Mendoza is located in the North of Argentina, close to the border of Chile and it’s capital city of Santiago. It is well known for being Argentina’s key wine making region, as well as being a small city with several suburb neighbourhoods. I visited Mendoza for a few days on my way across the North of Argentina.
I travelled to Mendoza from Ushuaia over several days, mainly by bus. My main overnight stop being in Bariloche again, where I enjoyed an unexpected hostel party before my final bus. On arrival to Mendoza, I checked into my hostel, (which was not very desirable), and relaxed quite a bit on my first day, but the humidity of the city did mean that I was eaten alive by mosquitos.
Following my rest, I began to explore. Mendoza is a reasonably small city with many small suburbs and hills surrounding it. The city has plenty of restaurants and shops, and of course several opportunities to taste wine along side Argentina’s famous asado dish. Unfortunately, the city is lacking in other things to do and see. There is a museum dedicated to the city’s foundations, which was somewhat interesting, but it is quite small and with little information in english. Next door, are the ruins of the original church, but the entire experience takes less than an hour.
The other thing to see is the Parque San Martin. This is a huge park which you can relax within, it has a huge lake, and a museum of natural sciences. I did enjoy a pleasant lunch in front of the lake following the one exciting thing there is to do in this city… paragliding!
I decided to ‘tale the leap’ and enjoy a short paragliding experience from the 100 metre cerro (mountain). I thought it would be more scary, but you did not have the chance to get scared, you are simply strapped in and pushed off! Then you can float over the city for 15 minutes, and enjoy some complimentary acrobatics from the pilot, which were fun but almost made me vomit!
As well as paragliding, there are other adventure sports available around Mendoza, for those that do not want to spend their time just drinking and eating. Rapid rafting, repellling, climbing and hiking are all available, and Mendoza provides accessible trips to the tallest mountain in the Americas, Mount Aconcagua. I was happy with the paragliding as my bit of adventure for that time, as I was only there a few days.
I realized that I could not come to Mendoza without visiting the wineries, even though I do not drink much wine normally. There are countless tours selling full day and half day guided tours to the ‘bodegas’ which are the wineries. These were quite pricey, and as I knew this was not very important to me personally, I decided to find a cheaper way to do it. I found out that some of the bodegas offer tours for free, so I made a reservation directly with one of them.
I booked a one hour tour with the Lopez family Bodega in Maipu which is only a 25 minute bus ride from the centre. Down the road from there is also an olive growing farm where you can also access tours directly. So my day became sorted for very little money at all, saving me around £100, and I still got to have the tastings. The winery had giant wooden barrels storing their oldest wines, and a small museum about the history of the bodega, and it was quite interesting to learn a little about the process. Equally, the olive farm was very pleasant, and I learnt that to have a mature olive tree that produces enough olives to be commercial it takes several decades, so they have to be quite dedicated.
Overall, I think Mendoza is a pleasant city and especially well suited to those visitors that like a little luxury and love their wine and grilled meat, but if you are a little more of a commoner like myself, it is best not to visit unless you are prepared to part with a good bit of your cash and have some adventurous activities!
After a month in Argentina, I made my way on foot through one of the only open borders into Chile. I spent five days in Punta Arenas in Southern Chile and a few nights enjoying the hiking base of Puerto Natales, before heading into the wilderness for my 8 day hike of Torres del Paine’s ‘O’ Circuit.
Crossing the border
The pandemic is still a serious issue in South America, and Chile is probably the most strict country on the continent when it comes to entering and leaving the country. This has caused many borders to be closed, so there are limited places to cross over land from Argentina, and many people are paying extra cash to take multiple flights instead.
Border crossing at Intergracion Austral
I took two taxis (as buses are currently not allowed through) to get through the border and this was a three hour process on the way in, and a six hour nightmare on the way out. At least I have loads of stamps in my passport now though! The strangest parts of it were that so much of the process still relied on paperwork and physical paper stubs (not ideal when standing outside in high wind). Also, the fact that the crossing at Integral Austral is in the middle of nowhere and has a kilometre of no man land between the two countries.
Punta Arenas
After crossing the border, I made Punta Arenas my base for five days, this large Chilean town is not very touristy but it does offer some good cafes, and stores to gather supplies for the upcoming trek, for better, local prices. There is a promenade of sculptures that runs along the shoreline, and a very strong maritime vibe, but the best local thing I did was visit a nearby national park, for some practice trekking. The Magallanes National Reserve is a twenty minute taxi ride to the top of the town, and as you travel higher you start to see various safety signs, to tell you that this is the place to be if there is a tsunami. A little off putting..
It is about £5 to enter the park, and then there are several trails available with many lookout points that can keep you busy for hours. I went on a very misty day so I did not see many views but the plants and trees especially were cool to see.
From Punta Arenas you can also take an excursion to see penguins and sea lions. I did this on thankfully the warmest day of the week. It is an early start followed by a few hours on a coach and then an hour journey to the main island by boat. Dotted around this small island are thousands of penguins, meandering within their couples. You can walk very close to the birds and follow a trail around the island to the lighthouse and back to the boat.
The tour then travelled to an even smaller island that was home to hundreds of roaring sea lions clambered together on a beach and swimming close to our boat. It was very nice to see these animals in their natural habitat as oppose to a zoo, and it was great to get out from the town and be on a boat for a few hours.
Puerto Natales
The next town which is the base for the Torres del Paine National Park, is Puerto Natales. This small town is full of hostels, camping shops and restaurants. I only spent a short time here to sleep and eat at the beginning and end of my trek, but there was little else to do than that as it is just set up to drain tourists of their leftover pesos.
My trek bag vs my regular bag
Prepping for the ‘O’ Circuit trek
There are two main overnight treks that can be done at the Torres del Paine National Park. They are the ‘W’ and the ‘O’, named after the shapes their routes make on the map. The ‘W’ is the most popular and is known around the world for its views, but some people that have longer and want to see more of the park, choose to walk the ‘O’. this is the full circuit. It has several campsites on route and most people do it over 8 days. Each day of the trek varies in landscape, and the walks are between three and twelve hours, more or less.
Feeling like an experienced trekker, I decided to push myself to complete the ‘O’. I must say though that I forgot how out of shape I am, again. To prepare for the trek, I had to book my reservation to the campsites about three months in advance. I was able to use a new booking website that pulled it all together easily for me, instead of going to several different suppliers which could be quite complicated.
I decided to pay for my meals to be cooked and provided to me everyday, to avoid carrying a stove and heavy food. There is also an option to pay extra to have a tent provided and set up for you. I didn’t do this but met several people who did, and their tents varied in quality but their walks were obviously much easier than those of us carrying a tent. I rented a tent, sleeping bag, mat, and 65L rucksack from Rental Natales in town, and they were really helpful in getting everything sorted and providing me with advice.
I stocked up on nuts, cereal bars, and a bar of chocolate for some snacks for the first day, and midnight treats. I also took a Swiss army knife (although I never used it), a first aid kit (I did use part of this), and my phone power bank (charging is limited in the parks and signal is non existent, air plane mode was switched on the entire time). There are not any laundry facilities so a decision needed to be made about how many clothes to bring. I went with 4 outfits, and I made the conscious decision to smell rancid after half the week. Unfortunately, I still did not find an open launderette for two days after I had finished. Very gross.
The campsites
The campsites on the ‘O’ varied in quality, but I am happy to say that they all had real toilets. I was very thankful for this. I was scared I would be falling into a poo hole in the ground in the middle of the night. All the campsites had some sort of kiosk which sold snacks and most of the campsites had a bar/restaurant where you could buy drinks or enjoy your prepaid meal. Some of the campsites have refuges or domes as well so that you can sleep in luxury rather than a tent if you have the right reservation, and some of the sites had wooden platforms to pitch your tent on instead of the ground. I would argue that the ground is better though, as you are less likely to trip, and its easier to set up the guidelines, and pegs, and its actually a bit warmer than having a void underneath you.
Seron campsite at sunrise
The food I was given during my stay was generally excellent and although it was pricey to do this option, it was well worth it, to not have the hassle. I always had more food than I needed because the portions were very generous. There was always a warm breakfast, a large lunch pack and a four course dinner with different dietary options. The only downside was that hot chocolate was extra and I don’t drink coffee!
I spent time with a great mix of people whilst staying on the ‘O’ circuit campsites. I befriend a group of US visitors, a man from New Zealand and many groups of Chileans. It was great practice for my spanish, especially as in Chile, they have a unique slang. For example the word for egg is what you might call a
Dickson campsite
Favourite campsite: Dickson. This campsite was on a piece of land surrounded by lake and glacier, and also had a beautiful ranch feel with horses roaming around amongst the tents.
Least favourite campsite: Frances. Frances had what was needed but it is located in a shady and damp forest, and all the facilities are far away from the tents and down a hill…
The landscape
The trek itself is over 100km of varied landscape, and climates! The first day I was walking through long grasslands in hot weather, on the fourth day I was shivering in the snow and wind whlilst gazing over the Patagonian Icefield. Many people will simply do their chosen circuit, whilst others may add in the extra viewpoint trails, or you can even just do a full day walking, sailing or riding excursion through the park.
I found the hikes very challenging at times, especially as a solo walker. This was mainly because of some of the heights of the rock faces on the trail. I had to throw my very heavy bag ahead of me and boulder a couple of times which was nerve wracking with no one there. Whilst the paths are very rough, the way markers are very consistent and I was impressed by the placement of some of them.
There is a variety of plants and animals to see, I was very nervous about coming face to face with a puma as they live in the park, but in the end my only animal sightings were a noisy woodpecker above my tent and the poo left behind by a fox! If you are determined to see a puma though (I was not) you can join special expert tours to track and watch them.
Having done the full circuit now, I would definitely recommend the ‘O’ to anyone that thinks they could manage it. The authenticity, and atmosphere were better than the ‘W’ circuit which is much more commercial. The park is absolutely beautiful and I would love to visit again and do more activities there.
Following my visit to Argentina’s Lake District, I continued my journey South into the center of the Patagonian region and one step closer towards the bottom of the world. This area is full of mountains, and glaciers, and many national parks!
Perito Moreno
After a 13 hour bus journey from El Bolson, I made it to the small town of Perito Moreno. I was the only person to exit the bus at 1am and make my way to my little wooden cabin in the town centre. I had come here for only one reason, to see the Cueva de las Manos, only accessible by car or tour.
Cueva de las Manos (Cave of Hands)
I joined a tour group of Argentine people, and we made our way across some very bumpy roads and past wildlife and huge canyons, before finally arriving at the UNESCO site of Cueva de las Manos. This world famous spot has an amazing collection of ancient cave paintings and hand prints, not inside the cave but across the front of it, along a huge rock face. The guide on the site escorted our group through a long boardwalk running across the side of the paintings and with views of a canyon on the other side.
These amazing paintings crowd the walls and include handprints of adults and children from possibly three different times. You can also see illustrations of animals that they would hunt, geometric shapes, that are suspected to represent a map, and there is even a suspected paw print of a puma! The whole collection is made up of different colours, including yellows and bright blues, and are made from different natural materials. I imagine that the person that discovered this must have been completely astonished by all the haunting raised hands.
Patagonia Park
The tour also included visits to other interesting locations nearby such as the Patagonia Park, which had huge salt flats to see.
The locals prepared a lunch for our group of traditional and locally produced food. It was delicious and in true Argentine style, the portions were huge. I tried to tell the people in the group that I was full, but the little old ladies in the group said they wanted to fatten me up and they are like my ‘abuela’ (grandma) and want to look after me! haha
Coloured mountains
The last stop was an hour hike over some amazing hilltops/mountains that were brightly coloured in oranges, red and yellows. This is due to the properties in the rocks and all the minerals being brought out by rainfall. It was pretty awesome, and the short walk to the top gives you an amazing view!
El Chalten & Fitz Roy
Next stop on my trip was to the little town of El Chalten. Getting there was a struggle. It had been raining the night before, and so they rerouted the bus to the only other motorway that took us to the bottom of the country then we turned back around and went back up… A 10 hour journey took 18 hours… craziness.
On finally arriving, I headed straight out for a short hike to a nearby waterfall. It was great to get some fresh air and put my head under the flowing glacier water. I also got great views of the landscape and the town. El chalten is a part of this natural landscape and is an absolute haven for hikers and climbers.
Laguna de los tres
The next day, I started the strenuous hike of Laguna de los tres to Fitz Roy mountain. This hike is only 20 km but it took me about 9 hours. The final km took about two hours as the climb was a directly up ascent on difficult terrain. Normally I walk 4-5 km per hour.
The trail passes through forests, rivers, lakes and grasslands, as well as going through two campsites. It was a very warm and busy day on the trail, but this gave me the opportunity to meet many people. During my day of trekking, I befriended two different groups from Argentina and a girl from Spain. Making conversation with strangers is one of my favourite parts of solo trekking, as I meet so many interesting people from all around the world.
On reaching the top, I collapsed in a pile for a few minutes, then made my way to the lake that was formed by the melting glacier, and took an icy drink, before taking a dip. I spent a few hours here, relaxing and enjoying the sights of the Fitz Roy mountain and the falling water to the drop below.
El Calafate
Next day, I was off to Calafate, on the other side of the National Glacier Park from El Chalten. This town is bustling with tourist shops and restaurants. I have a dwindling budget so I cooked whilst I was there, but still managed to admire the Patagonian Lambs being roasted over the fire through the restaurant windows.
Perito Moreno Glacier
The main excursion to take from El Calafate is to see the huge Perito Moreno Glacier. You have to take a tour which costs about £35 to get to the glacier which is a few hours away. There is then a small charge for the entrance to the park. We were given four hours in the park. I was given a choice to pay extra for a one hour boat ride that takes you closer to the glacier, but I chose not to take this option, and just enjoyed the various boardwalk routes around the front of the glacier.
This huge glacier is very unique and larger than the entire city of Buenos Aires (which blew my mind)! The glacier is apparently in balance,meaning that it loses the same amount of ice each day as is returned to it, due to how the water flows around it. There are three different routes you can take around the glacier’s boardwalk, and they vary by height and length. I did all three, and found the boardwalk system to be very efficient and plentiful in relaxing balconies where you could eat your lunch and watch pieces of the glacier fall into the water below. This phenomenon was amazing. I saw not only the ice fall and splash against the lake, but also the lower layer of ice boil up to the surface and spin around in circles. Very cool.
Rio Gallegos
My last stop in Argentina for a while, was Rio Gallegos. I came here to the bottom of mainland Argentina, to cross the border into Chile. There is not much to see here but it is a good supply stop, and there are some sculptures along a promenade walk and a small house that you can visit as a free museum.
For now, I am off to Chile, for some more trekking and to see the other side of Patagonia, before I return to Argentina, to visit the bottom of the world…
After a few days of bus journeys via Bahia Blanca and Neuquen, meeting a group of hippies and enjoying a local music festival, I finally made it to Patagonia and the Argentine Lake District. A ‘postcard perfect’ landscape.
Argentina’s Lake District sits within the Northwest of Patagonia, near the border of Chile. Patagonia is the Southern region of Argentina, world famous for its scenery, and trekking, climbing, and general adventure sport opportunities. The climate and landscape varies throughout the region and within the lake district are obviously several lakes and rivers dotted around the Andes mountains.
I visited three spots within the lake district, as these were major points on the coach route. They were: San Martin de los Andes, San Carlos de Bariloche, and El Bolson. I stayed in each for 1-2 nights.
San Martin de Los Andes
San Martin de Los Andes sits in the Lanin National Park, named after the local volcano. It is the gateway town to Patagonia for many people, and it is very touristy as a result. It is full of cabin style buildings that make you feel that you have somehow arrived in the Swiss Alps. The town is small but has plenty of bars and restaurants, a few rose gardens to sit in, and San Martin sits on a huge lake named Lacar. You can enjoy swimming in the lake or take a boat out to different places along the shoreline.
I decided to do a short hike of about 10km (about 3 hours) to a viewpoint and then onto a small beach with a little island. I enjoyed a swim here and basked in the sun, although the beach is very rocky, crocs are advised! I looked like a fool sliding around on the rocks. The water was really lovely and clear though, and everyone was respectful of the environment.
San Carlos de Bariloche
Bariloche is a working city that is less tourist heavy, but it’s scenery is absolutely postcard perfect. The town is surrounded by a huge lake and endless mountain scenes. There are not many attractions in the town, and I really just used this for a rest day and to save a little money by cooking from the supermarket. I did manage to visit the local cathedral though. This was a very pleasant building with lots of stonework. You can also walk right up to the lake and sit on the stony beach if you want to.
El Bolson
On the bus to my third stop in this region, El Bolson, I continued to travel along the famous route 40. This very long highway, connects all of these beautiful locations from the North to South of the country. It has now become well known for its gorgeous scenery, and thankfully, the buses use this road too!
Along the way, I saw the damage of the forest fires in the national park the day before. This was quite shocking to see, It seems that it is a common occurrence here though. It created a foggy atmosphere among the mountain scenes.
On arrival to El Bolson, I stumbled upon a huge feria (market/fair) with lots of artisan stalls and food vendors, besides a lovely river scene where people were enjoying pedal boats.
I think El Bolson is my favourite stop of the three, as it had a lovely mix of authenticity and fun for tourists. It was clean, and had lots of facilities. A lot of people that stop here do the 1-2 day hike to Cerro Piltriquitrón but I only had a day here and so not enough time. If I could do it again I would stay up to 4 days here. I did manage to make use of some other nearby hikes though.
I took a cheap local bus out to a natural site that is part of the aboriginal Mapuche territory called La Pasarela. On arrival, I had no idea where I was. I approached a local aboriginal girl, in my best spanish, and she led me there, explaining that it is hard to find on a map. When I found the right spot there was a river with people swimming, and a little information point. The site is completely free to visit, and has many trails and things to see. I visited a waterfall, and then took a second hike to sit by the River Blanco. It was really refreshing on such a hot day.
After visiting La Pasarela I hopped back on the bus for another 15 minutes down the road to Lake Puelo and enjoyed the views of this huge lake among the sunset.
Overall, the Lake District in Argentina is absolutely stunning. There is plenty to see as a nature lover. If I had the chance to travel in my own car, then I would definitely visit more smaller communities, and I would perhaps do more camping, as many people were spending long periods of time in each place whilst camping. For now, I travel further South!
Before walking the Camino de Santiago, I had thought that people were being cheesy and over sensitive when they talked about their camino experiences. After 828km of different cultures, landscapes, and physical and emotional challenges, I know better now.
It is hard to explain why I began this great challenge in the first place. I liked walking, I wanted to practice my spanish, and I suppose I wanted to prove something to myself, but the truth is that it goes a lot deeper than that. It has a lot more to do with feeding the soul (I know that sounds corny, but it is true).
‘Normal’ life is so fast paced, and so fixed on superficial goals; making the most money you can, being the best at your job, being popular, educated, prosperous in all things. I found that I had become lost in the noise of it all, unable to relax, nor ever fully able to satisfy the expectations of others. Life was not energizing me, and after suffering the loss of loved ones too, I could not see a way out of the maze I was in.
When I decided to leave everything behind to start travelling and begin walking the camino, many people told me that they envied my courage. The truth is, whilst it is brave to leave your comfort zone, that is not what led me to walk ‘the way’. When you get so desperate to live happily, you will try anything to reconnect.
The Camino de Santiago is not a leisurely walk, or even just a physical endeavour. It is a spiritual journey full of physical anguish, beautiful moments and life changing epiphanies. That is what my life needed.
Every day, there was only one goal, to follow the bright yellow arrows, and find the next place of refuge. The only priorities are food, water, shelter and occasionally if I was lucky, heat & hygiene.
There were moments when putting one foot in front of the other was agonising. With blistered feet, tired muscles, sweat streaming down my face, as I carried everything I had on my back. I’d wonder if I made the right choice, if I could carry on. Then, something would happen, something small and natural, and it would change my thoughts. Things like finding an ancient cave, seeing a rare eagle fly just next to me, or a beautiful mountain view.
I had one day, when I had been walking for two hours in the rain, uphill, I was in pain and not enjoying myself. Then, suddenly, the rain cleared and I was at a natural park with views of the sea and rivers running past, birds swooping down to the water below… and then above me a rainbow appeared. This almost moved me to tears. It rejuvenated me and reminded me that all storms are followed by beautiful light and life.
But isn’t that what life is about?
Working through the struggle to get to the happier moments. Life is a constant search, not for happiness as a constant state, as this is not possible. It is a search for moments of happiness, contentment and peace. You cannot have moments of happiness without the contrast of pain and struggle.
Quite a few times during the walk, I compared it to what I imagine childbirth is like to some degree. Your feet swell, your back hurts, you have an agonising physical experience, then when it is over, you forget all the pain and can only think about the amazing result.Often, people forget about the pain so easily, that they want to do it again!
What is perhaps more important that this, is that the more pain you have endured, the more happiness you have the capacity to appreciate. I used to wish that the bad things that had happened in my life, hadn’t happened, but if they hadn’t how could I have the strength and search for happy moments that I have. If you never stumble, how can you learn to get up?
Many people already have all they need to live happily. Medieval pilgrims would have seen normal people today as rich in all they have, and expect us to know our blessings. In the western society though, people no longer can appreciate it. I would now argue that we have become too comfortable, too lacking in the struggle to survive. This is why it is harder to feel happy moments when they come, instead you feel nothing at all.
If you lived in nature, and it began to rain, you would need to find or build shelter to escape it. You may also rejoice the rain, because after long drought, your survival depends on it. I cannot count all the times I have cursed the rain, and been angry about it, simply wishing it would stop, meanwhile I effortlessly wonder into my home, that I did not take any risk in acquiring.
When exploring the ancient lives of paleolithic cave people during my walk, and visiting their shelters, I realised how ungrateful I had been. These people had barely anything, and what they did have, they spent long periods of time making themselves. They lived in damp hard holes in the ground, and had to fight bears and other animals for the right to be there.
This made me reconsider things. I should be grateful for the rain that many others might pray for still today, and the home that I did not have to bleed for.
Once I began to change my mindset, I started to appreciate things. Everything became more special. Whilst the rain may not be may favourite weather, I could now look up and smile in it.
A piece of bread was now vital substance, my socks and shoes were precious gems, and passing animals became welcome friends. I watched the snail slide down the same path as me, and considered his struggle, following the same hard terrain with no tools, and his home on his back. I found a new respect for many creatures that do not possess the aids that we have. I could not match the struggle of the snail, the donkey or the stray cat. I must remember and appreciate this.
It all comes down to perspective, and there is plenty of that around on the camino, from the scenery to the people you meet.
I met so many different people, and had such varied conversations. From simple laughs with local bar tenders, to deep life conversations with diners on the next table to me. Most of the pilgrims I met were searching for the same thing as me. Meaning.
I met a couple that had already been cycling for four months from their home in Germany, wanting to find more joy in their lives. I spoke with an Englishman that wanted to live day to day, and a man from Belgium, who was looking for a new direction.
The nuns, farmers, small business owners and simply just other pedestrians, we were all sharing the same need to slow down. The culture of Spain in general is very relaxed, and people savour their meals and take their time to talk to strangers and neighbours alike. The amount of times I was stopped by a local that wanted to talk with me and ask about my journey, is hard to count! It was so warming, and it just made me feel connected to these people.
Whilst I have met many people, most of my time was spent alone with my thoughts. Friends have asked me if it’s horrible being alone, and don’t I get lonely.. well I did get lonely, and sometimes it made me sad, but more often I was happy.
I could sing as loud as I wanted to songs that I do not know the words, cry about stuff that only mattered to me, and work through my thoughts. I know that it can be scary to face your thoughts and feelings, but it is the only way to move past them.
I don’t believe these are things that someone could have told me and I would have then understood. They needed to be lived. Going back to basics as far as possible, this was the shock I needed, to remember what I have and what life offers us all. To be able to be grateful to just be on this planet and living this moment, and enjoy it!
It truly is a pilgrimage, and a journey to explore yourself, and I would recommend that anyone who feels lost, walks ‘the way’.
This week was my final 100km to Santiago de Compostela. Many people begin their entire route from here, for me, it was the beginning of the end, of a very long walk.
Now that I am in Galicia, a new language has been introduced again, a subtle change in culture and architecture. It is so interesting to see the subtle changes. The terrain is flatter and now includes many forests, and little services.
The week began great, leaving before sunrise to walk to Vilalba, I enjoyed my first walk in mostly sunshine for many days. I got some brilliant photos, and whilst my foot was sore, I was full of positivity. Especially once I saw the first road sign to Santiago! It finally felt within reach!
I made my way to a cafe, which I found then to be closed, but hung around outside looking sad until the nice spanish lady let me in! She opened up just for me and I had a hot chocolate, and a long conversation in spanish about politics and Galicia. Very good practice.
Before I knew it, I had made it to the hostel. I was all on my own at the hostel, and it was 1km outside of town, so I had an interesting attempt at ordering a delivery. After a long struggle, I finally had my cheeseburger and chocolate brownie, snuggled up in my sleeping bag.
Vilalba is a nice town, with lots of shops and services, a little castle. It would make a good rest day stop, if I had not been so eager to finish!
The walk to Baamonde was very rainy and had many roads, except at the beginning where there was a pretty boardwalk route through a park along the river. It was ‘only’ 22km but a big struggle with an already very sore foot and knees. Thankfully, I had some company in the second half, in the form of a lovely pilgrim from Switzerland. He had already walked 2000km, and was already ready to get to Santiago by now. I love walking alone, but it is nice to have someone else to listen to other than your own thoughts sometimes. Eventually, we made it to our hostel, and enjoyed a lovely dinner together of baby squid again, of course.
Baamonde is a very small place, but it is also the marker point for being 100km from Santiago de Compostela. This makes it a starting point for many people’s journey. For me, it was a beautiful sign that my journey was almost complete.
The next day I had a choice to make. I could do one long day of at least 32km to the next stage, or take another route over two days (doing 15km, then 25km). The guy from Switzerland wanted me to join him for the big hike, but my foot hurt too much. I decided to stick with my plan of long afternoon rests and went with two days. So we went our separate ways, with an agreement to celebrate together in Santiago.
The 15km to the little village of Miraz, turned out to be really enjoyable, despite my pain. The sun came out for me, and I could take lots of breaks as the walk was shorter. I walked with a herd of cows for at least 1km which was a fun experience, and I even came across a house where the owner made his own special pilgrim stamp. I knocked on the door, and he especially came out, lit a fire, melted some wax and stamped my passport.
On arrival to the village, I relaxed, soothed my feet and counted the days to Santiago.
The next day was my last walk over 25km, to Sobrado dos Monxes. The weather was very bad again, and the poncho was on all day. There were very little places to sit and no bars to use as refuge until I was an hour from the end. The landscape was quite different, more boulders and I could sense that I was now very high from sea level, making it much more windy.
I did spend two hours of the walk with three local spanish guys. We chatted in espanol, which was great practice for me. They walk the last 100km of the camino every seven years (on holy years) on the run up to christmas. So, they were fresh to the walk, on their first day, and so much quicker than me, who at this point is limping! I have been limping for about five days now… After a few hours I told them to go ahead of me, so I could take a break. Several hours later I arrived in Sobrado.
I was in a lovely hotel this night that overlooked the monastery in town. There was an option to sleep in the monastery with the monks, but at this point I just needed comfort and a hot bath. It was amazing to lay in hot water and soothe my muscles. The next day I left a bit later so that I could explore the beautiful monastery. I wanted to take the mass but the timings did not work with my schedule. The monastery is beautiful, and I almost missed a massive section of it where the door was out of sight! Thankfully, a nice monk pointed me in the right direction, and we had a good chat. Apparantly, they don’t use the large part of the church for masses anymore, instead it can be used for weddings. Very fancy!
Then by 11am, I was on my 22km walk to Arzua, and on to the home stretch now!
I cannot say anything good about this stretch of the walk. The rain never stopped, and I was in agony. I actually attempted to change my socks (in wet shoes) at one point, and squeezed about a pint of dirty water from them. There were many roads, and little places to rest. When I made it to Arzua, I was relieved and exhausted.
Arzua is quite a big town, and the joining point for the camino del norte with the more popular camino frances. This meant I would finally be able to send my backpack ahead of me for two days. Now that my entire body is sore, this is great news!
The next day started with irritation to get my backpack sent off, and with trying to fight for a chance to use the one plug outlet to charge my phone, that was shared by 40 people.
The rain this day was the worse there has been throughout, plus strong wind. I did not have my backpack though, so I felt light and quick for the first time in months. It was great. Whilst, I was still in pain and very wet, I found myself feeling very grateful, for life. Grateful to have the opportunity to be alive and here.
I also saw many other pilgrims along the way now, and I was able to get some sick satisfaction that I was not suffering the path alone. I can now identify a pilgrim with ease. The key identifiers are:
Backpack and poncho
Obsession with stamps
Hiking boots and poles
Tortured look in eyes
Broken spanish or use of the phrase ‘tanta lluvia’
Sports wear
Dirty and smelly looking
Walking with a limp, we all have the same one.
This day I spent the afternoon walking with a very lost looking 20 year old girl from China. She had only started a few days before, and was not well prepared. She only had a small puffer jacket, trainers,a little bag, no sleeping bag, and an umbrella that consistently turned inside out. She was struggling to find her way, and so I offered to help. We walked through absolute rivers to get to the next stop in Pedrouzo but whilst I was ankle deep in water, all I could do was accept it, laugh and keep singing along.
After one final night in a pilgrim hostel, a very cold damp night, I finally made my last big walk to just outside Santiago, Monte del Gozo.
The walk was a lot drier, only raining half the day. It was also an even mix of walking through woodland and road, which was good for the feet.
The best part, came at the end, when I visited the pilgrim monument overlooking my final destination, Santiago de Compostela. The monument is 600 metres off route on a hill, but worth the view. After this, I took a well deserved rest at a hotel outside the city, and found some much needed moisturiser for my poor feet.
The last part of my pilgrimage came the next morning, with a final 4km walk to the cathedral, and to receive my certificate!
Santiago de Compostela
The outside of the city is modern and industrial, with many neighbourhoods as you would expect. The exciting part is when you arrive in the old part of the city. There are many small plazas, arch covered walkways and historic buildings. I began to see the towers of the cathedral from quite far out, and as I approached it, the streets became more winding and maze like. The closer I got to the cathedral, the more pilgrims I saw, from all over the world, and with all the different gear on their backs or bikes. No one arriving on horseback though!
A large plaza faces the breathtaking cathedral, with three other historic buildings, one of which is a very pricey hotel. I was lucky to arrive when it was not raining, and we were all angling for the best shots. After admiring the outside decoration for a while, I made my way to the Pilgrim’s Mass.
All in spanish, the mass was difficult to follow, but the vibe was still nice, and unexpectedly they swung the Botafumeiro (big incense burner) across the cathedral transcepts, which is a well recognised symbol of the church.
After mass, I spent some time admiring the cathedral, and went a little crazy buying souvenirs. I then wondered around a little and came across another christian building that seemed to be quite intriguing. The monastery of San Martín Pinario, now partially used for a hotel, school, and museum. The main church is actually magnificent! Possibly more impressive in artwork than even the cathedral.
The choir sits behind the main altar, which is unusual, and so you can actually go to the back of the main altarpiece, and admire some amazing fine carpentry. You can also go upstairs and view the church from the galleries where a second choir resides! This was a lovely surprise. There is also an opportunity to look directly at the dome ceiling art. The museum also had some good pieces to admire, and this large attraction was only a few euros.
That night I met up with my new friend from Switzerland for our celebratory dinner, and we toasted to our success in making it to the end. He had arrived a few days before me, and told me where he had been shopping for new clothes. Now that I had walked into the city in literally rags, I decided I needed to prioritise a bit of shopping.
I took a bus from Praza Galicia for only €1 out to a big shopping mall, and spent a long while tracking down the right pair of jeans.. 😍 I don’t know why the Spanish only sell skinny jeans?! I have now walked 828km and these thighs still cannot fit in them! In the end I found some ‘mum style’ ones, a bit embarrassing but oh well. It is good to be back in denim.
After my shopping spree, I decided to make a visit to the Museum of Pilgrimage. This museum is four floors and pilgrims can enter for free. 👍The museum holds a mix of photographic exhibitions, historic artefacts, and paintings. The collections explain the origin of the Camino de Santiago (way of St James), who James was, and how his tomb was discovered in Santiago. The museum also explains how the pilgrimage route has become more popular over the centuries and many pilgrims’ experiences. The other pilgrimages from around the world and different religions are also discussed.
This was very inspiring to me, and I was glad to see that the reasons I chose to walk the journey were echoed by others.
Something else not to be missed at the museum, is going to the top floor. Here, I found up close views of the cathedral towers.
The final thing I did before I went to bed, was visit the cafe casino, opposite my hotel for a little cheesecake. This is a gorgeous building that is now a swanky cafe and even has a grand piano being played, to really make you feel at peace.
Overall, the Camino de Santiago has been a very unique experience. It has been a great opportunity to travel slowly, and see beautiful landscapes, as well as small villages and towns, that you would not likely stop in, if you were travelling to your destination directly. The people I have met, and culture and traditions experienced can never be replaced. I had said that I could never walk so far again, but the more I think about it, the more I think I could be convinced…
After two months walking Camino del Norte through all sorts of weather and terrain, these are my top tips.
1. Walking poles
Lots of people walk without trekking poles, and it is a personal preference. For me, after so many consistent days of walking, I don’t think I could have finished without them. They take the pressure off your legs, offer you something to lean on when there is no dry seat, allow you to test the depth of mud, catch you when you fall, and make good weapons if you need them!
2. Getting used to bread and ham
Always keep a little bread and some snacks in your backpack. There are many stretches without services, and the walking schedule does not match the spanish eating schedule. Supermarkets close on Sundays and many restaurants are shut on mondays. Restaurants will not serve meals until their meal times (3pm and 8pm). The only thing you will get is a ham sandwich. Get ready to get sick of ham real fast!
3. Energy drink powder
I never used to use energy drinks or add anything to my water before the camino. I decided to buy some on the way and start using some strawberry flavoured powder. I ended up really being able to tell the difference between days I had it, and when I didn’t. It also helps to supplement the lack of access to meals as I mentioned above.
4. Sending your backpack on
Correos, Spain’s postal service, offer a backpack transport service for pilgrims. This runs all year on the french way but only up to the end of October on other routes. I used it for my first three days and final two days. If you can do it, I would recommend doing it for the beginning at least, so you can gradually get used to the trek. Especially, if doing the North route, with lots of mountain climbing at the start! The service is really good, and cheap!
5. Download the Buen Camino app
I used the Buen Camino app every few hours. It was really a great tool. The app has an up to date map, with the official route and alternative paths and shortcuts. Also, up to date information about issues on the route, attractions and accommodation. I cannot recommend it enough.
6. Bring a portable charger
My phone is a little on the old side, but regardless, bringing a portable charger is a really good idea. You are likely to be without a plug outlet for up to 10 hours at a time on some days, whilst draining your phone with music, photos and apps. This helped me out a bunch of times.
7. K-Tape
I used K-tape on my sore muscles for the first few weeks. It really helped me to feel better, and prevent hiker’s knee. There are plenty of YouTube videos on how to apply it.
8. Paper tourist map
When in a city or large town for more than a day, it can be a good idea to get a paper map from the tourist office. This is a prevention method like the portable charger. When all your devices fail you after a long day out sightseeing, you will still be able to find your way back to your bed. Plus they are fun!
9. Plastic bags and newspaper
If you are walking during a wet time of the year, although you can still expect rain at some point, have plastic bags and newspaper handy. I have now learnt that there is no such thing as a waterproof shoe. No shoe can stand up against the rain of the autumn/winter camino. Putting plastic bags around your feet is a temporary prevention that helps. To dry your shoes overnight, stuff them with newspaper balls, this sucks out the water.
10. Have small change
Spain has not yet become a cashless society. Do not kid yourself that you will be able to wonder around with only ‘contactless’. Many shops, cafes and albergues will not accept card payments, and will be moody if you give them big notes. Many of the washing machines and dryers are also coin operated, so you will need to keep some coins handy if you want to wash your two outfits!
11. Check your check in times and leave early in the morning
Many accommodation providers have random check in and check out times, and if you turn up late they will not let you in! There is also likely to be situations where you have to phone the reception from a locked door outside, as many do not man the receptions full time. Additionally, I would recommend leaving early in the morning. You never know how long a walk is really going to take, and you want to maximise daylight hours, and rest time in the evening.
12. Take lots of short breaks and dont sit for long
I tried to sit for about five minutes roughly every two hours and up to 30 minutes for lunch half way through. If you sit too often or for too long, it will just keep getting harder to get up and going again!
13. Don’t think too far ahead
Don’t think about how far away it is to Santiago, or even the town you are trying to get to at the end of each day. It is too overwhelming, and frankly discouraging. It is better to think of lots of short distances whilst walking, for example the next town or landmark. Then when you have done that, you look at how far to the next one. It makes each one, a little win.
14. Accept that there is a good chance that you will need to take public transport sometimes.
You may well do the camino entirely walking, but don’t beat yourself up if one day you just have to take the bus. There will be days when you just have nothing in the tank, or the weather is too dangerous to walk, or you might have an injury.
15. Don’t forget to stretch and take your ibuprofen!
Pretty self explanatory, but I forgot to stretch often, and it makes a difference. I also really needed ibuprofen by the end!
This week I entered my final third of the walk, and as the rain poured down, the paths became rivers, but I powered on!
The week kicked off with a stop in Aviles, which is a large town. It has charming streets full of arches, old chapels and former monasteries, and a fountain of dribbling monks!
I stayed all alone in a large pilgrims albergue for the cheap fee of 8 euros and prepared for the week ahead.
Next was my soggy 20km to Soto del Barco. Most of the walk was through forests with deep red ferns and overflowing rivers.
I had hoped to find a cheap place to stay, but it was all pricey in this village at the bottom of the valley, so I decided to stay in a hotel. The hotel was beautiful as it was a former 18th century palace, and so enjoyed a little luxury and a slap up meal, of food that I could not identify!
The next day I walked to Soto de Luina. The rain continued and I had only been able to have a few small pastries and a piece of fruit for breakfast. I’d thought I would pass a cafe but all day I didn’t. The day was spent walking through forests.
Thankfully, forests and woodland are in my opinion, the easiest terrain on the joints, as the ground is so bouncy. I grew up in the woods (in a house not in the trees), and feel in my element within them.
The overflowing rivers and lack of food was making this very hard for ‘only’ a 22km walk. The day was full of ups and downs, and I had to stop frequently. A few times I thought I might pass out.
When I finally arrived in Soto de Luina, I made my way to my bed for the night, in an old abandoned school building. No heating, and no kitchen, but its all part of the experience… right? 😣
When I looked at my map, I found that my next stop in Luarca was up to 40km away (that is maybe 12 hours walk), and the morning came and my shoes were still wet, and my body still weak. So I decided to journey by train this day. I felt a bit guilty, but sometimes you have to know when to give yourself a break.
It was also a great place to do the train, as the track rides over the town of Luarca, and provides great views. The train driver was really nice too. We chatted in spanish, he showed me when to take photos, gave me some paper for my shoes, and showed me the control room! It also gave me a chance to nose around the town for longer, and just recover a little.
Luarca is a small town which was founded on fishing, especially for whales. The town has a winding river running through its centre and a reasonable amount of bars, restaurants and shops. As you walk through the town, which is full of grand indiano buildings, you are led to the harbour, two beaches and a climb to the lighthouse, cemetery and hermitage.
The hermitage is open to explore, and the cemetery can also be visited, and has some local famous figures within it.
The scenery is lovely, and whilst I was up against strong winds, I did manage to wonder around and look at the sites before the big storm hit! When I could hear thunder, and see snow, I knew the train had been the right decision this day..
The next morning, I headed to Navia. The rain started early and kept on coming, changing from small drops to monsoons without a second to react. I kept myself motivated by singing along to myself ‘hit me with your best shot!’ And it definitely did, when it began to thunder, I started to freak out that I was in the middle of nowhere holding metal sticks!
I pulled myself together and carried on, assuming that I was the only person mad enough to be out here, when another pilgrim appeared behind me.
This peregrino from down under, had managed to leave from Irun a week after me and was now overtaking me! Bit embarrassing… After walking together for an hour though I realised he had been doubling up trail lengths each day, not taken any rest days and was not stopping to look at things. Whilst I may end up being the last pilgrim of 2021, I still think slow and steady is a better experience. I do hope I’m home for Christmas though…
The arrival in Navia was met with a big smile from me, and in the pouring rain, and frozen to the core, I arrived at my hotel. Navia is a reasonable sized town and the hotel I stayed in was pleasant. One cheeseburger, and a warm bath later, and all was restored.
The next day was a big one, about 33km to Ribadeo, and into the final region of my camino, Galicia. It feels like forever that I have dreamed of standing in front of that beautiful Galicia sign. A sign that I have travelled over 600km and I am almost there!
I walked from sunrise to sunset, and the day started with the rain but by the afternoon there was some sunshine. There was also plenty of uplifting camino related signs, statues, and artworks. The day covered a mix of landscape; some forest but mostly road.
I did have a very natural river experience, when the river had overflowed the footbridge. I had to take my shoes off and cross bare footed. It was freezing, but fun!
At one point, I was given a choice of two routes, an inland one, and a coastal route. I chose the coast, so I had something to distract me from my ongoing pains, and because now I spend a lot of time trying to read the sky for clues of what direction the clouds will blow. It looked clear that way.
I made the right choice! I had 360′ views of nearly clear skies, with the ocean on one side and mountains on the other. This really was a nice surprise.
After 10 hours on the road I had to really push myself to make it over the bridge into Ribadeo as the night sky rolled in, and it began to rain again. The bridge is massive, and the views of the city are stunning, especially lit up at night. Then I got to the other side and finally saw the Galicia sign… and gave myself a big pat on the back.
Ribadeo is a must see stop, as it has lots of services and shops, and some gorgeous buildings.
The next morning, my body felt ruined, everything hurt and my foot was inflamed. I was facing another 10 hour walk, and there was no way I could do it. It was a sunny day, and I did not want to waste it or fall more behind. I spent some time in the nun’s convent praying for strength, visited the pharmacy for more ibuprofen, and took the one daily bus part of the way to Lourenzá.
I stopped here for a few hours and took a look around the outside of the gorgeous monastery which unfortunately was closed. I had some octopus and bread, and I walked a short 4km through forest to a nearby country lodge to rest my injuries. A while later that day, the Aussie stumbled in, and I was shocked to see that he wasn’t days ahead. It turned out, he had worked too hard, and was suffering with an injury now as well. There is no getting out of this walk unscathed!
The next day was supposed to be an easy 18km. The rain kept coming but I made it to my first stop in Mondenedo, this little city has a cathedral, that I was keen to visit. It was 3 euros to enter but did include an audio guide. The cathedral has a strange layout following many extensions, it has three naves, a chapel in the center, a small cloisters and a small museum inside. It is worth a visit, as the art work and choir in particular are lovely.
The city has a few other historical buildings, and an exhibition about Camino del Norte inside an old church. The man looking after it was very chatty and helped me to consider my next stages of the walk. He also warned me of an upcoming bank holiday when all the shops will be shut. The exhibition itself was quite interesting focused on the upcoming locations on the walk, within Galicia.
Once I had walked out of Mondenedo, I began a very long and vertical ascent. This eventually took me to the other side of forest, and I then walked about 10km through farmland. There are no services here, just me, the cows and two horses that took a run at me! I was entirely soaked, but singing along to my motivational playlist, which helped.
Then I decided to look back, and there was a double rainbow! Just the pick me up I needed, and lucky that I saw it. A minute later it was gone. An hour later, I finally arrived at Gontan’s pilgrim hostel. My clothes (2 outfits) were washed and dried for the first time in a week, and I fell into a coma.
The week has brought me a mix of emotions. There have been a lot of times when I have considered abandoning the camino, but I am still here, and still persevering. Pilgrimages are never meant to be easy, and with Santiago de Compostela so close now, I cannot turn back! Fingers crossed I can keep my body going until then…
Another week of walking has gone by, and this time the distances were much longer, and the terrain was more varied.
First stop was a stay in Barreda, and a visit to Santillana de Mar. A beautiful town that makes you feel as if you have gone back in time. The streets are cobbled and old stone is all around, they have lots of bars and restaurants, and a tourist information point. Also some museums. I visited the Torture Museum!
The museum was quite interesting but also very gruesome. It also made me wonder what sort of person would acquire a collection like this… The animal masks were particulary weird, apparently it was to silence the speech of women and other lowly folk at the time, and also a symbol of public humiliation.
2km down the road is also the world heritage site, the Caves of Altamira. The caves were discovered in the 1800s and have a collection of pretholific paintings inside, and a system of spaces for different uses. The caves were so popular to visit that they began to become damaged, and had to be closed to the public. Now, only five people per week are selected to visit the original cave. The museum has painstakingly created an exact replica for the general public though.
I visited the replica, it was still underground and very dark but certain areas of importance were highlighted. There were many paintings of animals, that were surprisingly detailed, and a pressed in hand print. This whole experience was a lot better than expected and only cost €4! I was also able to wonder down to the outside of the original caves.
Whilst walking the camino to the next stop in Comillas, the seaside views and sites of farms became very familiar, and I also went hunting for more caves!
Nearby to the path, I had seen on the map that there was a cave in a woodland that had been discovered to have ancient paintings again, and you could have this one all to yourself. La cueva de aguas was about 20-30 minutes off the track, and was very exciting!
In this small cave, deep in the woods, I had to ditch my backpack outside, and crouch to get in. It is completely pitch black, and I could hear the loud sound of water. When i finally got my torch going (I had resisted, as I was afraid of bats), I realised there was water gushing around my feet, and a waterfall running through the cave!
It was really amazing to find, and I could just make out the higher level in the cave, where the cave people would have made home. This cave was on the route of the miners, and another small cave can also be seen on the path, but is inaccessible.
After the excitement of the cave, I had fallen behind schedule, on this very long stretch. I walked as quickly as I could through more roads, woodland, and past a gorgeous beach, trying to get to town before sunset.
I spent the last few hours frantically calling pensions and hotels in town to try to find a room. I kept coming up against the same response, ‘we are closed for winter’. Forty minutes walk away, and already night time by now, I sat in a bus shelter, and seriously considered sleeping there. It looked like quite a well built shelter, but I didn’t like the idea of being 40 minutes behind on tomorrow’s walk. In a final attempt, I phoned a golf club in the town, and managed to rent a 3 bedroom apartment for one night, for 85 euros. So with no food, and sore feet, I dragged myself there and managed to get a bed for the night. Bright side – it had a washing machine!
The next day, I left late, got my stamp from the tourism office, and headed out for a shorter walk to San Vincente. The day began with a lot of rain, and going uphill. After the stressful night before, and being hammered by rain, my will power was running low. Then all of a sudden, I was at a beautiful nature reserve, the sky cleared, and a rainbow appeared, and everything was better again.
San Vincente was a big town with a beautiful old church on the hill, (that used to serve as a hospital for pilgrims), a castle, and then a pleasant restaurant and bar scene below. I met a fellow traveller over dinner, and we talked about our trips and exchanged stories. It was great to have a good conversation, it had been a few days, since I had spoken to anyone.
Next, I crossed the river into Asturias region, the third of four in the walk. I could immediately see the differences in the area from Cantabria. Many of the buildings were brightly coloured and beatifully built in the 1800s. They were built by ‘indianos’, spanish people that went to South America, made their fortune, then returned and built beautiful lavish homes for themselves.
I stayed in Llanes for the night, in the train station albergue, and the influence was clear here. It also had a gorgeous ancient quarter of the town, as well as a port once famous for whaling. There are quite a few shops here but it is on the pricey side.
Next day, was the 20 mile hike to Ribadesella. The day before I had to cut my walk short, as my foot was so sore it had started bleeding. I was worried about making the hike but feeling determined.
The walk was very varied, with the Picos de Europa mountain range on the left and beaches to the right, woodlands and farmland. It was really enjoyable and had amazing scenery. It was only in the final two of eight hours I began to be just dragging myself along to the end!
Ribadesella is another coastal town, with a harbour, and another gorgeous beach. I hiked to the viewpoint and did some sketching, and just chilled. There are some more caves near this area, but on this day I decided to keep them as a mystery. It always gives me a reason to return!
The next walk to Colunga, was still full of beautiful beaches, but also some other things that I have noticed only in Asturias. Gateways with a weird style of layered tiles that I can only assume is decorative, a unique way of pouring cider that has maximum splash impact, (it turns out Asturias is famous for its cider)… and these unstable looking sheds… called horreos or paneras.
They seem to be dotted all along the rural villages. They are all wooden huts, sitting on top of stacked stones. I would be very nervous to go inside these, as they look so wobbly. Traditionally they were used to stock dry grains away from rodents (I have seen rats climb though…) Now, people continue to use them to store firewood, hay, and I even saw some people living in them! Planning permission must be a breeze here… they are everywhere!
Gijon
After a rainy day and night in the pretty town of Villaviciosa, I finally arrived in the city of Gijon. I stayed in a hostel right on the beach.
The city has countless cider houses, and whilst I did not spot a cathedral, it has several churches and a basilica. This was my last opportunity to stock up on supplies before I arrive in Santiago de Compostela in another two weeks or so. I hit the supermarket for more plasters, high protein snacks etc. Hopefully, I will be okay!
With only a day in Gijon, I had to be picky about what to see. Gijon has a set of roman ruins that I was tempted by, but the pull to find out more about those wooden sheds I had seen, was much stronger. So, I walked to the edge of the city, to the Museum of the people of Asturias.
The museum was way better than I expected. For a start, it was free! YAY! I thought that it would be just a few boards with photos and objects, but the museum was actually mostly outside. The biggest part of the site is devoted to the actual traditional buildings of the region. These buildings such as horreos, shepherd refuges, and country houses, have all been actually dismantled from their original location and reassembled at the site. Pretty impressive. You can enter many of the buildings and see how it would have looked. For example, the peasant house has the rooms and fireplace set out as it would have looked, and there is a cider press with huge equipment and barrels in place.
The museum also had temporary exhibitions, and a bagpipes museum! Apparently bagpipes are big in Asturias tradition! As well, as some very odd looking bagpipes, there are a variety of other traditional instruments on show, and details about how they are made.
If you want to make the walk extra worthwhile, the museum is also next to another museum, the football stadium, sports centre and a lovely park.
Overall, I think whilst I am now becoming physically exhausted from all the walking, the Camino continues to prove itself as totally worth it. The walk this past week was colourful and varied, and I really liked Gijon. Time to follow those yellow arrows… see
To mark the end of the first half of the walk, I have made a little video..
In my second week of walking, I have done some of the largest distances so far and had some more rest days. The journey has had more flat terrain than the first week, and lots of walking on roads. It has been closer to the sea though, and very beautiful.
Starting in Portugalete, which is just on the outskirts of Bilbao, I walked along highways and resurfaced walkways along the coastline. There was an option to add an extra 14km to the journey by going into the mountain. I decided against that, as I was still recovering from the previous week’s mountains, and the road had great views. There was pedestrian access on the roads (lines painted on the floor) but I did have to take care, and it is not an option I would have been happy with if it had been a darker day.
Whilst walking the route, I left the Basque Country behind, and entered Cantabria. I kept looking behind me at the scenery, and thinking, I cannot believe I walked all this way so far!
On approach to Castro Urdiales, I went through an old mining area. This offered the very cool experience of being able to walk the old mining track, and go through the tunnels! This cut off loads of extra walking, that google maps would have tried to make me do, as it goes through the mountain rather than over or round. Buen Camino app is awesome!
On the other side of a five minute tunnel was Castro Urdiales. It was beautiful! Apparently, this is where the wealthy people that live in Bilbao, come at the weekends. I can see why!
Cantabria’s first official coastal town, Castro Urdiales has a gorgeous harbour area, two beaches, an impressive church, castle, many lookout points, a spectacular cemetery and a natural swimming pool! I wanted to take a dip, but I was too scared of getting in and slipping over or not being able to get out without a travel buddy. Plus it was about 11’c, and I have no swimming costume…
After leaving Castro Urdiales, I walked for about seven hours to Laredo. The walk had a lot of lovely views of the sea, but was mostly road walking. I met a lovely belgium man that was also walking along my way, so we trekked most of the way together, and split the jug of sangria at the end!
Whilst I was in Laredo, I stayed at the convent of Trinitarian nuns. Whilst it was a very cold stay with no radiators and little hot water, my room was very cute, and I had a lovely view over the town. I also had the room to myself, and was invited to join the mass. The nuns played guitar and sang beautifully during the service! The only thing that was disappointing, was that I didn’t get much one to one time with the nuns. I wanted to ask them about it all, as I have often wondered if I would like to be a nun… 🙂 perhaps I could do interpretive dancing in the band?
Laredo is another gorgeous town, and very big. It takes an hour to walk from one end of the beach, to the other! The old town where the convent is, is picturesque, and I even hiked over it to a viewpoint. (I couldn’t stop hiking!) There is also a harbour here and you can take boat excursions, and I took the water taxi across the bay to Santona to keep walking!
The next day, the walk from Laredo was pretty gruelling. After a five minute boat ride, it was 30km of hard road. There were many villages to move through, and lots of rolling hills with farms.
It was all about me and the animals that day. I saw baby donkeys, goats, horses, cows, chickens, a group of kittens, a very angry little dog, and best of all, a Spanish Imperial Eagle! It started following me for a bit. It was the second bird of prey that has circled above me on this journey. I am starting to think that I might be the prey….
In the final hour of the day, my good knee started hurting, and I had to hobble to my pension in Guemas. A very pretty but small village.
The journey has certainly been taking its toll on my joints, and I am trying to be more clever about my walks and preparation. I have problems with my right leg so have fully strapped up this week. The K tape is really helpful at keeping me balanced.
The last 16km to Santander, I got up early and benefited from some crisp morning views of the village. I then walked to the next village, with my knee still hurting from the day before. I had to make a decision, to stay on the road and shortcut through for a shorter journey, or add 4km and walk up to the cliffs and along the ocean. I was sick of the asphalt by now and everyone has said the views of the sea are great, so I went for the long path.
The path was hilly, but also muddy, which was actually a welcomed relief. I walked past farms, and saw beaches and rocky cliff sides. I also met a man who has walked all the way to Rome on pilgrimage. Very impressive! Eventually, the path led to the town and I wondered onto Somo and caught the twenty minute boat ride to Santander.
Santander
I stayed in the pilgrim hostel whilst in Santander for only 12 euros per night. My experience of the hostel is a story of its own!
I arrived at the hostel which is ran by volunteers, and no one was there. I phoned the number and spoke to a man in broken spanish about how to get in. He said no one would be there until later, but I could pick up the keys at the bar down the street. I went to the bar and explained to the bartender I was looking for keys (in spanish). She understood, (I must be improving). I then let myself in, chose my own bed and went to sleep. Later the volunteer came, checked me in, and told me two more guests should be coming that night. He was leaving though, and I was now in charge of the hostel!
All alone at the hostel
He asked me (in spanish) to check them in on arrival, take their passport details and give them their keys! I couldn’t believe it! And then I was alone again. And there laid an opportunity… I finally had a washing machine and dryer all to myself. First order of business, was to check for cameras, then strip down to naked, and wash everything I have! I sat there in a blanket for two hours, and then I finally had all clean clothes for the first time in a month. Wonderful! 😍
Later, when I was dressed again, the man called and said the guests weren’t coming anymore, and I had the whole hostel of 50 bed spaces, to myself! Crazy!
Anyway… back to the actual city. Santander is the capital of Cantabria, and is a coastal city. It has a port which includes bringing visitors over on ferry from Plymouth, it also has a few beaches, a palace, and lots of hills covered in shops, plazas and restaurants.
My rest day in Santander was a rainy one so I decided to stay in the busiest part of the city, close to the hostel. I stocked up more supplies, mainly medical ones, but also some nuts and fruit from the Mercado de Esperanza (market of hope). I got quite a lot of nuts and dried fruit for two euros. I always love to visit the local markets. It seems there are a few different ones in Santander. Another is the Mercado de Este (east market), this has a tourist information point, and lots of little artisan stalls and bars.
Interestingly, below the market is probably one of the best museums that I have ever visited, the Musuem of prehistoric and archeology of Cantabria. This underground museum is reasonably small, but packed with archeological finds from the region. Including human and animal skulls, ancient tools, artwork, and pottery.
I know that can all sound a little boring on its own, but this museum absolutely brings it to life. They have structured the rooms to make you feel as if you are in a cave network, created visual, audible, and touch displays. They have lots of information in different languages, and really make you interact with the exhibits, I thought it was brilliant! And only €4! 😀
My personal favourite was the museum’s use of tech to turn actual skulls into real faces!
After this, I wondered over to the cathedral. It seemed that I had arrived, and I went through a door, but I was in a smaller church. It turned out that I had wondered into the Iglesia del Santismo Cristo. This church is actually underneath the cathedral itself. It has a warm atmosphere, beautiful arches, and two severed heads! These are relics of roman soldiers that were martyrs. Before I knew it, the door was shut behind me and I was in the mass. I just sat down and enjoyed it.
When it was over, I exited the church, climbed further up and found the official cathedral above where I had been. The cathedral interior is quite simple in comparison, and full of charming, light gothic architecture.
After all that, I returned to my lonely hostel, had a sandwich and took a nice long siesta, before heading out for dinner, and to enjoy some live music.
Overall, I think the jury is still out for me on Santander, because I wasn’t able to explore the beaches and palace, and I think the city probably has more of a rounded package in Summer. I did like the city though, and the museum really was a highlight.
I have walked a third of the Camino del Norte now, and my next and last city before Santiago de Conpostela is one week away. I hope my body can keep going! 🤞
Go Go Chlo 