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Cress on the Camino Primitivo
  • Cressida Borrett
  • Cressida Borrett

Cress on the Camino Primitivo

I am back walking. The Primitivo is allegedly the original route, hence the name. It's also supposed to be the toughest route. We start tomorrow from Villaviciosa walking to Oviedo and then southwest over the mountains to Galicia and Santiago. Read more
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  • Trip start
    May 18, 2025
    Cressida BorrettCress on the Camino PrimitivoTraveler

    Getting my head around walking

    May 18, 2025 in Spain ⋅ 🌩️ 22 °C

    We spent the night in Avilés which is a really pretty town full of bars and restaurants but no veggie food for Fiona. The typical thing in Asturias is Sidra (cider) but the wine was very welcome after a bit of a frantic week.
    I spent the first bit of the day drinking coffee and drawing the man cleaning the streets with a power hose whilst Fiona went to mass. Then we got a bus to Gijon. All very leisurely for a first day.
    Gijon is lovely. Loads of 30s buildings, including the bus station, a port, golden beaches and lovely squares full of bar tables one of which had my name on it. Beer and kikos taste better here, so that was lunch. Then another bus to Villaviciosa from where the walking starts at dawn. Walking before 11 is much easier than after, and my body thinks it's in bed until 8am so any walking before that is even easier still.

    There's an old town here, a couple of blocks,away so we are off to look around shortly. Tomorrow is a,nearly 30km day with hills by the looks of it. Trying not to think about it... (2 hrs later) We managed to find a huge plate of grilled vegetables and a really loud thunderstorm, so ready for whatever tomorrow has in store.    Read more

  • Cressida BorrettCress on the Camino PrimitivoTraveler

    Oviedo

    May 20, 2025 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    After yesterday's marathon we decided to have a lie in and slowly walk into Oviedo which was only 13.5km
    It isn't raining today so felt like a different country. Amazingly my trainers were nearly dry and despite the aches and pains the walk through more countryside and then the outskirts was nice. We have checked in to the hotel and are off to explore shortly. It's a nice little city with a beautiful old centre.Read more

  • Cressida BorrettCress on the Camino PrimitivoTraveler
    1

    Beautiful walk to Grado

    May 21, 2025 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    We are now on the Primitivo path proper, the first 2 days were just a link from the Norte. Spain now has so many caminos as it's good for business.
    We started off at 7.20 after a good sleep with earplugs as we were right in the middle of town with buses, distcarts and motorbikes making a racket.
    The outskirts are modern, new posh blocks, a train line to commute and some nice urban green spaces. The weather was perfect, grey but dry. The forecast rain has held off. Fiona was in duracell bunny mode as usual so I fell back after a while and ended up talking to a couple from Fuengirola, which is where I spent my teenage years. The countryside is farmland, on increasingly large hills, little hamlets, but far fewer second homes. We managed to get a coffee after a couple of hours and met some more pilgrims but no tortilla. There was another bar further on where we were informed that the food was ganz scheiss by a german. They offered to make us omelette which were actually really good, and you cant go wrong with fizzy water in a,gorgeous blue bottle. The last section of the walk was just me ambling through a wood, by a raging river, through an ancient village and across 1.6km of water meadow.
    I had booked a hostel in an old building. When we checked in we were led to a dorm room with very tired looking bunks. I was sure I had booked a,private room so queried it and paid the extra for privacy, towels, sheets, our own bathroom and no snoring. Still only 26 pounds a night each.    Read more

  • Cressida BorrettCress on the Camino PrimitivoTraveler
    11

    Uphill

    May 22, 2025 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Today has been a beautiful walk, mainly uphill, through woods where at times I felt like the only person in the world. Which of course means there were very few walkers and the cafe that had been earmarked for breakfast was shut. The first stretch was really steep, but after brief chat with my friends from Fuengirola, I met a really nice woman from Kazakhstan and had an interesting conversation that distracted me from the hill. It is really rural now, lots of farms, with the usual foal and mare, and very large hills (mountains) as a backdrop. We are now in Salas, in a dutch run hostel where they serve veggie food. The room is really cosy, nice beds with duvets and hot water bottles. 20 euros a night each. We have been sitting talking to David, who is from near Shefield and who has been walking for 20 years a d is 76. Hope I canstilldo it then! Other highlights, an interesting factory making stones into gravelRead more

  • Cressida BorrettCress on the Camino PrimitivoTraveler
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    Tineo

    May 23, 2025 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    A lovely evening meal last night, veggie communal dinner with a Canadian couple and two English guys, one from Roehampton. I slept badly as I had that fidgety legs thing you sometimes get from walking too much. Today's walk was lovely. Up nearly all the way, through lovely woods and cattle farms. I was mostly on my own but caught up with David who lives in the Gower and Fiona for breakfast. Also met a lovely dutch couple who I walked with for a bit and practiced my bad italian on an unsuspecting Sicilian. Got to Tineo at lunchtime where Fiona and the rest from last night were having a drink in the square. This afternoon we have been planning the rest of the trip and booking accommodation which has literally swallowed the afternoon. We did manage a walk around the town, which feels very high up, and dinner in a little restaurant with the guys from last night.Read more

  • Cressida BorrettCress on the Camino PrimitivoTraveler
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    Picture postcard day

    May 24, 2025 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    I am sitting on the terrace outside our room in the hostal at colinas de arriba, as the name suggests, up the top of a hill. The view is stunning, the hostel new and lovely, even though we are in a dorm room slumming it for the first time. Tomorrow is the big day, walking over the old pilgrim hospital route and the pass, which you can only do in good weather so fingers crossed.
    Back to today. Another crisp early morning start, uphill nearly all the way. We passed through woods, farmed land and along roads for a while. My feet got a pounding again and are still throbbing. Other than that I guess after 6 days it's getting easier. This camino is much more of a fitness challenge than the others. It is hotter today and the last couple of hours were tough. It is so beautiful though, the photos don't do it justice.    Read more

  • Cressida BorrettCress on the Camino PrimitivoTraveler

    Today is why I go to the gym

    May 25, 2025 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    I'm sitting outside our rather nice, and pricey, holiday house, feeling very chuffed with myself. Today we managed a spectacular climb up to 1200m and part of the way down again. My feet don't hurt much, my knees not at all and I'm nicely knackered but so pleased to have done it. Just proves excersise in the gym is worth it, as ten years ago walks like this were agony.
    After an ok night in the dorm we were up before sunrise and out by 7. Me, Fiona and Gower Dave. There was nothing in the hamlet where we spent last night except a couple of houses and a sign saying Berducedo. The track couldn't have been any more vertical without needing steps, so I was soon wide awake and sweating buckets. Even though it was 9c with a bitting wind. We climbed steadily and were soon looking back towards Tineo where we started from yesterday. The mist filled the valley like a sea, and the attached photos don't do it justice. So beautiful.
    After about 300m of up we rejoined the main path which crossed open mountain for the next couple of hours. Heather and scrub with cows eating it. Not a sole in sight, as we left so early. The photo with the barbed wire in the foreground is the pass and ridge looking back as we approached Berducedo where we are now. The wind was too cold for a breakfast stop so we just kept going, eventually coming to a long steep decent. It was loose stones and the others raced ahead but I managed to get down without falling over for a change. Lower down the wild flowers were fantastic, and there was a lovely pine plantation to walk through towards the end.
    We collapsed into a bar, had a beer and a bocadillo before checking in here, doing some washing and buying some food so we can eat something other than meat. Now I'm chilling and enjoying a bit of luxury before the next stage tomorrow.    Read more

  • Cressida BorrettCress on the Camino PrimitivoTraveler
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    More hills

    May 26, 2025 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    After a lovely evening eating with Gower Dave and Alex, Fiona sauce with pasta and veg instead of another camino menu, I really enjoyed the treat of a double bed with a choice of pillows and my own bathroom. I didn't want to get up this morning.
    However, we were up and out by 7.30, uphill yet again over a rocky hill with lovely heather, gorse, broom in flower and tiny ferns just starting to grow.
    After a few km there was a bar, where we caught up with everyone and had toast and coffee. The section after that continued up another brutal hill but it was still cold at that point, which helps. Then for the down, through a temperate rain forest on a little path that switch backed down to the Grandas dam where we met more people we know and ate something.
    The afternoon was another ascent, this time on tarmac but I was talking to Alex so it went quite quickly. The town of Grandas de Salime seemed sleepy but had a nice atmosphere and a beautiful church. We hadn't been able to find a room there so walked on a further 5km uphill to Castro where we are now. We crossed flower filled meadows all lovely but just too far. Even Fiona is tired. The hostel is basic and our room has 3 beds. When we arrived there were 3 people standing outside with nowhere to sleep, and this being the back end of nowhere no alternative. We did the right thing and offered our spare ned to Barbara, who comes from a small island in bc Canada. Garth and Darla also from BC are here too so it will be a Canadian evening.    Read more

  • Cressida BorrettCress on the Camino PrimitivoTraveler

    A Fonsagrada, Galicia

    May 27, 2025 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    Last night's hostel meal was huge and homemade. Very cold in the dinning room and I got chilled and shivery so couldn't get to sleep. This morning we were soon back walking uphill, 400m to the top wondering if I had dreamt about about being cold as the sweat splashed into my eyes. It was a lovely walk above the clouds with a coffee stop where we caught up with everyone including the Fuengirola contingent. 21km later and crossed into Galicia, A Fonsagrada sat on a hill ahead. 1 last km of vertical gravelly hell in hot sun. However the hostel is gorgeous, and we had the best lunch in a restaurant with Gustavo and Fina. Fiona's spanish is really good now and it was really enjoyable. We are probably going back for supper with the "giris" group (non spanish) I am enjoying being able to speak to nearly everyone rather than being trapped by lack of language. Had a sign language conversation with some slovakians earlier. They must feel very isolated.Read more

  • Cressida BorrettCress on the Camino PrimitivoTraveler
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    The toughest of walks

    May 28, 2025 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    If yesterday's brutal ascent to A Fonsagrada was tough, it had nothing on today. We knew it was going to be very hot, so reluctantly put the alarm on for 6 and were on the road 40 mins later. The pattern of a big ascent continued, followed by a very long decent into a valley, repeat several times over 7 hours and you have the idea. We didn't really see any signs of habitation for most of the morning and only one bar, where an Ecuadorian was selling very good tortilla. Fiona's phone says we ascended 840m which is nearly Snowdon, and we have done that for 9 out of the last 10 days which is why I'm so tired. The walking was mostly through forest, rolling green mountains all around and everyone seemed to be overtaking me. I arrived about an hour after Fiona and co.
    We had a menu lunch at the only place here, 14 euros for a big salad, chicken and chips and flan (of couse) and a whole bottle of white wine which Dave and Alex helped with.
    It's still roasting hot so I'm relaxing in the room until it cools. Fiona could probably walk the same again so is wandering around.    Read more

  • Cressida BorrettCress on the Camino PrimitivoTraveler
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    Perfect afternoon

    May 29, 2025 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    We have arrived in a remote hostal and are sitting in the garden under a tree with other people we met along the way and a pet duck who cuddles up to your feet. It's about 32C today and the perfect place to be, if only there was something to swim in.
    Today's walk was easier, mostly through woods, and past a gorgeous church.
    Breakfast in Castroverde and water melon in Gondar. Then a walk through a,wood on my own which was,a bit spoiky to this hamlet which is off the route. The hostel is in an ancient farmhouse with antique furniture and we are all struggling to stay awake    Read more

  • Cressida BorrettCress on the Camino PrimitivoTraveler
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    Lugo

    May 30, 2025 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    We arrived in Lugo, just 99km from the end, after a short 12km walk in building muggy heat. We rented a lovely apartment for 2 nights, bought a watermelon and collapsed in the heat. It is too hot to do anything until later this afternoon when it cools down.
    There was a thunderstorm in the night but it hasn't made any difference so I am very glad that tomorrow is a rest day.
    Nothing spectacular in the scenery today. Gentle rolling farmland practically to the walls of the city, which on first impression is worth a visit. On arrival we had breakfast with most of the people we have got to like on this journey, and who we will not see after tonight as they will be walking on tomorrow. That is one of the strange things about the people side of this walking. Sometimes you meet someone for a couple of hours, other times you feel like you are getting to know them and then we all go our seperate ways and never meet again. Also met a gorgeous salamander on the way in.    Read more

  • Cressida BorrettCress on the Camino PrimitivoTraveler

    Day off in Lugo

    May 31, 2025 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    After saying goodbye to our camino family over a meal last night, we were looking forward to a good long sleep. No chance. The apartment was still like a furnace so all the windows were open to let in cool air and street noise. At about 2 the municipal rubbish guys decided to empty the recycling bins in our road. Those partially underground ones. It was so loud! Grating squeaking metal for a long time. We had a lie in though and spent the morning walking the roman walls and exploring Lugo. In the basement of the market there was a lace fair with people making lace and selling the stuff needed to do it. A group of gallegos in their regional outfits was singing and playing tambourines and the bag pipes which are the local instrument. They sound nicer than scotish ones, less jarring.Read more

  • Cressida BorrettCress on the Camino PrimitivoTraveler

    Part 2

    June 1, 2025 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    After our day exploring Lugo and managing at least 12km on our "rest day", we were back walking again today. Out of the city along the miño river and up past large houses and holiday homes into farmland that looked a lot like Devon. A boring road walk for over 5km which Fiona really didn't like, but the hedgerow was pretty and I saw 3 storks. I think we have been spoilt by the stunning scenery in Asturias last week. It looked a bit like England probably looked before everything was gentrified in the last 50 years. Cute cottages but no manicured laws or bmw's, mercs and audis.
    There were very few signs of life until we came to a little building with a nice big disabled loo and some tables to eat, a microwave and some vending machines. We had brought food with us, so ate it there surrounded by people we don't know. What a difference staying behind for a day makes.
    The second part of the 24km walk took us off into woodland and on proper paths. Sweet chestnuts with 5 trunks, ancient oaks, pine and eucalyptus getting hillier as the day went on. The only other place to stop was 4km short of here, a nice bar with another huge disabled loo, even though there didn't seem to be wheelchair access to the bar. I am guessing they were giving out grants a couple of years ago.
    The hotel we are staying in is new, very nice, swimming pool in a glass box which we are sitting by now. It is overcast, thick grey cloud, which is a relief after all that road walking. My feet feel pounded and tired.    Read more

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    Short day to As Seixas

    June 2, 2025 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    After a swim and a nice meal last night, we went to bed really early, expecting a nice long sleep in our peaceful hamlet. The only noisy resident being a donkey called Onion. No chance. At midnight I was woken rudely by three galician peasants advertising something on the huge much-too-big-for- the- room tv at the end of the bed. I couldn't find the remote, but when I did, it was obvious someone had programmed it to come on. After that, the wooden ceiling creaked loudly at regular intervals, so it was a good thing we had a slow start this morning. With only 10km to walk, we had a leisurely coffee and toast in the bar attached to the hotel before leaving. The walk was through more rolling countryside, mint, foxgloves, and nettles growing along the side of the road. Tiny hamlets with no services, few people and lots of cows, chickens,and a peacock.
    Fiona finally confirmed my suspicions that she is mad by walking in a zig zag along the road a few hundred meters in front of me. 10km is a worryingly short distance for her, even though we have two long days coming up, so the zigzags have added a few meters....
    Talking about mad, we did make a short detour to see a leather workshop run by a very excentric guy from Alicante who is living in one of the abandoned farms. Long grey hair and hippy clothes. Didn't seem to have heard of trump but thought world peace could be achieved by anarchy or communism. We didn't stay to find out which.
    We are now at a tiny hostel with only 9 beds and a communal supper. Our room is sort of suspended above the living area and has a nice hot shower, which I'm about to warm up in as it's only 14c today.    Read more

  • Cressida BorrettCress on the Camino PrimitivoTraveler
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    Ribadiso

    June 3, 2025 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    We were up and out before 7 this morning after being tortured by a couple of mosquitoes all night. And another foam mattress that roasts you from below.
    The day started overcast and cool, more farmland and an uphill section that looked a bit like Scotland, complete with heather. Then down through eucalyptus plantations into some sort of area of interest where there were petroglyphs in the shape of a foot. From the bronze age. Then Melide appeared in the distance and we were soon back in civilization. Hojaldre de manzana for breakfast, possibly more than one.
    Then on to the path again where it combines with the French route we walked last time. It seemed quieter but soon stalls selling things along the way soon appeared and we met a couple of texan girls and a couple from Long Ditton.
    My favourite hut selling coffee liqueur and tarta de Santiago is still here, so we had a chat with the owner, bought more, and continued to Ribadiso where Fiona stayed two years ago. Nice hotel in a cute hamlet, swimming pool and a restaurant across the road. I'm starting to feel sad now we are getting so close to Santiago but the tendonitis from last year has started to swell a bit so it might be just as well.    Read more

  • Cressida BorrettCress on the Camino PrimitivoTraveler

    That went quickly

    June 4, 2025 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    Last full day of walking before reaching Santiago so I am feeling sad. But also happy as unlike last year I know there will be many more caminos and my relationship with this beautiful part of Spain will continue. There is lots more Godello and Albarin̈o to drink and tortilla and flan to eat.
    Not many photos today as it was drizzling when we left so I wore my rain poncho for the first 3 hours. It makes reaching for my phone a pain.
    I was surprised by how little I remembered of the route from last year, so it wasn't boring and the 31km went by faster than expected. Some beautiful woods.    Read more

  • Cressida BorrettCress on the Camino PrimitivoTraveler
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    The end, for now

    June 6, 2025 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    We arrived in Santiago yesterday in the rain, said goodbye to the last of our camino friends and met up with Caroline and Catherine who were on the camino portugués.
    Over so quickly, but a lovely walk.Read more