Wednesday 31st of July 2013

Today is 15km of mountain tracks  on-roue to Poladura de la Tercia and brilliant views all the way. Started out early and have provisions .... as nothing on-route. The track is for the most part easy to follow, but almost non existant in parts. Its rough and washed away in places, but considering the conditions and its a hot day, low 30C .... well make my stopover early afternoon, hot, sweaty and grimmey. The usual clean up and then afternoon chatting with other walkers/pilgrims.

Tuesday 30th of July 2013

Using a different computer to update the Blog.
Monday started walking to Leon ..... 33km to Pola de Lena, low to mid 20's and clear skies. The path starts out flatish, but soon find myself back in the hills, lots of towns on-route ... arrive mid afternoon.
Not so rapt with these long days.
Tuesday, not as far but hills turning into mountains and hard work, mid 20's again and clear skies .... some 22-23km to Pajares, arriving early afternoon, allowing me to put my feet up for the rest of the day.

Saturday, 27th of July 2013

On Friday walked the 39km to Oviedo, conditions low 20's overcast and the odd shower, so back to humid .... the path was in good condition with much of it on back country lanes. Scenery is  great, lots of small towns along the path ..... though didn't make it to Oviedo till late afternoon.
Saturday .... a rest day .... take in the sights and generally laze around, again overcast, low 20's and showers. The big news here is the train wreck at S de C, the bars and restaurants are not as noisy ... this weekend as all of Spain is in mourning.
May stay an extra day here then venture on the road to Leon (back across the mountains).

Thursday 25th of July 2013

Wednesday walked the 33km to Tineo, it was fine and sunny .... a long day with many climbs and descents. Plenty of small towns to stop for a break, great views, passed only about 20 or so other walkers. By the time I reached Tineo it was mid afternoon and getting quite hot. Was really looking forward to that first beer at days end.
Todays walk to Cornellana, 29km in clear skies and sunny conditions, more ridges and valleys, but as day progressed hills smaller .... still arduous and glad it isn't raining as some of the tracks would be very muddy and very difficuilt to walk.
Took my time, stopping for coffee and lunch as numerous towns en-route. Arrived mid afternoon, hot and sweaty, so cleaned up, did the washing then out to the nearby bar for that drink with some fellow walkers, early diner with some vino, then back to accom .... reception a bit iffy here, so will try a bit later.

Tuesday 23rd of July 2013

Another sunny day, again mid to high 20's , strenuous climbs up mountain tracks ... todays walk took me to the summit of Puerto del Palo and down and on to Pola de Allende ..... 20km of hot hard walking ..... I dare to say a lot harder than day one out of Saint Jean pied de port on the Camino Frances. Ankle seems to be OK and not a problem .... nearly 7 hours of walking as the track is rough  and steep whether going up or down, no shelter from the sun, just a slight breeze ..... was really looking forward to that beer at the conclusion of my days march. passed only about a dozen other pilgrims today .... so fairly quiet for this time of year.

Monday 22nd of July 2013

At La Messa, not much here but the Albergue, reception has been dodgy, a bit hit and miss. Mountainous terrain, very steep climbs and descents, its quite a bit cooler here and the mountains seem to draw what ever clouds are about. Ankle still causing some difficuilties, maybe some tendon irritation due to the hilly conditions, but don't think its anything serious .... will rest up at next sizeable town.

Sunday 21st of July 2013

Hi, computer seems to be working, have a sore foot/ankle  so hobbling at the moment, just taking it easy .... big lunch with some locals ... yeh lots of vino and shots .... a siesta is on the cards. Hope this reads OK as constantly fixing spelling mistakes.
Cheers to all, Luke.

Friday, 19th of July 2013

A bit of early morning mist this morning, but on its way to being another hot one. I am right slap bang in the hills here, with long steep climbs and descents, great scenery, some 25km of walking today up and over The Alto de Acebo with its windmills churning away .... guess its always windy here, little to no shelter from either the wind or the heat.
Arrive Castro, my destination 2 pm ... ish, have a well deserved rest, beer and sandwich.
Check into accom, clean up, hang washing out to dry and put my feet up. Make new friends with the new lot of walkers, diner and then home to bed with all the delights of dorm living.

Thursday 18th of July 2013

Well its 7.30am, about to head out on today's walk .... arrived here ... Cadavo early to mid afternoon after a 30km walk in the heat, hard work as the trail is a constant climb or decent.
On arrival grabbed a late lunch and a few beers, cleaned up and had a snooze .... awoke about 2 hours ago. Guess I was tired.
Heading to Padron today .... 27km, its going to be hot again today, 30plus with a cloudless sky .... so will get moving, more later.
Its late in the day, arrived here about 2.30 in the arvo, the route was hilly but beautiful, mostly along tracks through the countryside, so a bit dirty and dusty on arrival. A cold beer and a bite to eat, clean up and relax. Later diner with some fellow pilgrims .... they keep telling me I'm going the wrong way .... well it getts the banter going. then back to the Albergue, use of there computer to update this then off to bed.

Tuesday 16th of July 2013

Humidity is settling, its a bright sunny day around 30C, the terrain is undulating, but not over taxing and my journey covers about18km. The area is farms with lots of trees and plenty of shade ..... I take my time stopping for breaks as I pass through the towns en-route, arriving at Lugo late morning. The rather circuitous climb up to the bridge is steep and arduous, then flattish all the way into the town. Its time to for some lunch and a rest

Monday 15th of July 2013

Well I'm up early, its clearing skies and still a bit humid, but back on the trail. Its another long walk 29-30km today of hills .... my destination is San Roman de Retorta, I get quizzicle looks and the locals say I am going the wrong way .... S de C is back that way. I reassure them I know what I am doing and which way I am going. It is again a long hard day, lots of steep climbs and decents. Its a bit after 2.30 when I arrive hot and dirty/swetty. The track has been rough and still a bit muddy in places.
I find my accom and clean up, get the washing out to dry and then have a late lunch/early diner. Again tired from the strenuous days walking.
NB: Have gone back a few days and corrected the blog whilst I have the chance at the Albergues computer.

Sunday 14th of July 2013

Was exhausted from last few days walking, it is again hot, humid and stormy. I decide to have a rest day .... so wander around toewn, have an octopus lunch (the place is famous for it), generally bludge around and watch the Camino Frances walkers come and go.

Saturday 13th of July 2013

Made my way to Melide, a total of about 29-30km. The weather was hot, overcast, humid with thunder storms ..... first 14km not to bad, relatively gentle up and down. Last half, hills, lots of them ..... made pretty good time considering conditions. Arrived about 2.30pm and grabbed some lunch then accom to get clean and dry. This day took a lot out of me, had an early diner then bed.

Friday, 12th of July 2013

Guess it was a problem with my computer ..... I'm using the one where I am staying.
I'm working my way to Melide where I will do the Camino Primitivo, backwards ...... then slowly work my way to the east coast. The weather is constantly in the mid to high 20's to low 30's at the moment, with a mix of clear and sunny and those summer storms which have been around today and for the next few days.

Tuesday, 9th of July 2013 - In Pontedeume, temp a bit cooler, mid 20's ..... very pleasant. Comfortable in my own skin and with walking solo again. Still can only do blog in the heading part, will try again on another computer.

Monday, 8th of July 2013 - well for some reason I cant seem to get into the normal Blog part .... so guess this is it. Am on the move again and in Betanzos, its still rather warm, so only walking early in the day.

Friday 5th of July 2013

Just a quick update, being a tourist in the mornings, then relaxing in the afternoon. The sun is a bit too fierce to lay out in and no one to fut sun lotion on my back.
Have been out to the point to see an old roman lighthouse, theres an aquarium out there as well, the castle, museum and lots of old historic buildings, catch some of the gardens tomorrow.
Lots of holiday makers around .... avoiding where there are lots of children ..... moved hotel as it was inundated with young families.
Staying in a slightly dearer beautique hotel, in the artistic part of town a dash bohemian.

Thursday, 4th of July 2013

Sorry missed last 2 days posts, Am in O Coruma and its hot, 30 plus degrees and getting hotter over the next few days. Did a bit of a spurt last 2 days as temperature up in the high 30's due  for nearly a week. Its about 7.45am, having breakfast and catching up on blog and emails ..... am considering putting feet up till cooler weather arrives in about a week ...... usually get itchy feet after just a few days, so will wait and see. Have a reasonably priced hotel room in an older hotel, comfortable and in a good position, lots of bars and restaurants close by. Beach only a few hundred metres away.

Monday 1st of July 2013.

Another lovely day as I bid farewell to my travelling companions for the past few months.
Then its pack on my back and head north .... not so easy to follow a Camino backwards, the arrows all point to Santiago ....... well this is where maps and GPS come in handy.
Well so far have been able to follow the markers, only about 12km out of Santiago, but a bit of a winding trail so have covered more like 14-15 km to get here. Am in A Lameira, an outer suburb of Santiago, the country side is beautiful, green and lush.