad to be doing it- didn't need to do penance or be a martyr to any cause.

I said to Ruth that if it was raining tomorrow, I definitely would not walk. I had made the decision. She suggested we try and curtail today. Fortuitously, we landed at a main road with a bar and a bus outside. The bus pulled away as we approached but the seed was sown. We went in the bar and ordered hot water to make a Lemsip and a taxi to take us to Arzua. It was only 8 euros. 

We had booked a private albergue that had offered us 2 double rooms for 24 euros per room. What a godsend! 2 big rooms, bathroom and kitchen.  I was able to spend the afternoon in bed with more of the Spanish equivalent of Lemsip.

John and Mo arrived sodden and weary about 3pm. I don't think I missed much. It was another head down day. Before I lost the will to live, I had appreciated the pungent decongestive smell of the eucalyptus trees as we past through more Galician wet woods. Ruth got some of the leaves down for me and I crushed them and put them in my pillow. I think it helped. 

The four if us went out for Paella for dinner. I didn't have much appetite. A muted ocasion. I suspect we were all secretly hoping for a change in the weather and our spirits before the grand finale. 

Don' look now! Hunchback pilgrim and flooded path

John and I walked in the rain from Melide to Aruza. It was so heavy that even my knickers were wet when we stopped at the bar for lunch. John didn´t seem to mind the rain and remained chirpy. I couldn´t wait to stop. Luckily it was a short day and we had rooms at the alburgue so no dormitory experience for us tonight. Jenny´s cold got progressively worse and after seeing and missing a bus, she and Ruth got a taxi to Aruza. Tomorrow´s another day. Mo

Waiting for Paella

Day 37 Airexe - Melide (22kms)

6am
After a jolly evening last night and exchanging sentiments with others, I feel a bit more motivated to tackle today's walk in the rain although it feels a bit like going through the motions.

Some very loud Germans and Americans left our Pension about an hour ago. We are all still in bed and I think everyone has gone back to sleep. The local cock is crowing which means it's probably time for the rest of us to get up!

5pm
Another very wet day with little respite. Caught sight of a TV in one of the bars we stopped at and there are serious floods in Spain, on the North coast I think. Although Galicia is known for it's wet weather this is not normal for June. What should have been a fabulous walk was a real effort. I'm still walking in shorts cos it's easier to dry legs than trousers but I was cold and miserable.

We are staying in a hotel tonight but there is no heat so dripping clothes likely to stay that way. Hot shower helped warm me up and I've now got all my winter woollies on - merino wool, fleece etc.

I've just conferred with Ruth to ask what more I can say about today. She said it was a day with few redeeming features. We spent most of it knee deep in mud and we now seem to be in a small industrial town with no character at all. But we are not going out to find out if we are wrong as it is still lashing down.

On a more positive note (from John) - an angler only sees the flooded rivers as opportunities for sea trout to swarm in from the sea. Also many thanks to Peter for introducing us to the 'carajillos' - strong coffee and flaming brandy mixed together.